Redefining child abuse: Why the Bible calls for expanding child abuse definitions

Many parents think that the Bible doesn't have any answers on the concept of child abuse. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. Most parents support the modern legal definitions of child abuse. However, the fact of the matter is that the Bible clearly does have answers as to what is child abuse. The Bible teaches that child abuse is defined as whatever the child victim perceives as abuse. The Bible is a good legal model to follow in terms of defining child abuse.

The Greek root word denoting parental entitlement is πλεονέκτης (Latin: pleonektés) and is defined as, officially speaking, wanting things from children, to the point of imposition. Unofficially speaking, parental entitlement consists of parents being sorely disappointed when they don't get what they feel that they deserve from children. Parents are deserving of absolutely nothing from children just for existing. Any parent anger on the part of parents, directed towards children, was considered parental entitlement in the Early Church. Whenever this sense of entitlement on the part of parents was perceived by the child as offensive or damaging, it was deemed child abuse. See also Colossians 3:21 KJV:

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers here to damages or offenses, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, including, but not limited to, the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. This commandment was intended by the Apostle Paul, and was understood in its original context, as a moral statute prohibiting all forms of punitive parenting, including, but not limited to, any punishments, reprimands, or other controlling demeanor towards children. In the Old Testament, punitive parents were put to death by way of bloodletting, after punishing their children one last time. The parents who punished their children were initially charged with kidnapping, with "kidnapping" being defined under the Law as the slightest of damages or offenses stemming from hostage-taking - child punishment was seen as holding your child hostage merely for things that they did wrong, thereby treating your child as a quartered slave. Paul here was lifting up the Law in order to convict a group of Greek Christian parents who brought their pagan custom of spanking and punishing their children into the church. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punishment of a child in his secular writings. Paul may not have gotten along with the women of the church, but he sure loved children, and even took in a few orphaned children during his time as deacon.

The Greek root word translated "they be discouraged" is αθυμέω (Latin: athumeo) and refers to long-term damages, namely trauma in this case. The ancients had a concept of trauma. If a child grew up to be atheist, that non-belief was seen as a sign of trauma, not simply an adult rebelling against God. 

The wheels of justice rolled in the Early Church in the form of pro-social rumor. Whenever an adult child disowned their parents, and became atheist, word spread far and wide that an abuser made it into the church. Eventually, word of an interloper reached the council, where a panel of 3 judges who would decide the final fate of the parents. If parents were found guilty, the child was given the opportunity to go either with parents or with pedophiles. When children refused to go with a pedophile, the pedophile came under scrutiny for scaring away a vulnerable child.

The Bible is an anti-spanking document. All 88 books of the Bible were written by Jews. No Jew worth mentioning has ever endorsed punishing a child. Even King Solomon recommended attachment parenting for the little ones. The rod of correction was a switch that was used in judicial corporal punishment, with the only place where striking another adult was lawful was in a courtroom, as a final 40 minus 1 lashes meted out before the adult was put to death, after committing one last offense. Most all of the biblical writers endorsed attachment parenting in their secular writings. 

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!