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

Many parents think that the Bible has no concept of child abuse. Most American parents want the present child abuse definitions to stay. However, the Bible has its own definition of child abuse. The biblical definition of child abuse is whatever the child victim perceives as 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 from children what they feel that they deserve. Parents are deserving of absolutely nothing from children just for existing. Any parent anger directed towards a child was deemed parental entitlement then. When this sense of entitlement in parents was perceived as damaging or offensive to a child, 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 and 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 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 in biblical times 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 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 here to long-term damages, namely trauma. The ancients, in fact, had a concept of trauma. When a child grew up to be atheist, it was seen as a sign of trauma, not the individual atheist simply be a lost soul. 

Prosecuting child abuse in the Early Church came in the form of pro-social rumor. When a child shunned their parents, word spread far and wide that a parent was entitled. When word reached the council, a panel of 3 elders heard the case of the abuse. If they found the parents guilty, the child went with pedophiles usually, with the child electing to go with the pedophile. Child saviors in the Early Church were charitable in their dealings with children, meaning it wasn't a barter system - pedophiles expected no sexual favors from a child in return.

The Bible is an anti-spanking document. All 88 books of the Bible were written by Jews, with no Jew worth mentioning ever endorsing child punishment. Even King Solomon endorsed attachment parenting for the little ones. The rod verses in Proverbs refer to the 40 minus 1 lashes, meaning a sentence for a criminal act. However, the harsh punishments of the Old Testament were abolished by Christ's Work on the cross. 

The Bible is a founding document of this country, more so than even the Constitution itself. We as a society glean from the Bible and its context as to what laws to pass, with most of the English common law based off of the Bible. It just so happens that the Bible itself is an anti-spanking document, and thus the Bible calls for expanding child abuse definitions under the secular law. This country has a Judeo-Christian heritage, with this being reflected in the legal codes of this country.

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!