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

Many parents think that the ancients in the Bible had no concept of child abuse. Most American parents support the current legal definition of child abuse, as it stands. However, the Bible has its own definition of child abuse, namely whatever the child victim perceives as abuse. 

The Greek root word denoting parental entitlement is πλεονέκτης (Latin: pleonektés) and refers to, officially speaking. wanting things from children, to the point of imposition. Unofficially speaking, parental entitlement consists of a parent who is 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. All anger towards a child was deemed parental entitlement. When this sense of entitlement in parents was perceived by a 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 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 offenses or damages 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 had a concept of childhood trauma, namely when a child grew up to be atheist. When a child grew up to be atheist, it was seen as a sign of trauma, as opposed to the atheist simply being seen as a lost soul. 

Child abuse was prosecuted in the form of pro-social rumor. Whenever a child shunned their parents for being abusive, word spread far and wide thar a child was abused. When word reached the council that a parent was abusive, the parents were put on trial before a panel of 3 elders. If the parents were found guilty, the parents were excommunicated from the Early Christian Churches of God. 

The Bible is an anti-spanking document. All 88 books of the Bible were written by Jews, with no Jew worth mentioning ever endorsing the punishment of children. Even King Solomon recommended attachment parenting for the little ones. The rod of correction consisted of the 40 minus 1 lashes. In most cases, it was the parents being whipped for abusing children, with the grandfather administering the whipping. The harsh punishments in the Old Testament were abolished by Christ's Work on the cross. The rod verses ultimately were meant as wisdom, as otherwise, the father might refuse to whip his son who ran afoul of the Law. 

The Bible is a founding document of this country, even above the Constitution itself. We as a society glean from the Bible and its context as to how to live as a society. It just so happens that the biblical writers were all anti-spanking, and all recommended attachment parenting, at least 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!