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

Many parents believe that the ancients in the Bible had no concept of childhood, let alone child abuse. Most parents support the current child abuse definitions in place under the law of the land. However, the  Bible has a concept of child abuse - 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 a parent being sorely disappointed in their children 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 directed towards a child was deemed parental entitlement in biblical times. 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 offenses or damages, 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. It isn't enough to stop spanking and punishing children - you need to avoid the slightest of offense perceived by a child, ideally speaking. Offending children is inevitable in parenting, and thus parents should be willing to give a meaningful apology whenever they offend a child. Whenever a child is upset when dealt with a certain way, including concerning set limits, they are offended by your conduct as a parent, and thus you need to apologize, especially if you lose your cool with your child. Refusing to apologize to a child you offended is entitlement in and of itself. Usually, all that is needed is reassurance of a parent's good intent. However, if you lose your cool with your child, you should give a full length apology such as "I apologize for losing my cool with you". This commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christian parents who brought with them into the church their pagan custom of patrias potestas, which is a Latin phrase translating roughly to "power to the parent", including the power to use punitive measures in parenting such as spanking or other forms of punishment. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punitive treatment of a child in his secular writings. Attachment parenting was against Roman law, but the Early Christians obeyed God over men, and did attachment parenting anyway.

The Greek root word translated "they be discouraged" is αθυμέω (Latin: athumeo) and refers here to long-term damages, including trauma. The ancients in the Bible had a concept of trauma. Whenever a child grew up to be atheist, it was a shame onto their abusive religious parents, not a shame onto the atheist him/herself. 

Child sexual abuse was a rare form of child abuse in biblical times, and was prohibited by the use of the word πορνεία (Latin: porneia) and was defined then as the slightest of sexual advances perceived by a child, even if the child liked it. Child sexual abuse was seen as a purity offense, meaning blasphemy. Even if the child was a willing participant, it offended God, and thus was dealt swiftly by the council in the Early Church.

The Bible is an anti-spanking document. All 88 books of the Bible - from Genesis to Revelation - were written by Jews, with no Jew worth referencing ever endorsing punitive treatment of a child. Even King Solomon recommended attachment parenting for the little ones in his secular writings, with the rod in Proverbs referencing the 40 minus 1 lashes, meaning a sentence for a crime. If King Solomon didn't impart that wisdom, fathers would just refuse to whip their adult children. Even then, minor children were not whipped. These harsh punishments under the Law were repealed by Christ's Work on the cross.

The Bible is a founding document of this country, above even the Constitution itself. We as a society glean from the Bible and its context as to how to live and get along with each other. It just so happens that the Bible was mistranslated at the Latinate level, with all English-language versions of the Bible being flawed in terms of translation. Most of the framers of this country were unaware of the biblical context concerning punitive treatment of children. But, anti-spanking values are Judeo-Christian values, and all of the Jewish framers were anti-spanking. 

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!