Child abuse definitions: 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 child abuse definitions. However, the Bible has its own child abuse definitions. The fact of the matter is that the Bible says that whatever the child victim perceived as abuse objectively is so. 

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 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. Any parent anger on the part of a parent was deemed parental entitlement, and was roundly condemned as such. When this sense of entitlement in parents was perceived by a child as offensive or damaging, it was deemed child abuse. See 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. The biblical concept of child abuse consists of entitlement in parents, leading to offense in children. The idea is to avoid offense in a child, knowing that upsetting a child is inevitable in parenting. In order to avoid offense in a child, the idea is to be willing to give a meaningful apology whenever you hurt a child's feelings, lest it lead to offense, period. You should especially apologize when you lose your cool with your child, and commit to never again losing your cool again with your child, as losing your cool with your child alone is entitlement. But, even bumping into children in a public venue can be child abuse, if the adult is not willing to apologize for invading a child's personal space. This commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here was convicting a group of Greek Christian parents who brought into the church their pagan custom of patrias potestas, which is a Latin phrase roughly translating to "power to the parent", including the power to impose punitive sanctions on children, including spanking and other forms of punitive parenting. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punitive parenting in his secular writings. Attachment parenting was banned under Roman law, but the Early Christians did it anyway, obeying God over men.

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 basic understanding of childhood trauma. When a child grew up to be atheist, it brought shame onto the child's spiritually abusive parents. An atheist was seen then as a victim of religious child abuse, as opposed to merely a "lost soul". 

The ancients even had a concept of child sexual abuse. The Greek root word denoting fornication is πορνεία (Latin: porneia) and refers here to child sexual abuse, meaning any sexual interaction between an adult and a child. Any sexual advances on the part of an adult, and perceived by the child as such, was child sexual abuse, even if the child liked it. Child sexual abuse was rare in biblical times, meaning almost non-existent. 

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 mentioning ever advocating for punitive parenting. Even King Solomon recommended attachment parenting for dependent children, with the rod in Proverbs referring to a sentence for a crime, namely the 40 minus 1 lashes.

America is a Christian nation, founded on Judeo-Christian family values. We as a nation glean from the Bible and its context as to treat each other with respect. Most of our legal codes are based off of the Bible, including murder and rape. It just so happens that the Bible was grossly mistranslated at the Latinate level, in order to keep a pagan custom going. 

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger though 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!