Expanding child abuse definitions: Why the Bible calls for more laws on the books protecting children

Many parents think that the ancients in the Bible had no concept of childhood, let alone child abuse. Most American parents support the current child abuse definitions, with parental rights advocates claiming that "actual abuse is rare". However, the Bible has its own definition of child abuse. Anything perceived by a child victim as abusive is objectively 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 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 directed towards a child was deemed parental entitlement then, and was condemned as such. Whenever this sense of entitlement in parents was perceived as offensive or damaging by 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 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. Any entitlement leading to offense in a child is what is deemed child abuse in the Bible. Offense in children can include any hurt feelings in a child, stemming from parent anger. However, whenever you even offend your child without an apology, you are entitled, as refusal to apologize to a child that you upset alone is a form of entitled defense. Whenever a child is hurt emotionally by how you treat them, the way to avoid offense is to be willing to apologize to a child whenever you hurt their feelings. In public, even bumping into a child can be child abuse if you aren't willing to apologize for the incident. Any time you upset a child, and defend it, you are abusing your child. This commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here 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 towards children such as spanking and other forms of punishment. 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 from child abuse, namely trauma. The ancients in the Bible had a basic understanding of childhood trauma. When a child grew up to be an atheist, it brought shame onto the parents, as the parents were then put under suspicion of child abuse. Atheism in a young adult was seen as a sign of trauma, not simply as sign of "rebellion" or else being a "lost soul".

Child sexual abuse is understood in the Bible using the Greek root word πορνεία (Latin: porneia) and refers to anything sexually immoral as understood then. Any sexual interaction between an adult and a child is considered child sexual abuse, meaning any sexual advances directed towards a child, even if the child liked it or was flattered by it. Child sexual abuse was rare in the Early Church, and when it happened, it was a huge moral outrage. Any sexual relations outside of marriage was considered fornication in biblical times, with the only way out of sexual sin with a child is to masturbate to thoughts of children. In the Old Testament, sexual abusers of girls were burned at the stake, with abusers of boys being stoned to death. 

Child abuse was prosecuted in the Early Church by way of an internal investigation. When a child was being abused, the child usually confided into the church elders for assistance in getting rid of abusive parents. The elder then called into the courtroom the alleged abusive parents, and if they defended themselves in any way, a guilty verdict was handed down to the parents. The guilty and entitled parents were then excommunicated from the Early Christian Churches of God. 

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 defending punishment of a child as a right. Even King Solomon was anti-spanking, and recommended attachment parenting for minor children. The rod of correction was instead intended for adult children, as a sentence for crime. 

America is a Judeo-Christian country, founded on Judeo-Christian family values. We as a society glean from the Bible and its context for how to live and treat each other with respect. It just so happens that the Bible was grossly mistranslated at the Latinate level, as when Rome took over, the Roman Catholic Church mistranslated the Bible in order to keep a tradition going. However, the Bible is clear that provoking your child to anger is a moral crime when it comes from entitlement.

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!