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

Many parents think that the Bible has no answers as to defining child abuse, and that the ancients in the Bible had no concept of even childhood, let alone child abuse. Most parents support the current definition of child abuse. However, the Bible has its own definition of child abuse, with whatever the child victim perceives as abuse objectively being so. 

The Greek root word translated 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 seen as parental entitlement, and was roundly condemned as such. Whenever 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 is not enough to stop spanking and punishing your children - you need to ideally avoid the slightest of offense perceived by a child. However, offending children is inevitable in parenting, and thus a parent should be willing to give a meaningful apology whenever they offend their child. Any time you cause your child to be upset, including due to set limits, you have offended them, and thus an apology is in order. Most of the time, an informal apology should suffice, with statements such as "I'm sorry, but I had to set X limits for Y reasons". But, if you lose your cool as a parent, you are crossing into entitlement territory, and thus a formal apology is in order, such as "I apologize for losing my cool with you", with you then committing not to ever lose your cool as a parent ever again. If you merely refuse to apologize for a child that you upset, you are entitled. The understanding of child abuse in biblical times consisted of entitlement in a parent, leading to offense perceived by a child. Being willing to apologize to a child when you offend them alone is a way to avoid entitlement. 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 of the parent to impose punitive sanctions such as spanking and other forms of punishment. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and oppose 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 in the Bible had a basic understanding of childhood trauma. Whenever a child grew up to be atheist, it brought shame to the parents, with the atheism in the child being seen as a sign of trauma, and not simply a sign of the child being a "lost soul". 

Child sexual abuse was also a concept in biblical times. The Greek root word denoting adult fornication of children is πορνεία (Latin: porneia) and refers to any sexual interaction between an adult and a child. Whenever the child perceived sexual advances from an adult, it was deemed child sexual abuse, even if the child liked it. Child sexual abuse was rare in both the Old Testament and the Early Church, meaning it only happened in a few cases. 

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 endorsing punitive parenting. Even King Solomon recommended attachment parenting for minor children, with only adult children receiving the rod, in the form of the 40 minus 1 lashes. Christ's Work on the cross repealed all of the harsh punishments found in the Old Testament, with Col. 3:21 clarifying how to properly deal with a child

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. Even our legal codes under the English common law ultimately come from the Bible in most cases. It just so happens that the Bible was grossly mistranslated in order to keep a European pagan tradition going. However, the Bible is clearly anti-spanking in Col. 3:21.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting will nit 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!