Expanding child abuse definitions: Why the Bible calls for stronger child abuse definitions

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. However, the Bible has its own definition 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 when they don't get what they feel that they deserve from children. In fact, any parent anger directed towards a child was deemed parental entitlement, and was roundly condemned as such. Whenever this sense of entitlement 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, with this entitlement including any parent anger directed towards a child. Child abuse in the Bible, as a legal concept, is defined as entitlement in parents, leading to offense in children. The idea is to avoid offense in children. The idea behind avoiding offense in children is to be willing to give a meaningful apology whenever you hurt your child's feelings. However, if you offend your child by losing your cool with your child, you should definitely give an apology for losing your cool with your child, and commit to never losing your cool with your child ever again, as losing your cool in and of itself is entitlement. It goes without saying that punishing your child is a moral crime against the child, because it is done out of anger, and offends the child, in all cases. 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", namely the power to impose punitive sanctions on children, such as spanking or other forms of punishment of children. 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. Whenever a child grew up to be atheist, it was seen as a sign of childhood trauma from abuse, not simply the atheist being a "lost soul". 

The ancients also had a concept of child sexual abuse. The Greek root word translated "fornication" is πορνεία (Latin: porneia), and refers in this context to any sexual interaction between an adult and a child. Any time a 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 biblical times, meaning it almost never happened. Most adults then masturbated when they developed an attraction to a child. 

Child abuse was prosecuted in the Early Church by way of church investigation. In most cases, an abused child confided into a church official about having abusive parents. When the child confided into the church official, the church elders subpoenaed the parents to testify in court. If the parents defended themselves in any way, they were excommunicated from the church for their entitlement alone. 

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 the punitive treatment of children. Even King Solomon recommended attachment parenting for the little ones in his secular writings. The rod of correction was a sentence for crime, in the form of 40 minus 1 lashes. A judicial whipping then could only take place within the confines of a courtroom, and only as a final warning before putting a young adult to death. No minor child was ever whipped, as children were seen then as immune to prosecution under the Law.

America is a Christian nation, with this nation being founded on Judeo-Christian family values. We as a society glean from the Bible and its context as to how to live and treat others with respect. However, the Bible was sloppily translated, with some of this being intentional as a means of keeping a pagan tradition going. However, the Bible is clear on child abuse, even with the pro-spanking lobby glossing it over - avoid offense in your child.

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!