Father's day: The duties of fathers in Christian households

Today is father's day. Most people are buying something special for their father. The concept of father's day originated with the popular understanding of the Fifth Commandment. The Fifth Commandment is widely interpreted as commanding parental rights. However, the Bible as a whole speaks of duties of fathers, not rights of fathers. 

In a Christian household, mothers serve as the nurturers, and fathers serve as disciplinarians. However, discipline does not equal punishment. Ultimately, discipline came in the form of nurturing of a teaching type. See Ephesians 6:4 KJV:

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

This first stanza of this commandment clarifies for the second that fatherly discipline should not hurt. The Greek root word translated "provoke...to wrath" is παροργίζο (Latin" parorgizo) and refers here to offenses or damages, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. It is one thing for fathers to stop spanking their children. However, it is not enough for fathers to stop spanking their children, or even stop punishing their child altogether for that matter, as a father. You need to avoid offense in children. Avoiding offense in children is the same as avoiding offense in other adults. Just as hurt feelings are inevitable in relations between adults, hurt feelings are also inevitable in children when dealing with them. Thus, in order to avoid offense in a child, you need to be willing to give a meaningful apology whenever your child's feelings. Usually, all that is necessary is a reassurance of good intent, in the form of an informal apology, whenever you hurt your child's feelings with limits not set out of anger, such as "I'm sorry, but I had to set X limit for Y reasons". However, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology for hurting your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for losing my temper with you", and then commit never to lose your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards a child alone is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. This commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christian parents in the parish at Ephesus who brought 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. However, this commandment was ultimately received at the parish at Ephesus as prohibiting all offenses or damages as perceived by a child. 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. 

Fathers have a duty to discipline their children. However, the first stanza of this commandment clarifies for this second stanza that fatherly discipline should not hurt. The Greek root word translated "nurture" is παιδεία (Latin: paideia) and refers here to a certain specific form of nurturing, namely of the teaching sort. Christian parents in the Early Church looked for preferred behaviors in their children, such as discipline or self-control. When children showed these good traits, they were lavishly praised and encouraged for more of the same. Christian parents then set a good example for their children to follow, but backed it up with praise and encouragement, not punishment or force. The Bible also charges fathers to instruct their children in the Lord. The Greek root word translated "admonition" is νουθεσία (Latin: nouthesia) and is more aptly translated as "instruction", with the Apostle Paul here discussing religious instruction. Starting at age 6, fathers left out a Bible for a child to discover and explore, with the Bible being left open to a reassuring verse. When children were caught in the act of studying the Bible, they were lavishly praised and encouraged to keep on studying the Bible, with fathers then interjecting "you can ask me anything about that book". From there, religious instruction came in the form of question and answer, with children being curious about Scripture, and with fathers giving pointers on the context. This stanza of this commandment refers to the Hebraic tradition of positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement, as a tradition, predates the coming of Christ by thousands of years, and is practiced in Jewish homes even today. 

Contrary to popular legend, fathers did not sexually correct their children in the Early Church/  The Greek root word translated "fornication" is πορνεία (Latin: porneia)  and refers in this context to sexual relations with children, meaning usually daughters. Fathers in the Early Church rarely sexually abused their children. Instead, they masturbated righteously on occasion to sexual thoughts of their children. Usually, in the case of a father-daughter fantasy, the daughter wanted to know what the father of the house fantasized about - she usually got a good laugh about it. Pedophilia and sexual attraction to children was kept on the joke level. Child sexual abuse was at a level where children could easily make an accusation against their abuser, and then be believed. Unlike today, child sexual abuse today was not at the gaslighting level. It is a myth that Christian fathers in the Early Church literally raped their children when they were becoming unmanageable in relation to mothers. 

Fathers also set limits in Christian homes in the Early Church. However, children accepting limits was another story. Even then, children oftentimes protested the limits of their fathers, usually through crying or tantrumming. When a child could not accept a set limit, they were reassured with an informal apology that communicated good intent to children. Children usually forgave their parents, and if they didn't, it was seen as a sign of trauma. 

Fathers in the Early Church nurtured their families, and also protected them. Fathers protected their families then by standing guard using a rod and staff, namely a sepulchre. A father's sepulchre served both as menace, and a means to beat interlopers to a pulp when they posed a threat to his family. However, fathers in the Early Church were usually warm and kind, in a gruff and encouraging manner, yet still were in charge. Husbands were prohibited from beating their wives even then, with the man of the house instead overpowering anyone who might harm or infiltrate his family. 

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!

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 child abuse. Most American parents support the present-day child abuse definitions under state and federal law. However, God's Law is above the law of the land. 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 the well-behaved child that they feel that they deserve. Parents are deserving of absolutely nothing in relation to children just for existing. Even any parent anger directed towards children is parental entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. 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, stemming from entitlement. Child abuse in the Bible, as a legal concept, consists of entitlement in parents, leading to offense in children. The key to not abusing your child is to avoid offense in children. Avoiding offense in children is the same as avoiding offense in other adults. Just like hurt feelings are inevitable in relations between adults, hurt feelings are also inevitable in children when dealing with them. Thus, in order to avoid offense in children, you need to be willing to give a meaningful apology whenever you hurt your child's feelings. Usually, all that is necessary is a reassurance of good intent coming from parents, in the form of an informal apology, whenever you hurt your child's feelings with limits not set out of anger, such as "I'm sorry, but I had to set X limit for Y reasons". However, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology for hurting your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for losing my temper with you", and then commit never to lose your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards a child alone is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. 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. However, this commandment was ultimately received by the parish at Colossae as prohibiting all offenses or damages as perceived by a child. 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 childhood trauma. The ancients in the Bible had a basic understanding of childhood trauma. Whenever a child grew up to be atheist, shame fell on the parents, meaning never the child. An atheist was seen in the Early Church as an abused child, not a "lost soul" to be "won over".

The ancients in the Bible even had a concept of child sexual abuse, The Greek root word translated "fornication" is πορνεία (Latin: porneia) and prohibits any sexual relations outside of a Christian marriage between one adult man and one adult woman, with the marriage having to be equitable in nature. Ultimately, a Christian man was only allowed two sexual outlets - with his wife, or else righteous masturbation without pornography. Anything outside of these narrow outlets was seen as fornication, including any sexual relations with a child. Most child sexual abuse then came in the form of father-child incest, with daughters being the usual targets. Fathers usually masturbated on occasion to thoughts of their children, meaning usually their daughters. Fathers were even allowed to be honest with their daughters about their fantasies, as long as he was a man of few words about it. Child sexual abuse was rare in the biblical context, meaning next to non-existent. Whenever a child was sexually abused by an adult, it was a huge moral outrage. 

Child abuse was prosecuted by way of an internal church investigation. This investigation usually started with a child confiding into a clergyperson about their home life. From there, the parents were summoned to appear before a council of 3 elders, who would decide the fate of the parents. If the parents at all defended their parenting choices, as opposed to answering to the court, they were swiftly 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 anti-spanking Jews, with no Jew worth mentioning ever endorsing punitive parenting. All of the biblical writers also wrote parenting manuals that advocated attachment parenting. Even King Solomon wrote an attachment parenting manual, with the rod of correction in Proverbs referring instead to the 40 minus 1 lashes. It just so happens that the attachment parenting manuals in the biblical context were not translated into English until the 1960s.

The Bible is America's book. America is a Christian nation, founded on Judeo-Christian values. We as a society glean from the Bible and its context as to how to live and treat each other with respect. Even our legal codes under the English common law are largely based off of biblical teaching. However, the "reasonable chastisement" defense is based off of dated theology. It is about time we repeal the pro-spanking legal defenses in out legal codes, and expand the definitions of child abuse to include anything that the child victim perceives as abuse. 

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 torrents, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

"Spare the rod, spoil the child": Why the rod verses in the book of Proverbs are repealed verses

Many parents spank or punish their children. Most American parents support the use of corporal punishment in parenting. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. However, most American parents need an attitude adjustment in this regard. The teaching of "biblical spanking" is a man-made teaching. The Bible nowhere condones or commands any spanking of a child.

The phrase "spare the rod, spoil the child" is nowhere directly mentioned in the Bible. However, 6 verses in the book of Proverbs refer to the rod of correction. With that said, nowhere does the Bible refer to domestic corporal punishment. One popularly cited rod verse is Proverbs 13:24 KJV:

He who spareth his rod hateth his son: but he who loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

The Hebrew word translated "son" is ben and refers here to a mature adult son. The Hebrew word translated "rod" is shebet and refers to, in the book of Proverbs, to the rod of correction, in the form of a switch. Ultimately, the rod verses in Proverbs refer to the 40 minus 1 lashes, administered in a courtroom setting, as a sentence for a crime. It was unlawful then to strike another Jew except in a courtroom setting, with striking a minor child being prohibited in all settings. The reason for this commandment is that, otherwise, the father would refuse to whip his son. The father was deputized by the court to administer the blows in the courtroom.

Christ died on the cross in order to repeal the harsh punishments in the Old Testament. Christ ultimately prohibited corporal punishment entirely by suffering the 40 minus 1 lashes before being nailed onto the cross. Nowhere are the rod verses repeated in the New Testament, with Heb. 12:5-6 referring to trials and tribulations headed the way of believers. 

The Bible nowhere speaks of a "biblical spanking". However, the Bible does touch on the issue of spanking, and then some. 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, stemming from entitlement. It is one thing to stop spanking your child. However, it is not enough to simply stop spanking your child, or stop punishing them altogether for that matter. You need to avoid offense in children. Avoiding offense in children is the same as avoiding offense in other adults. Just as hurt feelings are inevitable in relations between adults, hurt feelings are also inevitable in children when dealing with them. Thus, in order to avoid offense in children, you need to be willing to give a meaningful apology whenever you hurt your child's feelings. Usually, all that is necessary is a reassurance of good intent coming from parents when hurting a child's feelings with limits not set out of anger, in the form of an informal apology, such as "I'm sorry, but I had to set X limit for Y reasons". However, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology to your child for hurting their feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for losing my temper with you", and then commit never to lose your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards a child is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. 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. However, this commandment ultimately was received as prohibiting all offenses or damages as perceived by the child. 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 writers of all 88 books of the Bible wrote parenting manuals that advocated attachment parenting. All of the biblical writers were anti-spanking Jews, with no Jew worth mentioning ever endorsing corporal punishment of a child, or anything punitive with a child for that matter. Even King Solomon wrote an attachment parenting manual. 

Spanking was never truly a Christian concept, but instead came from European influence on the Christian faith. Spanking was a facet of pagan parenting in the broader Greco-Roman world. Contrary to popular belief, the Early Christians were not well-integrated into Rome, and instead lived in urban ghettos, shunning the outside world. The Early Christians were otherworldly Christians, and saw themselves as citizens of the Kingdom of God. One of the things shunned as of this world was spanking a 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!

Hebrews 12:5-6: Why this passage is not a pro-spanking passage

Many parents support the so-called "right" of parents to spank their children. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. Most American parents cite 5 verses in Proverbs and 1 passage in Hebrews as their "proof" that spanking is biblical. However, the binding passage in the New Testament for this argument is in Hebrews 12:5-6. But, this argument surrounding Heb. 12:5-6 ultimately stands on shaky ground. There is no such thing as a biblical spanking, as that teaching is mad-made. Heb. 12:5-6 ultimately refers to trials and tribulations from God toward His children that He loves the most.

God's Word on trials and tribulations is spelled out in Hebrews 12:5-6 KJV:

And ye have forgotten the exhortation that speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 

This passage, when understood correctly, is comforting to me. The Greek root word translated "scourgeth" is μαστιγόω (Latin: mastigoó) and can have a figurative meaning to it, as is the case here. This sort of metaphor is called rod language. When you came home from a long day at work as a Christian then, you instead said "God whipped me hard today". God does not literally come down from the Heavens and whip His children. However, God does punish His children, like only He can, with trials and tribulations being sent to the children that He loves the most. But, God only punishes His children when it does not harm them, whereas earthly parents only punish their children when it does, in fact, harm them. This passage was intended as comfort for the Hebrew Christians in their persecution from Rome.

There is no such thing as a "biblical spanking". God does not want His Parenting methods to be used by earthly parents, as they could get it wrong. However, the Bible does touch on the spanking issue, and then some. 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, stemming from entitlement. It is one thing to stop spanking your child. However, it is not enough to stop spanking your child, or even stop punishing your children altogether for that matter. You need to avoid offense in children. Avoiding offense in children is the same as avoiding offense in other adults. Just as hurt feelings are inevitable in relations between adults, hurt feelings are also inevitable in children when dealing with them. Thus, in order to avoid offense in children, you need to be willing to give a meaningful apology whenever you hurt your child's feelings. Usually, all that is necessary is a reassurance of good intent coming from parents, in the form of an informal apology, whenever you hurt your child's feelings with limits not set out of anger, such as "I'm sorry, but I had to set X limit for Y reasons". However, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology for hurting your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for losing my temper with you", and then commit never to lose your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards children alone is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. 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 that roughly translates to "power to the parent", namely the power to impose punitive sanctions on children, such as spanking or other forms of punishment of children. However, this commandment was ultimately received as prohibiting all forms of offenses or damages as perceived by the child. 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. 

In the broader Greco-Roman world, the staple punishment from parents was spanking to the bare bottom with an open hand. However, it is a myth that the Early Christians were well-integrated into broader Greco-Roman society. Instead, they were ghettoized into major cities, and shunned the outside world, being otherworldly in their theology. 

Parent anger directed towards a child then was completely prohibited under Christian law in the Early Church. Most parents in the Early Church were instead motivated by worry or concern, with the only anger being allowed in parenting being protective anger. Anger at a child then was seen then as akin to a viper lashing out at its prey - maybe the child got warning before the attack, but not by much. 

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.

Abortion: Why abortion is bad for women (and benefits men)

Abortion is a hot-button topic. Most on the far-left support abortion as a woman's right. Most women don't know what an abortion entails, and swear by it as a form of "empowerment". However, if a woman only knew what an abortion is, she wouldn't get one.

Abortion is banned in the Bible in the Ten Commandments. See Exodus 20:13 KJV:

Thou shalt not kill.

The Greek root word repeating the Sixth Commandment is φονος (Latin: phonos) and refer to, in context, any death apart from natural death, with this including abortion. This word lifts up the context on the issue of taking human life, and bans abortion. Abortion was also banned in the Old Testament. Abortion in the biblical context consisted of an herbal tea that induced a miscarriage. Abortion, even today, is a medically induced miscarriage. Whenever an act of fornication got a woman pregnant in an unplanned manner, the father of the baby was charged with fornication, meaning the Greek root word πορνεία (Latin: porneia). Abortifacient herbs that induced miscarriage were also treated as intoxicants, and were prohibited by the Greek root word μεθυσος (Latin: methusos). The only reason why abortion isn't mentioned in the Old Testament is because no abortifacient herbs grew in Ancient Israel, and when they were shipped in, they were stopped at the border. 

Abortion isn't a way of a woman controlling her own body. An unborn child is a body within the mother's body. and carries the genes of both the mother and the father, with this being the case from conception. An unborn child is therefore a human life in and of his/herself. 

Abortion is a rare procedure in today's world. Most women oppose abortion for themselves, but not for other women. However, abortion is often used to cover up incidents of sexual immorality, and takes all paternal responsibility away from the father. Abortion is a free pass for men to cowardly not man up and be a father. All a man has to do to prevent abortion is to keep it in his pants.

Many people, even among pro-lifers, support abortions in the case of rape, incest, or the life of the mother. However, abortion takes away the consequences and evidence of rape or incest. Even in the case of life of the mother, usually the mother is under the age of consent and thus men should simply not get young girls pregnant. Fathers always benefit from an abortion, if he wants to evade paternal responsibilities. All he has to do is keep it in his pants, and save himself for marriage, and then he wouldn't have to worry about paying for child support.

In the Early Church, abortion was banned in all cases. Even when the mother died in childbirth, the father usually stepped up to the plate and raised the child all by himself. He even lactated for his newborn child, and did not stop lactating until the child refused the nipple. Men can nurture if the child is his own. They just can't do it as well as the mother can. 

One compelling argument for abortion "rights" is the case of a pregnancy abuser, where a man frequently impregnates his wife to quarter her in a servile marriage. However, that almost always is code for rape, in which case the father should be arrested for marital rape.

Only God can take a life. Being pro-life does not mean simply being pro-birth. In order to be pro-life for the whole life, you need to oppose all taking of a human life, from the womb to the tomb. The Bible prohibits all death apart from natural death. Even if it was an accident, you better own up to it. The Bible also prohibits the death penalty, suicide, or murdering in war, just to name a few instances where the taking of a human life is morally unacceptable. The Greek root word repeating the Sixth Commandment is φονος (Latin: phonos) and refers to any death apart from natural death. 

The Bible also calls for Christians to support a safety net, as whatever you don't do for the poor and the vulnerable, you don't do for Christ (see Matt. 25:31-46). The Early Christians has a church tax that was enforced on all church parishioners. No man went hungry in the Early Church, as the church tax gave him free money to buy food as he saw fit. Today, that church tax can be replaced with a sales tax that, in turn, replaces the income tax, thus abolishing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). We will all be judged on how charitable we are, and opposing a safety net is opposing the poor and the vulnerable, with God standing by the poor and the vulnerable. I myself rely on Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and I am grateful to God for the money coming from the government, as I don't deserve it. SSI should be the only permanent income coming from the government, and should only be there when you need it  However, an actual safety net involves eliminating expenses on basic necessities such as daycare and healthcare, and when that happens, families have more money to spend on what they want to spend on, saving money in the long run. I support a social safety net that benefits all human beings, from the womb to the tomb. 

The depraved and entitled mothers who murder their unborn children in the womb, and all who aid and abet, will be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Repent!

Expanding child abuse definitions: Why the Bible calls for tougher laws against child abuse

Many parents believe that the ancients in the Bible had no concept of child abuse. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. Most American parents support the present-day child abuse definitions under state and federal law. However, God's Law is above the law of the land. 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 the well-behaved child that they feel that they deserve. Parents are deserving of absolutely nothing in relation to children just for existing. Even any parent anger directed towards a child is parental entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. 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, stemming from entitlement. Child abuse in the Bible, as a legal concept, consists of entitlement in parents, leading to offense in children. The key to not abusing your child is to avoid offense in children. Avoiding offense in children is the same as avoiding offense in other adults. Just like hurt feelings are inevitable in relations between adults, hurt feelings are also inevitable in children when dealing with them. Thus, in order to avoid offense in children, you need to be willing to give a meaningful apology for hurting their feelings. Usually, all that is necessary is a reassurance of good intent coming from parents, in the form of an informal apology, whenever you hurt your child's feelings with limits not set out of anger, such as "I'm sorry, but I had to set X limit for Y reasons". However, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology to your child for hurting their feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for losing my temper with you", and then commit never to lose your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards a child is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. 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. However, this commandment was ultimately received as prohibiting any offenses or damages as perceived by the child. 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 childhood trauma. The ancients had a basic understanding of childhood trauma. Whenever a child grew up to be atheist, shame fell onto the parents, not the child. An atheist in the Early Church was seen as an abused child, not a "lost soul" to be "won over". Atheism in victims of child abuse was seen as an outcome, not a choice.

The ancients in the Bible even had a concept of child sexual abuse. The Greek root word translated "fornication" is πορνεία (Latin: porneia) and refers to, in sum, any sexual relations with another person outside of a Christian marriage between one adult man and one adult woman, with the marriage needing to be equal in terms of the ages of the participants. The groom was only allowed a bride his age or up to 4 years older. Intergenerational marriages were banned in the Early Church. Flirting with children was also banned then. Most child sexual abuse then came in the form of father-child incest, with most fathers instead engaging in masturbatory fantasy about his child that he was attracted to, including his own daughter. Child sexual abuse then was rare, meaning next to non-existent. Whenever a child was sexually abused, the whole family was outraged, and sided with the child.

Child abuse was prosecuted in the Early Church by way of internal church investigation. In most cases, the investigation started with a child confiding into a clergyperson about their home life. From there, the parents were summoned to appear before a council of 3 church elders, who would decide the fate of the parents. If the parents were defensive at all about their parenting, they were swiftly excommunicated from the Early Christian Churches of God, just for their entitlement alone.

The Bible is an anti-spanking document. All 88 books of the Bible - from Genesis to Revelation - were written by anti-spanking Jews, with no Jew worth mentioning ever endorsing the punitive treatment of a child. All of the biblical writers also wrote parenting manuals that advocated attachment parenting. Even King Solomon wrote an attachment parenting manual, with the rod of correction in Proverbs referring to the 40 minus 1 lashes, as a sentence for crime. It just so happens that these parenting manuals were not translated into English until the 1960s. 

The Bible is America's book. America is a Christian nation, founded on Judeo-Christian values. We as a society glean from the Bible and its context as to how to live and treat each other with respect. Even the bulk of our legal codes under the English common law are based off of biblical teaching. However, the "reasonable chastisement" defense is based off of dated biblical teaching. It is about time we repeal the pro-spanking defenses under state law in all 50 states, and expand upon the child abuse definition based off of the proper biblical teaching - meaning anything the child victim perceives as abuse.

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 torrents, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Temper tantrums: Why temper tantrums are not bad behavior in children

Many parents have been there. A child kicking and screaming in full temper tantrum mode. This is a common and normal behavior in children. However, most American parents punish their children merely for temper tantrums. The fact of the matter is that temper tantrums are not bad behavior. Punishing a child for temper tantrums alone is child abuse.

God's Law on child abuse is spelled out in Colossians 3:21 KJV:

Fathers, provoke not your child 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 the child, stemming from entitlement. It is one thing to stop spanking your child. However, it is not enough to stop spanking your child, or even stop punishing your child altogether for that matter. You need to avoid offense in children. Avoiding offense in children is the same as avoiding offense in other adults. Just as hurt feelings are inevitable in relations between adults, hurt feelings are also inevitable in children when dealing with them. Thus, in order to avoid offense in children, you need to give a meaningful apology whenever you hurt your child's feelings. One expression of hurt feelings in children is a temper tantrum. There are two main reasons for a child throwing a temper tantrum. Reason number one is a child petitioning for a vulnerable need, and when you refuse to respond to the cries of children in this context, you offend your child. Another reason why children throw temper tantrums is due to parents setting a limit that the child cannot accept. The idea is to give children a meaningful apology whenever you hurt your child's feelings. Usually, all that is necessary is a reassurance of good intent coming from parents, in the form of an informal apology, when a child's feelings are hurt by limits not set out of anger, such as "I'm sorry, but I had to set X limits for Y reasons". However, if you ever lose your cool with your child, including when a child is throwing a temper tantrum, you definitely need to give a formal apology for hurting your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for losing my temper with you", and then commit never to losing your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards a child alone is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. Temper tantrums, when thrown in order to advocate a need, require the parents to meet said need, and if they refuse to, a formal apology is in order, such as "I apologize for not listening to you earlier". 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 on children, such as spanking or other forms of punishment of children. However, this commandment was ultimately received as a prohibition on all offenses or damages as perceived by a child. 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.

For the first 6 years of childhood, children cry frequently in order to advocate for a vulnerable need. Most of the time, children cried then due to separation anxiety, meaning a morbid fear that mom would "go away and never come back", in which case parents should reassure children of their presence. Under customary law, children were seen as having five basic categories of needs; food, water, shelter, transportation, and attachment - with the greatest of these needs being attachment!

Sometimes, children throw a temper tantrum when a parent declines a petitioned want. In this case, parents are to apologize for hurting their child's feelings. In most cases, children will forgive you for hurting their feelings. If they don't forgive you, you have officially traumatized them. 

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!

Adult attraction to children: Individual responsibility for adults attracted to children

Many people and organizations support the concept of collective responsibility. This means that most adults think that pedophiles are the sole threat to children. However, we all as adults pose some risk of sexually abusing a child. Thus, we all are responsible for our sexual behavior in relation to children. This sort of child protection is called individual responsibility. 

Every single adult is capable of child sexual abuse under the right/wrong conditions. Child sexual abuse is usually a crime of opportunity, not a career offense. Sexual abuse of children usually involves a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to prey on an innocent child. Most adults who sexually abuse children have a secondary attraction to children that they can easily keep repressed, until the repressed desires come out sideways onto a child victim, like a ton of bricks. Most sexual abusers of children are non-pedophiles, with pedophiles being too aware of their desires to repress them fully. 

Most child sexual abuse happens when the offender has a "heartache" for a child, meaning sexual lusts for children to the point of physical pain. This happens when adults do not take care of their sexual desires towards children. The idea is to face those desires head on, and righteously masturbate to thoughts of the first child that comes to mind. With most men, this leads them to father-daughter sexual fantasies. That is okay, because then those needs are quenched, and thus there is no need to go any further with a child.

3 out of 4 pedophiles have never sexually abused a child. Most pedophiles who do rape or sexually assault a child do so for different reasons than most abusers. Most pedophiles simply are curious about the bodies of children, and want to see more when children dress in a showy fashion. Most pedophiles who do rape children in particular are severely autistic, and don't mean any harm by their behavior. Most pedophilic sexual abuse comes in the form of sexual harassment, meaning they have an autistic fixation on a specific child that is topical in nature. Usually, they talk all the time about their amorous fixation on a specific child. I myself abused a child by way of sexual harassment, namely street harassment. 

A pedophile is not an anger packet directed towards a child. A pedophile is a human being with a sexual preference for children under age 14. Most pedophiles have a form of immature autism where their core special interests center around children. Pedophilia is not caused by childhood sexual abuse, even in the case of a woman sexually abusing a child. Pedophilia is a genetic disorder that is associated with autism, and involves arrested sexual development. If you see a grown man with autism get along just fine with children, think pedophile, but the right kind. 

It s a myth that pedophilia is a sin, or that pedophilia holds men in particular to an impossible standard in terms of salvation. The Greek root word translated "fornication" is πορνεία (Latin: porneia) and refers here to any sexual relations outside of a Christian marriage between one adult man and one adult woman, with that marriage being equal in nature. All a man is allowed is sex with his wife, or else righteous masturbation without pornography. Pedophilia in and of itself is allowed if the pedophile masturbates to thoughts other than pornography of children in particular. The ancients in the Bible did have a concept of pedophilia, and admission of pedophilia was seen as a request for help in managing the sexual desires. Pedophiles often took leadership roles in the Early Church, and were made responsible for giving parenting advice. All a pedophilic adult has to do is masturbate, and then they can control their desires enough to be a saved Christian. I myself lack entitlement as a Christian, and yet I am a pedophile. I might well have hit perfection, but I don't say. If I didn't allow myself righteous masturbation to thoughts of children, I might be in prison right now. Masturbation does not lead to more masturbation if done without pornography - it leads to less need for masturbation.  Pornography is the problem, not masturbation. Masturbation lowers the sex drive when done without pornography. I have a low sex drive, and that is because I masturbate more than I need to. 

The hysteria surrounding adult attraction to children did not start with trauma survivors, contrary to popular belief. It all started with Pope Constantine issuing a decree that anyone who admits to sexual attraction to children should have all friends and family disperse. Even today, the Roman Catholic Church prohibits both masturbation and pornography, with the Roman Catholic Church being amongst the first of Christian denominations to ban masturbation entirely. Most Roman Catholic priests are at high risk for sexually abusing a child, and that is because they have nowhere else to go with their sex drive. The trauma survivors did advocate against pedophiles, but only in order to get the right kind of opposition. For example, the criterion of pedophiles "being immune to trauma" was a fabrication intended for a pedophile to point out. All survivors want is a pedophile to admit to trauma, and prove them wrong on the belief that pedophiles are immune to trauma. 

All pornography is banned in the Bible, meaning whenever it is on your possession. Most of the sex laws today are laws I oppose because they single out pedophiles. But, I oppose ALL pornography, and support a blanket ban on all pornography. In the Early Church, all pornography was prohibited as contraband. Masturbation was allowed, but only without pornography of any kind. Pornography was defined then as any depiction with intent to arouse others, meaning any written or pictorial depiction intended as pornography. 

The key part of keeping your child safe from sexual predators is to not become one yourself. Most every adult has some sexual attraction to children under age 18. Usually, fathers have a sexual attraction to their daughters, and also the daughter has an attraction to her father in return when she is prepubescent. The idea is to masturbate to sexual thoughts of your daughter as a father. The sexual dynamic in a household comes in the form of a criss-cross tipped on its side, with fathers and daughters being sexually attracted to each other in an unrequited way, and with sons being sexually attracted to mothers as a complete dead end. Daughters in particular do not actively seek out sex with fathers, but instead masturbate to thoughts of him.

The depraved and decadent, defiled adults who sexually abuse children will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them descend into torrents of Hell-fire prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Repent!

"Benign" deprivation: Why the frequent use of the word "no" can be seen as child abuse

Many parents buy into the doctrine of "benign" deprivation. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. Most American parents believe children need to hear the word "no" from parents "frequent and often". However, most American parents need an attitude adjustment in this regard. Children are not out to get you as a parent. They instead need to hear "no" from parents seldom, meaning rarely. The frequent use of the word "no" can be seen as child abuse if it offends the child.

God's Law on child abuse is spelled out in 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, stemming from entitlement. The key here is to avoid offense in children. Avoiding offense in children is the same as avoiding offense in other adults. Just as hurt feelings are inevitable in relations between adults, hurt feelings are inevitable in children when dealing with them. One thing that hurts a child's feelings is being told "no" all of the time, and when parents don't apologize for hurting their child's feelings this way, it officially is an offense. Children do not need to hear the word "no" from parents "frequent and often". Instead, children should only hear the word "no" from parents when absolutely necessary, meaning rarely. When the word "no" hurts a child's feelings, you should be willing to give a meaningful apology to your child, lest it be officially an offense. Many times, all that is necessary is a reassurance of good intent, in the form of an informal apology, when you hurt your child's feelings with limits not set out of anger, such as "I'm sorry, but I had to set X limit for Y reasons". However, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology to your child for hurting their feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for losing my temper with you", and then commit never to lose your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards a child alone is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. Usually, the frequent use of the word "no" is due to parents being motivated by anger, and thus having parental entitlement. Parents should instead be motivated by worry or concern. 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 parenting customs, which were punitive in nature. 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.

Children do not need to hear the word "no" from parents "frequent and often". Instead, parents should only say "no" when absolutely necessary, meaning rarely. It is a myth that only saying "no" when you need to leads to children wanting "more, more, and then some". However, children are not out to get you in that regard. They simply want an item due to where it comes from - YOU as a parent. 

A common place of contention between parents and children is in the store. In most cases, the child wants candy in the checkout aisle. Most parents then say "put that back" and then the fight starts from there. However, in the Early Church, parents would take their children with them to market. One of the things children wanted was the licorice at the candy stand, as licorice was a popular candy then among children. All parents did was ask for the candy briefly so that the candy could be paid for. Children are not asking for much in the store in most cases, so why not give them what they want? 

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!

Original sin: How to talk to your children about original sin

Original sin is one of the most misused of all Christian teachings. However, original sin, as a teaching, is the backbone of the Christian faith. Without original sin being the case, Christ would have died in vain. There are better ways to talk to your children about original sin than sin shaming. 

We as human beings are sinful creatures. God hates all mankind, as mankind has turned his back on Him. We as human beings are depraved and decadent sinners deserving of nothing but punishment. This does not mean children in particular are bad. WE as a species are bad. Human beings are glorified apes in terms of our nature, as there is nothing good about human nature.

Sin shaming is a form of religious child abuse where parents call children "sinners" in the perjorative tense, just for behaving normally as a child naturally does. Sin shaming is prohibited in the Bible. See Ephesians 6:4 KJV:

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

This first stanza states that talk about original sin shouldn't come in the form of sin shaming. The Greek root word translated "provoke...to wrath" is παροργίζο (Latin: parorgizo) and refers here to offenses or damages, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. Offenses involve refusal to apologize for hurting a child's feelings. One thing that hurts a child's feelings is calling them a "sinner". This sort of sin shaming almost always comes from a parent losing their cool when children do not match up with religious expectations. The key here is to give a formal apology whenever you hurt your child's feelings with sin shaming, such as "I apologize for calling you a 'sinner'", and then commit never shaming your child for their sins ever again, as any parent anger directed towards a child is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. 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 parenting customs, which were punitive in nature. 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.

This second stanza states how to talk to your child about original sin. The Greek root word translated "admonition" is νουθεσία (Latin: nouthesia) and is more aptly translated as "instruction" in more modern versions of the Bible. The Apostle Paul here was referring to religious instruction. Starting at age 6, fathers left out a Bible, with the Bible being open to the most comforting verses. Children then first learned to read on the Bible. When children were caught in the act of studying the Bible, they were lavishly praised and encouraged to keep on studying  Fathers then interjected something along the lines of "you can ask me anything about that book". From there, religious instruction came in question and answer format, with children being curious about Scripture, and with fathers giving pointers on the context. At some point, many children are going to ask about original sin. The topic usually comes up when children ask "why did Jesus have to die?". When children ask this, you should say "we are all sinners as human beings, and so we need a Savior to save us from our sins". Never call your child a "sinner". Point out how we ALL are sinners as human beings. 

Original sin is something that pertains more to adult believers than children. Children aren't out to get parents with their sinful nature. The sin nature of child-kind is instead primal in nature. The opposite of sin is perfection, and thus the sinful nature of children is simply imperfect. But, aren't we all sinners in the hands of an angry God? Why single out children at all for sin? Parents and other adults should instead focus on their own sins. 

Most children are spiritually curious. They usually dabble in a few religions before choosing their own church family. Much of the time, children actually figure out that they are sinners through their own research into the Bible. But, sometimes they pop the question as to why Christ had to die, in which case children need to be informed as to why we need a Savior - and original sin is the reason for Christ's Sacrifice. 

I myself am a depraved and decadent sinner who is deserving of absolutely nothing. I have no right to call out a child for their sins. I am a sinner, with the core of my decadent nature being in relation to children. I may not have an active sin habit in relation to children currently, but I do have that track record of sins against children. My main sin in my history in relation to children is passions, meaning I fixated on specific children. I have no right to call a child a sinner. Aren't we all sinners in relation to children as adults? 

The depraved and entitled parents who sin shame their children 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 ss the ever-burning Hell of fire and torrents, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

 

Crying: Why crying is not bad behavior in children

Many parents have been there. A child crying out of nowhere. Most American parents have had their child cry for seemingly no reason at all. However, there is always an antecedent to the cries of a child. Most of the time, the child is communicating a vulnerable need.

God's Law on a secure bond between parent and child is spelled out in Colossians 3:20 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers here to surrender of a specific type, namely surrender into the loving arms of parents, especially the loving arms of mothers. Ultimately, this word refers to a secure bond between parent and child. The context tells us how to form a secure bond with children. The idea is that children should rest in the Agape love of parents (see Matt. 22:35-40).The first thing to do in order to form a secure bond with children is to respond to the every cry of a child.

Christian parents in the Early Church knew more than parents today that children usually cry due to a vulnerable need that needs being met. Whenever a child cried in the Early Church, mothers scrambled to find the reason for the cry. Maybe the child was tired. Maybe the child was hungry. Maybe the child needed mom's milk. Maybe the child needed mom, period. Whatever the child needed, they got it.

Children were understood under customary law in the Early Church as having five basic categories of needs; food, water, shelter, transportation, and attachment - with the greatest of these needs being attachment! Sometimes the child needed a nap, in which case that need was lumped in with attachment needs, as mothers then co-snuggled with their children, forming a secure bond with their child.

A common reason why children cry is due to separation anxiety. Children under age 6, in the Early Church, had a morbid fear of mothers "going away and never coming back". Children under age 6 were seemingly attached to mothers at the hip, following mothers from room to room, crying whenever mothers were out of sight. It is recommended that mothers stay home for the first 6 years of a child's life. Even something seemingly benign as going to work in the morning can realize the worst fear in a child - mom going away and never coming back.

Children never cry to "undermine parents". Children instead cry in order to communicate a vulnerable need that needs being met, in the only way that they know how. The idea is to respond to the every cry of your child. The purpose of a child crying is to break down the mother to meet the exact need of the child, with mothers scrambling to figure out why the child was crying, in the form of trial and error. The first place mothers looked for needs then was skin-on-skin mammary closeness, and also breastfeeding if the child was milk-dependent. If the child kept crying past that point, the mother scrambled to figure out what the child was crying about. The child did not stop crying until all of their needs were met. 

The depraved and entitled parents who punish their children for crying will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them descend into the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment! Repent! 

Child discipline: How to discipline your child without punitive measures

Many parents want their children to have discipline. This is a common goal amongst American parents. Most American parents want their children to have discipline. However, most American parents equate discipline with punishment. But, there are better ways to discipline your child than punitive measures.

God's Law on child discipline is spelled out in Ephesians 6:4 KJV:

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

This first stanza of this commandment clarifies for the second that discipline should not hurt. The Greek root word translated "provoke...to wrath" is παροργίζο (Latin: parorgizo) and refers here to offenses or damages, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. It is one thing to stop spanking your child. However, it is not enough to stop spanking your child, or even stop punishing them altogether for that matter. You need to avoid offense in children. Avoiding offense in children is the same as avoiding offense in other adults. Just like hurt feelings are inevitable in relations between adults, hurt feelings are inevitable in children when dealing with them. Thus, in order to avoid offense in children, you need to be willing to give a meaningful apology whenever you hurt your child's feelings. Usually, all that is necessary is a reassurance of good intent, in the form of an informal apology, whenever you hurt your child's feelings with limits not set out of anger, such as "I'm sorry, but I had to set X limit for Y reasons". However, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology for hurting your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for losing my temper with you", and then commit never to losing your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards a child is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. 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. However, this stanza of this commandment was ultimately received as a prohibition of any offenses or damages as perceived by the child. 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.

This second stanza of this commandment spells out what discipline is acceptable, with the first stanza ruling out anything punitive with a child. The Greek root word translated "nurture" is παιδεία (Latin: paideia) and refers here to nurturing of a specific type, namely the teaching type. Christian parents in the Early Church looked for preferred behaviors in children, such as discipline and self-control. When those good traits showed in children, they were praised and encouraged for more of the same. Christian parents in the Early Church set a good example for their children to follow. However, they backed up their example with praise and encouragement, not punishment or force. Children also need religious instruction, as religion is a human need for children and adults alike. The Greek root word translated "admonition" is νουθεσία (Latin:: nouthesia) and is more aptly translated as "instruction" in more modern versions of the Bible. The Apostle Paul here was ultimately referring to religious instruction. Starting at age 6, fathers left out a Bible for children to discover and explore, and left the Bible open to a comforting verse. When children were caught in the act of studying the Bible, they were praised and encouraged for more of the same. Fathers then interjected something along the lines of "you can ask me anything about that book". From there, religious instruction came in question and answer format, with children being curious about Scripture, and with fathers giving pointers on the context. This second stanza of this commandment ultimately refers to the Hebraic tradition of positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement of this type predates the coming of Christ by thousands of years, and is practiced even today in Jewish homes around the world. 

Sometimes, in parenting, you need to set limits. However, children accepting limits is a whole other story. Whenever a child cannot accept a set limit, you need to apologize to them for hurting their feelings with your limits. Usually, an informal apology will do. However, if you ever lose your cool with your child, you need to give a formal apology to your child, and then commit never to losing your cool with your child ever again.

Any parent anger directed towards a child was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. As a norm, parenting in the Early Church was not motivated by anger, but instead was motivated by worry or concern. Anger at a child then was likened to a viper lashing out at its prey - maybe the child got a warning, but that was about it. Whenever this sort of entitlement was spotted in a parent, they were excommunicated from the Early Christian Churches of God.

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!

 

Child abuse definitions: Why the Bible calls for stronger laws against child abuse

Many parents believe that the ancients in the Bible had no concept of child abuse. This is a common belief amongst American parents. Most American parents support the present-day definitions of child abuse under state and federal law. However, God's Law is above the law of the land. 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 defines 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 the well-behaved child that they feel that they deserve. Parents are deserving of absolutely nothing in relation to children just for existing. Even any parent anger directed towards a child is parental entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. Whenever this sense of entitlement in parents was perceived by the 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, stemming from entitlement. Child abuse in the Bible, as a legal concept, consists of entitlement in parents, leading to offense in children. The key to not abusing your child is to avoid offense in children. Avoiding offense in children is the same as avoiding offense in other adults. Just as hurt feelings are inevitable in relations between adults, hurt feelings are also inevitable in children when dealing with them. Thus, in order to avoid offense in children, you need to be willing to give a meaningful apology to your child whenever you hurt their feelings. Usually, all that is necessary is a reassurance of good intent, in the form of an informal apology, whenever you hurt your child's feelings with limits not set out of anger, such as "I'm sorry, but I had to set X limit for Y reasons". However, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology for hurting your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for losing my temper with you", and then commit never to losing your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards children is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. 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. However, this commandment was ultimately received as opposing any offenses or damages as perceived by a child. 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 to long-term damages, namely childhood trauma. The ancients in the Bible had a concept of childhood trauma. Whenever a child grew up to be atheist, shame fell onto the parents, not the child. An atheist then was seen as an abused child, not a "lost soul" to "win over". 

The ancients in the Bible even had a concept of child sexual abuse. The Greek root word translated "fornication" is πορνεία (Latin: porneia) and refers here to any sexual relations outside of a Christian marriage between one adult man and one adult woman, with the marriage having to be equal in nature. Intergenerational marriages were unlawful under Christian law then, as the bride had to be the same age as the groom, or else up to 4 years older. Most child sexual abuse then took place in the form of father-child incest, with daughters being the usual targets. All sexual relations with a child was deemed child sexual abuse then. Fathers dealt with their sexual side towards their daughters or sons by masturbating to thoughts of sex with their child. Child sexual abuse was rare then, meaning close to non-existent. Whenever a child was sexually abused by their parents, it was seen a huge moral outrage, with the offense being seen as deserving of death, even in the New Testament where the death penalty was shunned by the Early Christians.

Child abuse in the Early Church was prosecuted by way of internal church investigation. This investigation usually started with a child confiding into a clergyperson about their home life. From there, the parents were summoned to appear before a council of 3 elders. Whenever the parents were defensive about their parenting, as opposed to answering to the court, they were excommunicated from the Early Christian Churches of God for their entitlement alone.

The Bible is an anti-spanking document. All 88 books of the Bible - from Genesis to Revelation - were written by anti-spanking Jews, with no Jew worth mentioning ever endorsing anything punitive towards a child. All of the biblical writers also wrote parenting manuals that advocated attachment parenting. Even King Solomon wrote an attachment parenting manual, with the rod of correction in the book of Proverbs referring ultimately to the 40 minus 1 lashes, meaning a sentence for a crime. It just so happens that these attachment parenting manuals were not translated into English until the 1960s.

The Bible is America's book. America is a Christian nation founded on Judeo-Christian values. We as a society glean from the Bible and its context for wisdom as to how to live and treat each other with respect. Even our legal codes are based largely on Christian teaching. However, the "reasonable chastisement" defense is based off of dated Christian teaching. It is about time we abolish the pro-spanking defenses under state and federal law, and follow the Bible as to how not to abuse a child. The Bible says, in sum, that child abuse is whatever the child victim perceives as abuse. 

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 torrents, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Religious child abuse: Why not to abuse your child in the name of religion

Many parents have heard it. The concept of religious child abuse. Religious child abuse is said to have a vague and subjective understanding to it. However, religious child abuse has a very specific meaning to it - religious entitlement, leading to offense in children. 

The Greek root word denoting religious entitlement is πλεονέκτης (Latin: pleonektés) and refers here to a form of parental entitlement. Religious entitlement consists of, officially speaking, wanting children to believe just like you do, to the point of imposition. Unofficially speaking, religious entitlement is when you force your religious beliefs onto a child. Whenever this entitlement is perceived by the child as offensive or damaging, it was deemed religious child abuse. The Early Christians did give their children a religious education, but not by forcing their beliefs onto their children. See also Ephesians 6:4 KJV:

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 

This first stanza spells out that religious instruction should not hurt. The Greek root word translated "provoke...to wrath" is παροργίζο (Latin: parorgizo) and refers here to offenses or damages, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. Religious child abuse comes in the form of religious entitlement in parents, leading to offense in children. In order to not abuse your child in the name of religion, you need to avoid offense in children. Whenever a child's feelings are hurt by religion being forced on them, it is an offense, thus child abuse. One way to understand religious child abuse is a child refusing to go to church - maybe the reason for church refusal is that the child is forced to attend church. Whenever you force a child to do something, expect them to go the opposite direction. Religious entitlement ultimately comes in the form of anger whenever children fall short of parental religious expectations. The idea is to formally apologize whenever you lose your cool with your child for any reason, including for religious reasons, such as "I apologize for pushing my beliefs onto you", and then commit never to losing your cool with your child at all, including for religious reasons, as any parent anger directed towards a child is parental entitlement, and when the anger is based off of religion, religious entitlement. In the Early Church, children under age 6 stayed at home with mom, with the man of the house attending church on his family's behalf, allowing the child to perhaps choose their own religious beliefs later in childhood, and form a secure bond with mom in the mean time. 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 measures on children, such as spanking or other forms of punishment of children. However, this commandment ultimately was received as offense stemming from religion being forced on them. 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.

Religious instruction was a concept in the Early Church. However, religious instruction in the Early Church was largely self-directed by the child, as religion is a human need for children and adults alike. The Greek root word translated "admonition" is νουθεσία (Latin: nouthesia) and is more aptly translated as "instruction" in more modern versions of the Bible. The Apostle Paul here was discussing religious instruction, of a certain type. Starting at age 6, fathers left out a Bible for his child to teach themselves how to read on. When children were caught in the act of studying the Bible, they were lavishly praised and encouraged to keep on studying the Bible. Fathers then interjected "you can ask me anything about that book". From there, religious instruction came in question and answer format, with children being curious about Scripture, and with fathers giving pointers on the context.

Religious trauma was a concept in biblical times. Whenever a child grew up to be atheist, shame fell onto the parents, not the child. The parents then were seen as being too hard on children, and once their abuse came to light, they were excommunicated from the Early Christian Churches of God.

Religious entitlement is when you force your religious beliefs onto your children. When this entitlement lead to offense, it was deemed religious child abuse. Most parents simply want their children to have values. But, if you ever are angry at your child for not believing exactly as you do, you are a religious abuser of children. The idea is to commit to never getting angry with your child ever again, as parent anger directed towards children is entitlement, and when this anger is religiously motivated, religious 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!

Defiance: Why punishing your child for defiance is child abuse

Many parents have been there. A child acting defiant toward parents. Most parents think that a defiant child is "undermining parental authority". However, when your child is acting defiant, they aren't out to get you - they simply can't accept a set limit. Punishing your child for defiance is a form of child abuse.

God's Law on child abuse is spelled out in 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, stemming from entitlement. It is one thing to stop spanking your child, including for defiance. However, it is not enough to stop spanking your child, or even stop punishing your child altogether for that matter. You need to avoid offense in children. Avoiding offense in children is the same as avoiding offense in other adults. Just like hurt feelings are inevitable in relations between adults, hurt feelings are also inevitable in children when dealing with them. One way that a child's feelings are hurt are when they cannot accept a set limit. This displeasure toward set limits many times comes in the form of defiance. Defiance, most of the time, comes in response to the word "no". Defiance usually comes in the form of forceful tears, protesting a limit that the child cannot accept. The key to avoiding offense here is to give a meaningful apology right when your child is defying your limits, thus helping them accept set limits. Usually, all that is necessary is a reassurance of good intent coming from parents, in the form of an informal apology, for hurting your child's feelings with limits not set out of anger, such as "I'm sorry, but I had to set X limit for Y reasons". However, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology for hurting your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for losing my temper with you" , and then commit never to lose your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards a child is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. 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 translated "power to the parent", including the power to impose punitive sanctions on children, such as spanking or other forms of punishing children. However, this commandment ultimately was received as prohibiting all forms of offenses as perceived by a child. 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.

Defiance in children is normal, and is developmentally appropriate behavior in children. Most children have their moments where they defy their parents. The key to dealing with defiance is to apologize for the antecedent behind the defiance, namely the child not being able to accept a set limit. The purpose of a meaningful apology for hurting your child's feelings is to help them accept a set limit. Usually, children forgive their parents when they apologize. If the child does not accept your apology, that is a sign of trauma in your child.

Defiance in children, in the broader Greco-Roman world, was seen as deserving of punishment. Most children then were punished by way of an open-handed spanking to a bare bottom. The Early Christians, contrary to popular belief, were not well-integrated into broader Greco-Roman society, and instead shunned the outside world. One issue where they shunned the broader Greco-Roman world was on parenting. The Christians then were hated for being "too soft" on their children.

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!

"Biblical spanking": Why the rod verses in Proverbs are repealed verses

Many parents use the Bible as an excuse for spanking or punishing children. Most American parents cite 6 verses in Proverbs that mention the rod of correction as their "proof" that there is such a thing as a "biblical spanking". However, the Bible does not endorse any punishment of a child whatsoever.

One of the most popular rod verses used by pro-spanking parents is found in Proverbs 13:24 KJV:

He who spareth his rod hateth his son: but he who loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

The Hebrew word translated "son" is ben and refers here to a mature adult son. The Hebrew word translated "rod" is shebet and refers here to the rod of correction, namely a switch. The rod of correction here refers to the 40 minus 1 lashes, administered to the bare back, in the context of a courtroom, as a sentence for a crime. It was unlawful then to strike a fellow adult Jew outside the context of a courtroom, and it was never lawful to strike a minor child even as a sentence for a crime. The whole reason for this passage is that, otherwise, fathers would refuse to whip his son. The court deputized the father of the errant young adult to whip said descendant. The 40 minus 1 lashes was a final warning before a criminal offender was put to death.

The harsh punishments of the Old Testament are repealed verses. Christ abolished all capital and corporal punishment with His Work on the cross. Christ repealed the rod verses in Proverbs by enduring the 40 minus 1 lashes from the Roman authorities unjustly. The Early Christians shunned all Roman whippings and executions, and did not whip or execute parishioners who committed moral offenses. 

There is no such thing as a "biblical spanking" anywhere in the Bible. The rod verses in Proverbs are repealed verses, as they are nowhere found legitimately in the New Testament, with Heb. 12:5-6 referring to trials and tribulations. However, the Bible does weigh in on the spanking issue, and then some. 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, stemming from entitlement. It is one thing to stop spanking your child. However, it is not enough to simply stop spanking your child, or even stop punishing your children altogether for that matter. You need to avoid offense in children. Avoiding offense in children is the same as avoiding offense in other adults. Just as hurt feelings are inevitable in relations between adults, hurt feelings are also inevitable in children when dealing with them. Thus, in order to avoid offense in other adults, you need to be willing to give a meaningful apology whenever you hurt your child's feelings. Usually, all that is necessary is a reassurance of good intent coming from parents, in the form of an informal apology, whenever you hurt their feelings with limits not set out of anger, such as "I'm sorry, but I had to set X limit for Y reasons". However, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology for hurting your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for losing my temper with you", and then commit never to lose your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards children is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. 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. However, this commandment was ultimately received as a prohibition on all offenses as perceived by a child. 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.

In the Early Church, throughout its history, deacons had to deal with entire parishes who were infiltrated with pro-spanking interlopers. These interlopers were usually Greek Christians, and they too cited the book of Proverbs for their "proof" that spanking is biblical. Paul would have none of it in the parishes that he oversaw, and gave a commandment to the parishes at Colossae and Ephesus in order to convict a group of Greek Christian parents who brought the punitive parenting into the church.

Not only was spanking banned in the Early Church, but so was any anger directed towards a child. Most Christian parents in the Early Church were not motivated by anger, but were instead motivated by worry or concern. Any anger at a child was seen then as akin to a viper lashing out at its prey - maybe the child was warned beforehand, but that was about it.

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!

Hebrews 12:5-6: Why this passage is not a pro-spanking passage

Many parents think that the Bible endorses, or even commands, the use of corporal punishment. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. Most American parents cite a few verses in Proverbs, as well as a passage in Hebrew, as their "proof" that spanking is biblical. However, the doctrine of "biblical spanking" ultimately rests on the passage in Hebrews that mentions the rod. But, this "proof" sits on shaky ground. Hebrews 12:5-6 ultimately refers to enduring hardship, not any sort of punishment in parenting.

God's Word on trials and tribulations is spelled out in Hebrews 12:5-6 KJV:

And ye have forgotten the exhortation that speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For  whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

When this passage is understood correctly, it is comforting to me. The Greek root word translated "scourgeth" is μαστιγόω (Latin: mastigoó) and can have a figurative meaning to it. This sort of metaphor is known as rod language. If you had a long day at work as a Christian then, you instead said "God whipped me hard today". God does not literally whip His children from the Heavens. However, God does punish His children, like only He can, sending trials and tribulations thee way of the children that He cherishes the most. But, God only punishes His children when it does not harm them. Whereas, earthly parents only punish their children when it does, in fact, harm them. Paul here was consoling the Hebrew Christians in their persecution from Rome.

There is no such thing as a "biblical spanking". God does not want His Parenting methods copied by earthly parents, as earthly parents could get it wrong. However, the Bible does weigh in on the spanking issue, and then some. 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, stemming from entitlement. It is one thing to stop spanking your child. However, it is not enough to stop spanking your child, or even stop punishing your child altogether for that matter. You need to avoid offense in children. Avoiding offense in children is the same as avoiding offense in other adults. Just as hurt feelings are inevitable in relations between adults, hurt feelings are also inevitable in children when dealing with them. Thus, in order to avoid offense in children, you need to be willing to give a meaningful apology whenever you hurt your child's feelings. Usually, all that is necessary is a reassurance of good intent coming from parents, in the form of an informal apology, whenever you hurt your child's feelings with limits not set out of anger, such as "I'm sorry, but I had to set X limit for Y reasons". However, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology to your child whenever you hurt their feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for losing my temper with you", and then commit never to lose your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards a child is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. 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, and 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. However, this commandment was ultimately received as banning all forms of offenses as perceived by a child. 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 staple punishment in the broader Greco-Roman world in parenting was a spanking to the bare bottom with an open hand. This sort of punishment was seen in the Early Church as pagan in origin, and was shunned as of this world. Paul would have none of it in the churches that he oversaw, and sent a commandment to the parishes at Colossae and Ephesus convicting punitive parents in those respective parishes, convicting parents who offended their children. 

Parent anger directed towards children was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. Most of the Christian parents in the Early Church were not motivated by anger, but instead were motivated by worry or concern. Anger at children was seen then as akin to a viper lashing out at its prey - maybe the child got a warning, but that was about it. 

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!