WN: Bill Introduced to Criminalize Many Parents Who Spank - Worthy New

[Emily~Anne]

Matthijah, you are so right. And it is impossible to deny that is what is happening nowadays with children.

[Oh Hamburgers!]

Grace to you,

Have you taken a look around the local Teenagae hangouts lately?

There is a whole generation of Teens who are crying out with the way they look, act, and think for Discipline. The reason? Their parents spent a whole lot of time making lot's of money and bought these children whatever they wanted. All the while telling them really gently to behave or else they would have to buy them something else.

Now they stand there in absolute APATHY wondering if anything is really real and if anyone really Loves them.

Yes, God does Love them but He isn't pulling punches either. He desires for them to Repent and be Delivered from the painful circumstances they and their parents have weaved themselves into.

If you fail to Discipline your child, you will answer to the Lord for the damage you have done and how you led them astray.

The Word tells me this;

Pr

[Axxman]

The problem is... the state of humanity today has made spanking completely unreliable as a form of discipline. My dad was spanked, my mom was never spanked. Both grew up to be amazing parents and servants of Christ. Child abuse is rampant, as is neglect. Parents don't have much restraint...and the CHURCH has largely failed in the training of proper discipline. I challenge you to ask ANY police officer what his response would be if he went to a domestic abuse call and found a child with bruises from spankings. It sickens me that the church has allowed this type of abuse to foster because they have REFUSED to look at common sense.

The "rod of correction" that child abusers love to toss around as an excuse to beat their kids with anything from straps of leather (belts) to pieces of wood...is a HORRIBLY mistaken theology. First of all there are about 8-10 different meanings for the word "rod" in the O.T. The word means everything from a shepherds pole, to an arrow's shaft, to a tribe of people. Ironically, nobody ever says "Hey, lets have the tribe (community) help us with the discipline." NO, good Christians of the world go right to "lets beat them with a shepherds pole!!"

Maybe you should all go watch a Shepherd in action. He doesn't beat the sheep with the pole! When one of the sheep begins to get off-course he uses the pole to guide them back. If one of the sheep is REALLY bad ad takes off running...the shepherd doesn't chase him down and beat him with the rod until he goes back. No, the shepherd will actually pick the sheep up and carry him if he has to...but most likely a gentle prodding from the "rod" will guide the sheep back into correction.

I think it is a horribly failed idea to hit your kids. Worse, there is absolutely NO evidence that spanking makes kids turn out better, or worse. I understand the idea behind spanking, and I believe that it can be done with "loving intentions." Unfortunately, because of the VERY FEW parents that actually hold to that we have an epidemic of child abuse due to spanking in our culture.

Be like the shepherd...find a way to guide your kids without hitting them.

Edited February 24, 2007 by Axxman

[Ovedya]

Axxman,

I resent your statement that "the rod of correction" is used as an "excuse" to beat children.

What is a horrably mistaken theology is the deconstruction of the Scriptures, which give clear instruction given by God to train our children.

[Scarletprayers]

Hi!

I think this is more of a cultural thing. Years ago it was acceptable to 'belt' your children, while that is now viewed as an abusive action, and with good reason! Yet spanking was still somewhat accepted.

Now spanking is on trial. I have to say, it makes sense to a point. It is physically hitting a child in order to instil certain behaviors. I think it would also depend on how hard a child is being spanked. If they are just getting a light slap on the bottom I don't think it would be as big of a deal, but if a mother/father goes at it and really gives it to a child, I can see it as abuse for sure.

It is a Bible thing.

Proverbs 13:24 "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

Proverbs 22:15 "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him."

Proverbs 23:13,14 "Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell."

The government needs to keeps it's nose out of how people raise their children. If there is a real case of abuse, burns, broken limbs, sexual abuse, things like that, then something needs to be done, but anti-spanking legislation is wrong. If I had children and lived in California, and they passed such a law, I would pack up and move immediately. It is not because I would have this desire to spank my child, but because I wouldn't want to be living under such oppressive rules where I wasn't free to follow my Biblical convictions.

Amen Butero, just look at what the Dr. Spock mentality has done, children out of control, in public, at school and at home, but ohhhhhhhh nooooooooooo you can't spank them. Stupidity at its finest!

[Emily~Anne]

Hebrews 12:7-11 7Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

[Fiosh]

I have mixed feelings about the Bill. I do believe that parents should have the right to spank their children. Yet, I recognize that many parents can't draw the line between spanking and abuse.

If you think about it....there are lots of people who carry the emotional scars of physical abuse; and many have been damaged by verbal/psychological abuse.

However, I've yet to talk to a single adult who has been permanently scarred by the well-placed swat for bad behavior---by a loving parent.

So, if only there was some way we could limit the restrictions to parents who cross the line................

[Matthitjah]

Grace to you,

Hamburgers, I appreciate your reply and your feelings.

However;

but we are civilized people who don't need to use violent acts to express our dislike of something.

I respectfully disgree, that quote is a Relativistic viewpoint. The Word of God doesn't lie. We are the same kind of people today that we were back then.

Desperately Wicked according to Gods assesment. As measured alongside His Righteousness. Give us an inch and we will take a yard.

My feelings about my parents spanking me are negligent, and believe me, I was spanked many times. What did matter is that the Rod of Discipline had done it's work. No correction seems right at the time it is administered, however once it has worked it's purpose it brings forth a harvest of Righteousness.

Look at how God see's this measure;

Heb

[Emily~Anne]

I have mixed feelings about the Bill. I do believe that parents should have the right to spank their children. Yet, I recognize that many parents can't draw the line between spanking and abuse.

If you think about it....there are lots of people who carry the emotional scars of physical abuse; and many have been damaged by verbal/psychological abuse.

However, I've yet to talk to a single adult who has been permanently scarred by the well-placed swat for bad behavior---by a loving parent.

So, if only there was some way we could limit the restrictions to parents who cross the line................

I totally agree.

[Axxman]

Axxman,

I resent your statement that "the rod of correction" is used as an "excuse" to beat children.

What is a horrably mistaken theology is the deconstruction of the Scriptures, which give clear instruction given by God to train our children.

Ovedya...I am sorry to have caused you resentment. I hope you can see the opposite side of the coin when I tell you how upsetting it is to me to have Christians who act just the way I described.

You did exactly what many Christians do...you made an excellent point when you said the scriptures give "clear instruction" from God about training our children. Where I get upset is the implication that God wants us to hit our kids...and that is by no means the "clear" instruction God has given us.

Peace