UN Wants Parents Who Spank or Smack Children Jailed

Greetings to all the Shepherd’s true lambs on this forum (you know who you are and I’m certain He does too)!

Well, I read the article referenced by Bro. Greg and was struck by the hyperbole, levels of innuendo and outright propagandizing in Alex Newman’s argumentative piece. Yet the writer, for his part, decries what he terms "demagoguery of the most vile sort” exhibited by the UN official named therein. Anyway, I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised, considering the provenance of the article in question.

Be that as it may, a salient question comes to mind, which I hope Bible-minded Christians (rather than Alex Newman) will help me unravel, open as I am to being taught...

What do you think is "reasonable physical punishment offered lovingly by parents as a disciplinary measure”? I freely admit that I just can’t reconcile "physical punishment” with the phrase that follows: "offered lovingly(?)”. The imagery just doesn’t coalesce in my mind. Yet it is precisely the image of "loving parents” that is repeatedly displayed ”“ meme-like ”“ in conjunction with their typecasting as enthusiastic disciplinarians in said article.

Yes, brethren, I DO have issues with corporal punishment, as well as two lovely kids who stop in their tracks with a sharp word from my wife or me. (I would have to be angry, at that very moment, in order to punish them physically, since it’s very difficult for me to conceive of coldly spanking and deem it "loving” treatment; it smacks of torture, but that’s just me.)

And for me, the pertinent Bible verses that stands out in this regard are:

"And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” (Eph. 6:4)

"Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.” (Col. 3:21) "Break their spirits” (AMP, AMPC)? Not me, but please, what’s your Bible-based reasoning on it?

RE: ///Yes, brethren, I DO have issues with corporal punishment,..///

Are you in support of children of Christian parents whom disagree with you being forced to comply to your standard ?
Are you for legislative action that would punish or take the parental rights away from those whom disagree with you on this subject ?

RE: /// Not me, but please, what’s your Bible-based reasoning on it?///

From what I have found (so far) the preachers presented on SI are unanimously agreed on what the Scriptures teach on the subject , I hope the information in this thread will help for you to understand our interputation of scripture:

consensus of SI preachers, when it comes to including spanking in child training (for or against) :

https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic_id=49368&forum=35&start=10&viewmode=flat&order=1

Of course not only Christians spank their kids. If you go by pure statistics then far fewer kids are spanked by Christian parents than non-Christian parents because there are way more non-Christians than Christians.

Dear watchnpray, a Bible verse that supports physical punishment (but obviously not going over the top!) is Proverbs 22:15: Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Or, like Islam is the only safe harbor for antihomosexuality speech and conduct -- and it is -- Islamic cultures severely punish children and with impunity for itself. Upshot is Islam is perhaps the coming sole safe harbor for corporal punishment.?

sure looks that way Tim.

...A lot of people react to the spanking of the children. The world says, “It’s cruelty. It’s suppression. The child will hate you. It will cause rebellion in their hearts.” But nothing could be further from the truth. Those who withhold the rod are the ones whose children put them in the rest homes. Did you ever think about that? The rest homes are just full and running over today. Who puts their father and mother in the rest homes? But the children who never had the rod used on them. That’s an interesting observation.

The using of the rod goes against your natural love. If you’re here this evening, and your poor heart says, “Oh, I could never spank my children.” You are a victim of natural love. And natural love is okay. I think we need to love our children. I think we need to be filled with love when we see them running to us. But if that natural love stops us from disciplining them with a rod, then that natural love needs to be crucified and replaced with spiritual love, which is agape love, which is God-like love, which is love that love’s by principle, and not by feeling. That’s what we’re speaking about this evening - disciplining the children, a love that loves by principle and not be feeling.

Now the Holy Spirit inspired some very powerful words on the use of the rod. The Bible says that the rod will give wisdom unto your children. The Bible says that the rod will cleanse away evil from your children. The Bible says that the rod is an expression of love. The Bible says that the rod will clear the conscience of your child. The Bible says that the rod will keep your child from going to hell. ThatÂ’s what the Bible says. The Bible says that it will give calm and order into your childÂ’s life. So letÂ’s look into some of these verses this evening....

read more at : https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/articles/index.php?view=article&aid=2059

Thanks a lot for pointing that out (although I am quite familiar with the verse, but I welcome opposing viewpoints supported by Bible passages, as well as by the internal testimony of the whole Bible), fellow first-time poster (rfauffar)! I shall keep it in mind, and please receive my best wishes.

You know, when I think now of using physical punishment on one of my children (I swore off spanking at the beginning of this year - I'm leaving it up to Mom now but her bark is worse than her bite anyway, ha, ha), I think that many times, it's many of us adults (especially me, you can be sure of it) who deserve to be spanked or physically chastised.

How then can I, a spiritually/emotionally-immature adult, wield "the rod of correction" on my wholly-immature child? What a hypocritical and self-righteous double standard that would be, wouldn't it? Whatever the case, maybe we've been blessed with more tractable and mild-mannered kids than other folk, and so we don't need to employ harsh methods of discipline as much. If so, hallelujah!

If your kids are behaving with a sharp rebuke and are not terrorizing the house or neighborhood, why spank them? It should be a last, not a first resort.

My dad spanked me but looking back it really wasn't very often- maybe once every couple of months. Generally it was for stuff like sassing my mother or coming home too late when i was too young to come home that late. I would always get caught up playing ball games and the time slipped by.

But despite being relatively few, the spankings were memorable, both because they smarted, and because they were regimented. He always made us wait in his room for a while so he would not spank in anger. It was always 3 swats with a wooden paddle that some high school kid made for him in shop class (my dad was a HS principal- lucky me).

He wrote on it "Board of Correction- Use as is needed"

I certainly love my dad and never hated him after he spanked me because i knew I deserved it. Further, once the spanking happened it was over. I could go out an play or do whatever. He would often throw a ball with me later in the day.

But I will say that because there was a possibility of spanking lurking in the background that usually a word from him would suffice, especially when he told me to do something punctuated with the word "immediately!"

Proudpapa, I'm not sure I understand your first question. Care to break it down for me? Thanks.

As for your second one: no, certainly not, unless anyone (Christian-professing or not) is guilty of certifiable abuse of any child.

So preachers on SI "are unanimously agreed" on the issue at hand? Very well, I hope it works for them and for those who subscribe to that ethos. (It goes without saying that I am referring to mentally-balanced individuals.)

By the way, I started reading some of the quotes/sermon extracts you referenced, but found them too taxing of my logical mindset (especially the full sermon by Denny Kenaston), so I desisted. Sorry.

The Rod teaches the soul that there are consequences for breaking the rules that will lead to physical pain.

A soul that has not properly been trained by the rod will have a difficult time of trully comprehending that they deserve Hell as a consequence for there sin.

The Rod as brother Denny pointed out "will clear the conscience of your child"

The Rod sanctifies the soul of the child that is to young to comprehend the Atonement.

It is an instrument that is teaching the child that physical pain is a consequences for breaking the rules, as the child begains to increase in understanding as well as understanding the measure of his own sinfulness he will be a prepared recipient of the Atoning Sacrifice of our Lord,
Understanding that Jesus paid the price that we deserve which included physical pain.

Gods ways is the correct way.

Hi watchnpray

RE: ///Proudpapa, I'm not sure I understand your first question. Care to break it down for me? Thanks.///

Yes, I meant to edit it. I just did not get to it.

Are you in support of Christian parents whom disagree with you on the subject of corporal punishment being forced by the government to abandon there convicted use of it in the training of there children ?

I ask, because that is basically the impression that I recieved in your response to the original artical.

edit add: by the government

RE: ///As for your second one: no, certainly not, unless anyone (Christian-professing or not) is guilty of certifiable abuse of any child.///

The first question was basicaly the same as the second. So if you are for allowing Christians parents the right to train there children as they feel led, I can respect that.

by the way : Interesting name

I sure do, Julius, and thanks for the expressed goodwill! God bless.

Y'know, I watch them sleeping and think: how innocent they look, not a trace of all the playful "mischief" - and pretty harmless mischief, at that - (thank God, they're not given to bullying, being cruel to animals, stealing stuff, or being openly rebellious to our rules, or arson, etc. ha, ha) they can get into when awake! They're far from perfect, of course, but they're learning to love the Lord (mostly through my wife's continual and patient efforts). And I think: Lord, what an IMPERFECT father they were saddled with. Poor kids. :)

Well, proudpapa, my beef was with the style and overall tone of the original article, not with all of its substance. (But there is only so much one can put into an online comment to keep from boring the readers.)

Anyway, let me make it clear that, while I believe that we are Biblically enjoined to obey the rightful civil laws and rules of government of the political states we live in, secular legislation should in no wise infringe on the conscientious convictions of us who are citizens of the Kingdom. Well, at least, that's the ideal! Thus, we obey the State insofar as it does not require of us to betray the life-principles given us by our true King.