Is child abuse ok with the bible?

Question

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

and i guess it's ok if they cry?


"Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying. Proverbs 19:18 "
"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. Proverbs 23:13-14"
"The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame. Proverbs 29:15

What kind of explanation do you christians give to this ?

Answer 1

Abuse, murder, child slavery - it's all OK in the bible.

Answer 2

It means love your children enough to discipline them so may they grow up. It does not mean to go down to the local hardware and buy a rod. It means deal with your child's behavior weighing out the severity and willingness to diliberately disobey authority. If a child knows better than it's simple: the behavior is contemplated. If not more teaching/training is required on the part of the parent and that is something only a parent knows whether society wants to get accept it or not. A good parent makes sure their child learns to behave in a decent manor and hopefully chooses not to ruin his/her life as they grow. God's plan for parents is to continue if the parent has not rebelled against God...love and discipline are the job requirements.

It means parents DO NOT moan and groan when a child cries because many do...whether spanked or not they express and cry often. It means parents DO NOT behave as a victim who's little ears are getting damaged altho self control needs to taught also...read that sentence again. Get it...a parent who feels like a victim just because their child is resistant is lacking ___ ___. They were never taught or refused parental teachings.

Lack of *reproof* means neglect because it creates weakness not strength. In fact, lack of reproof means nobody cares what happens to a person and that includes a child.

Learn the difference between looking at things thru the victim tunnel and that of a leader and here is why: it is the difference between a leader and a follower.

Answer 3

Some latch onto the word "rod' with horror because they feel it implies some sort of child abuse. It does not. The Hebrew word for "rod" referred to a staff, such as the one a shepherd used to guide his sheep – not assault them. The rod is a symbol for discipline.

In the Bible, to discipline primarily means to teach. That is why the book of Proverbs says some four times, 'LISTEN' to discipline.' Compare, please, Proverbs 1:8; 4:1; 8:33; 19:27. Children need to learn that doing what is right brings a reward and that doing what is wrong brings bad consequences.

Parents do well to imitate God's example when it comes to punishment, for he told his people that he would chastise them "to the proper degree." Jeremiah 46:28. Some children need only a few stern words or that "look." Others need firmer measures - a swat on the bottom, smack on the hand and yes, sometimes even a spanking. But chastisement "to the proper degree" would never include anything that might do a child real harm emotionally or physically.

It is improper to suggest that the Bible commands parents to abuse their children.

Hannah J Paul

Answer 4

No, I do not think that the Bible teaches child abuse is ok. There is a difference between correction and abuse. Abuse, to me, is done in anger and maybe even to derive some sort of pleasure from another's pain. Correction is to teach a lesson so that the child can be a better person and not do whatever it was that deserved the correction. Left to their own decisions, most children would probably make wrong decisions that would not be good, healthy or safe for them. If at all possible, a child should be talked to about his or her error and why it was wrong. I don't think every act should be treated the same. Some children have a tender, teachable spirit while some are more strongwilled and defiant. The punishment should fit the crime, so to speak and their attitude toward disobedience should factor in there. Our schools are full of children who have had no discipline in their home. They are loud, disrespectful and defiant of authority. If you love your child, you will bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. One of the 10 commandments says to "Honor your father and your mother". When a child is willfully disobedient they are not honoring their father and mother. A disobedient child brings dishonor to their family and if you don't correct that trait when they are small, you will regret it maybe to the point of even someday visiting them in prison. The prisons are populated with people who were disobedient to their parents and other authority figures. Read "Ephesians 6: 1-4 which says at the end for fathers not to provoke their children to wrath. " It all comes from disciplining with love.

Answer 5

Spanking (beating) your child is not child abuse. There was a time in America when teachers could chastise children. Maybe if children were spanked (beat) a little more often, we wouldn't have the ignorant, childish, selfish, arrogant, immoral group running around now. American history is immoral granted, but society has gone downhill drastically.

But hey, don't touch your child and let him not respect you and do what he wants and speak to you however he/she wants. Then when it's too late and your pondering why is your child so uncontrollable, you can think about this question and have your answer. I think your understanding of what constitutes child abuse is the problem.

Spanking a child, = fine. Breaking his arm, = abuse. Belt or switch, = fine. Golf clubs, fists, feet, solid objects, = abuse. Time out = you viewed as a joke.

Answer 6

You're forgetting about the other things that go along with abuse, which are completely against the Bible. Hurt and harm- both mental and physical, trying to humiliate, molestation, etc. The Bible advocates none of these things.

Disciplining/ correcting a child physically in and of itself is NOT abuse. I've lived in abusive household before, and trust me it's NOT the same thing. A person can severely abuse their children without laying a hand on them.

Answer 7

Here's an example:

I am cooking dinner. I have three eyes on the stove turned on. My 4 year old daughter decides it is her new play room. I tell her not to play in the kitchen. She leaves but is back in five minutes playing again. So I spank her. Do I slap her? No. Do I leave welts? No. Does she return to the kitchen to pull off a pot of boiling water and scald herself and end up in the E.R.? Well usually at this point, she isn't feeling so lucky anymore. Firm, consistent and fair is what I aim for.
Will she cry if I spank her? Yes. Will she cry if she burns herself? Even harder.
Crying is normal. It is a part of maturing.

But in essence, I believe the point of the bible wasn't so much to beat your kids to make them mind, so much as it is trying to say that discipling them is getting them ready for the world ahead. The thought of my daughter crying has many times kept me from disciplining her. I want my daughter to be happy, but I want her to be safe. It's such a fine line.

As for going out and getting a rod and actually putting bruises on her, well, the old testament is kinda harsh. But Jesus came along and told us to forget most of that stuff anyways.

Answer 8

Those verses are sayting that you have to punsih your kids when they disobey. You can't let then do whatever they want to do. Using a rod to punish your child is like using a paddle to spank them when they disobey. If you don't punsih them, thn they won't listen to you or respect you.

Answer 9

God isn't approving child abuse, he's telling people not to spoil their children. "Spare the rod, spoil the child..." And if they cry, that's not evil. I used to cry when my parents spanked me, and I'm glad to this day that they did it.

Answer 10

That's the bible way, instead of getting someone to understand why it's wrong, just beat them

Answer 11

Good advice.Dr.Spock's advice has given us a generation of rebellious children.