Proverbs 13:24 – “Those who spare the rod hate their children, but those who love them are diligent to discipline them.”
Proverbs 22:15 – “Foolishness is bound in the heart of the child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.”
Proverbs 23:13 – “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die.”
Exodus 21:20 – “If a man beats his male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies as a direct result, he must be punished.”
I implore all parents to spare the rod. Violence against children is about as low as it gets for me. If you can’t think of a civilized way to correct a child’s behavior, then parenting is not for you.
Of course this type of violence can occur in any home, religious, and atheist, conservative, and liberal alike. But traditional behaviors die hard, especially in traditional families.
You may wonder why I included the verse about slaves. Two reasons. First, it clearly demonstrates what the authors meant by the word ‘rod’. It was not mataphorical. Second, a tradition behavior of slave masters was fathering children with their female slaves. What a nightmare to be born into, with your own father having ‘divine permission’ to beat you within an inch of your life.
Question: Is it conceivable to you, that anyone who is kind and just and loving, would encourage violence against children?
Ban murder tools Kill the 2nd