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Does Scripture Really Support Spanking?
#1
OK, I already know this is going to ruffle some feathers. It is just presented as something to think about. I'm not even taking a side. I am just merely giving us food for thought. Some of you may not use the Christian New Testament in your beliefs and so this may not bother you. Some of you may be enlightened. So put your rocks away and don't throw them at me. Just read this and think.

Many of us have heard this used as one of many Scripture references that support spanking:

Hebrews 12:6-11
New King James Version (NKJV)
6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”[a]
7 If[b] you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.


What if you knew (and you may) that in the original Greek that the word(s) translated as some form of chasten or chastise was a form of the Greek word PAIDEIA which means discipline or training?

The true meaning of discipline/training may indeed involve physical correction but it doesn't always.

Think on these things. . . .

OUCH! (I asked you to put the rocks away. Tongue )
P.J.
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#2
I think it is open to individual interpretation. There are some who believe that the scriptures strongly support, even command, physical discipline, while there are others who believe that it is more about providing guidance and constructive criticism in raising your child. We never applied religion in our house in relation to spanking for a number of reasons. First, we wanted our children to respect our authority as parents because we were their parents, not because that is what G-d commands. Also, we believe that bringing G-d into the question creates a sense of guilt on the part of the child that it is not our business to inflict. "Judge not lest ye be judged" and that whole lot. Also, we really believe that G-d has much bigger things to worry about than whether our child stopped jumping on the couch, got dressed when we told them to, did their homework, or any of the other things for which they might have been spanked. We always felt like it was a bit of hubris on the part of any individual who claims to their child that G-d would want them to be spanked, since we do not presume to know what G-d would do in any situation.
Tissueman
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#3
I think it is less about the scriptures than how you feel about spanking from a spiritual point of view. If it makes you uncomfortable or you have doubts about the value or benefits of spanking I wouldn't do it. There are many alternatives when it comes to discipline as there are many roads to heaven!
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#4
Well said, Garth, as usual!
Tissueman
Dad of 2 grown sons, grandfather to 2 young grandchildren
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#5
My belief is that scripture is mostly about our relationship to God - about who we are and Whose we are. Scripture can then help reveal to us the manner in which we should live our lives so as to foster the Kingdom of God. Scripture, therefore, is not intended to be a text on history, geography, science, or good parenting - but in might inform how we view any of those topics.

I also think it is important to consider scripture from the perspective of the author(s) and the primary audience to which they were writing. In the case of this and many other old testament scriptures that are cited as being in support of physical correction, I think that the author is trying to say something about how our relationship to God is like the relationship between parent and child. This helps us to see how God might be working in our lives to correct us and move us through His grace to make manifest His Kingdom. That said, it can also be inferred form these texts that correction, chastisement, and physical correction were accepted to be part and parcel of good parenting according to these divinely inspired authors.
DAVE
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#6
Scripture supports lots of things. For example: Ephesians 6:5 "Slaves, obey your earthy masters ..." I don't think I want to support slavery because of this, and I don't support spanking because of anything the Bible says either. I support it in a csse by case base if it works better than other things.
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#7
When I spanked I did not pray before or after the spanking. If I had of I would (whether just to myself or out loud) probably not have referred to or quoted the scriptures. Instead it would have been something along spiritual lines thanking God for his guidance in disciplining the child about to be spanked and asking him to help me to show compassion and forgiveness. I would also remind the child that it is with love I chastise them, the same love God has for all of us no matter how much we test Him.
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