Anti Spanking Arguments
Do you understand what you are reading in the Bible?
Samuel Martin has a new video which is worth watching and sharing:
Read MoreLet God be True, but Every Man a Liar
“Do not hold back discipline from the child, Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die. You shall strike him with the rod And rescue his soul from Sheol” (Proverbs 23:13-14, NASB). So many Christians believe this verse and the other “Rod” verses are to be taken literally. Some very watered down…
Read MoreA person’s a person no matter how small.
Sarah has graciously allowed me to host this most excellent post. ********************************************************************* Aha. Welcome to my long winded “Why I don’t believe in spanking” post. You will soon find that spanking isn’t the whole issue with me. I don’t believe in punishment at all (GASP!). ‘Course permissiveness can be unhealthy as well, so I am setting…
Read MoreSinful Children?
I was recently asked why gentle Christian parents and advocates don’t talk about sin when it comes to children much. The answer is because what most Christians believe is sin in children usually isn’t. A toddler saying, “no!” when asked to do something isn’t sin, it’s the child exploring independence and boundaries. A preschooler crying…
Read MoreThe Risk of Unintended Sexual Abuse Through Spanking
Homeschoolers Anonymous is running a series called, “Hurts Me More Than You,” from which I came across this testimony about the very real and tragic risk of unintended sexual abuse through spanking. If there were no other arguments against spanking, this one would be enough. Some time ago a pastor and some of his flock…
Read MoreI Was Wrong to Tell You to Stop Spanking Your Kid: An Open Letter of Apology…
I was wrong. You heard it here first. That time. At the mall. You hit your kid and I told you it wouldn’t help anything and asked you to stop. That was really dumb. Not because I’ve changed my mind and decided we should hit kids, but because I know better. That approach I took…
Read MoreThe Prince of Peace vs. The Prince of This World
A while back, a Christian pro-spanker said that I was doing the work of the devil after engaging in a discussion about why spanking/hitting children is neither Biblical nor from God. When this person learned about my book, Gentle Firmness: Conveying the True Love of Jesus to Your Children Through His Example, he got even…
Read MoreThy Rod And Thy Staff They Comfort Me: Christians and the Spanking Controversy
Here how to get Samuel Martin’s book, Thy Rod and Thy Staff They Comfort Me: Christians and the Spanking Controversy. This is a FREE ebook which you can download for free! All applicable copyright laws apply. For more info about the book, please see these 22 Testimonies about the book. After reading this book, please send…
Read MoreIs Raising Children The Same As Raising Animals?
Many Christian pro-spankers such as James Dobson and Michael Pearl equate animal training with child rearing. Pearl claims that training children is much like training “stubborn mules.” Dobson uses an example of whipping his tiny dog into submission to taming a toddler. They believe that training children and animals…
Read MoreDon’t Make Children Lie
Last night, my husband and I watched, “The Andy Griffith Show,” and it was the one where Opie was having fun pretending to have a black horse named Blackie. Andy, Opie’s dad, and Barney and Aunt Bea all had fun with this. Well, Opie goes off into the woods and meets a lineman named, Mr.…
Read MoreDara Explains Natural Consequences
Note from Hermana Linda: Pam continues to ask thought provoking questions about how one can raise children without spanking. In This comment, she asks, What do you mean by natural consequences? I think some of those are what I hoped for my children to avoid and why I view some punishment as a necessary part…
Read MoreDiscipline VS Neglect
Note from Hermana Linda: We appreciate getting comments and read every one. This comment from Pam is so long that Steph decided to respond in a post, so here it is. Hi Steph, Though I don’t consider myself to be “pro” spanking, I am pro-discipline, and I do believe that infrequent spanking can be part…
Read MoreIs Defiance Real?
I have been thinking a lot about defiance lately. Is it real when it comes to young children? Most parents would emphatically answer, “Yes” to this question. I am not so sure though. According to dictionary.com, defiance is defined as “A daring or bold resistance to authority or to any opposing force.” To me, this…
Read MoreJohn Rosemond: Pro-Spanker?
Conservative Christian, John Rosemond “is known for his old-fashioned, Bible-based parenting philosophy and approach” according to Wikipedia. Because of this, I found was very interested to find out that he does not advocate spanking. While I do not recommend his parenting advice which I find very harsh and punitive, I decided to share this information…
Read MoreMaking Sure They Learn Their Lesson
I really believe that most parents get no pleasure out of spanking their children and do so only so that they will “learn their lesson.” But what does spanking children really teach them? I have seen many testimonies of adults who were spanked as children who did not learn what their parents meant to teach…
Read MoreThere is No Fear in Love: Why Spanking Doesn’t Work
When I was ten until I was twelve years old, I attended a small non-denominational Christian school in which spanking was permitted. Although such practice is almost unheard of now, even among private schools, it was fairly common a few decades ago. Of course, like most Christians who spank, the rationale for using a paddle…
Read MoreThe Christian History of Spanking Part 1
This page was part of the rough draft of the soon-to-be-released book, “Gentle Firmness,” by Stephanie Cox. You may read a few chapters from the book here.
Read MoreSpanking to Remove Guilt?
Back in October of 2010, Michael Pearl published an article where he claimed that he had never taught that spanking absolves a child of guilt. He does, however, teach in that same article that they need the spanking in order to absolve themselves of guilt. It is clear in all my writing that the forgiveness…
Read MoreSpanking is NOT God’s Will Part 8
More information on the Book, Gentle Firmness, by Stephanie Cox ( part 1 ) ( part 2 ) ( part 3 ) What is grace? This is the question running through my head as I wrestle with a bit of discouragement as children continue to be harmed by well-meaning people who want so badly to…
Read MoreSpanking is NOT God’s Will Part 3
( Part 1 ) ( Part 2 ) I finished Samuel Martin’s book, Thy Rod and Thy Staff They Comfort Me today. Here’s more of what I have learned about God’s Word. Many Christian advocates of spanking children quote the following Proverb in order to support their philosophy that spanking children will save their souls from Hell. It says:…
Read MoreSpanking is NOT God’s Will Part 2
(Part 1) After reading and studying more today in this wonderful book by Samuel Martin and doing my own Bible study, here are some things that God has revealed to me. First, the book of Proverbs is the oldest book in the Holy Bible. While King Solomon and King Hezekiah wrote most of Proverbs, according to Martin’s…
Read MoreSpanking is NOT God’s Will Part 1
I am reading a wonderful book by theologian, Samuel Martin, Thy Rod and Thy Staff They Comfort Me. It’s clear from historic, contextual, Hebrew info on the book of Proverbs that we are NOT to spank (hit) children. The book of Proverbs was not meant for verses to be taken out of context. Even Jewish…
Read MoreI Don’t Spank My Children by Rachel
Discipline and Discipleship These words (obviously) share a root word. As a Christian parent, I see these words as inseparable. There are, of course, times when I forget that disciplining my children is ultimately an act of disciple-ing them, but overall this is how I view God’s intended role for me as a mother. I…
Read MoreThe Disobedience of Man and The Consequences
Even if The Old Testament did say to hit children, it also says to sacrifice animals and to stone rebellious teenagers (and other sinners). So, anyone who spanks (or strikes) their children is living under the Law and therefore, not under Grace. If we are living by Grace, we must apply grace to our children.…
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