Man, I would like to hear the rest of the story on this one.

^ agree.

Me too!

Hey hey hey!
Maybe they were trying to help him get off drugs or something, kids today know their rights, tough job controlling one of those.
I'm just saying................
metalman.

I would like to hear the whole story too..

Hey hey is right.I agree with metalman.

What a bunch of vultures!

must be more to this story sure would like to hear it

I agree a 13 year old can drive you to want to beat them silly. However being the adult you must use the self control you should have developed to treat them like the child they are without having to physically assault them. Maybe when we know more we can make a better judgement.

Isn't it strange how child abuse is always justified by quoting the Bible, as if a 3000 year old book has any answers for life in the 21st century. Still, I guess bronze age society knew far more about child rearing than we possibly could today. It's just a pity that we don't have any cave man writings from the stone age. Just think how much more they must have known than in Bible times!! What a crock!!

NOTHING justifies breaking the skin as a punishment, absolutely nothing.

Ammonra:
Did someone mention breaking skin other than you? You are deceived if you believe that physical punishment does not build good and solid character. Look around you at the kids of this genereation who have never felt a kick in the a**. They're generally little greedy, self centered monsters. I personally have dealt with thousands of them throughout my life. Because they lacked parental discipline and guidance their attitude is less than positive. All my children can affirm the positive effect of corporal punishment when it fits the deed. One last note: It is no ones business how people discipline their children. If brutality is involved, that is different. Discipline with love sometimes involves a small stick.

Good thing we don't live in the bronze age anymore, because now we can just rip each other to virtual shreds on the internet. Hope the boy is OK. The physical wounds usually heal. The psychological ones sometimes never do.

I don’t know how many times we have to caution you that someone who has been arrested and charged has the right to a hearing, to prove guilt or innocence.
Surely after all the cautions you have received, you would know better. If you are even remotely close we will cut your comments.
When will people learn, you are not above the law.

Supertech, the article refers to "lacerations". A laceration is a cut or wound breaking the skin, according to the dictionary, so the writer of the article was the one who originally referred to breaking the skin.

I suggest you are wrong when you say it is nobody's business how you discipline your children. The state has the right to limit your behavior by passing laws about what one person may not do to another.

From personal experience I can tell you that physical discipline does not automatically lead to positive characteristics. It often stimulates the development of very negative desires, revenge and the like. What is most successful in raising children is love and concern for their welfare coupled with plain guidelines as to what you want them to do. All children do things they should not do, but the love parents have for their children overcomes all that, doesn't the Bible say that as well?

I also would refer you to other parts of the Bible. The part that says chronically disobedient children are to be stoned to death. Do you also approve of capital punishment for juvenile delinquency since the Bible commands it?

Also, that part where the Apostle Paul said you must be in subjection to the Superior Authorities or make yourself an opposer of God. The Superior Authorities have said you may not do it, so why are you if you want to obey the Bible?

A child is raised by the time they first go to school. The rest is determined by their personal character they had instilled in them from the earlier age. Does the child know who they are or not by the time they are 6 determines if they are a follower or an individual for the rest of their youth IMO.

Physcial punishment is irrelevant in determining future positive actions by the child, and only acts as a negative reinforcement. Understanding is the only weapon one can use on the ignorant and understanding comes from learning cold hard truths how ever those leasons are learned.

Sometimes kids will have an agenda of their own as well....
When I was a kid I used my own hair that I put on my hand to make it bleed with the strap. The concept worked great and freaked the teacher out (she had no clue)... they banned the use of the strap after that and I took pride in my accomplishment even though I had deserved the strap at the time lol. Things are not always as they seem....

Ammonra the bible is not about obedience... its about parables meant to illuminate examples of humanity that can be drawn from stories of others that have deep insight into a question of morality. How you choose to interpret that is your business, but I can be sure your interpretations are not the intent of the bible.

If we got into that business I could horror you all day with things the Torah says about Christians in the name of their living prophets. It’s all about the ancient art of rhetorical subterfuge.

You may be right, Eagleone, but surely someone who uses what the Bible says literally to justify a course of action must also answer to other literal Bible statements related to that action when they essentially condemn the action.

How the Bible is viewed is quite subjective, of course, but many think that much of its content is indeed about obedience, particularly in the Christian part. Some believe it is one long parable from start to finish, others that it is literal and plain speaking instructions for life. Those who use it to justify corporal punishment tend to the latter. My question about capital punishment was to emphasise the foolishness of too literal an interpretation not a suggestion, an example of "rhetorical subterfuge" perhaps.

Children are a mirror of the society that raises them. If we are to complain about the lack of respect, discipline, work ethic or what have you we have only to look to ourselves for the blame.
As a society the generation raising the kids of today have come to believe if they are not their childs best friend,can't give
or do everything for their child they are somehow a failure as a parent. Todays parents are frightened of the repercussions of actually disciplining their children in the fear that they will be seen as unpopular. Thus we now have the
pheonomenum of the "Disney Parent".
How future generations will deal with this I don't know. My big fear is the pendulum will swing the other way & future generations will pay for the lack of parenting this generation is sowing.

The pendulum swung in the opposite direction about twenty years ago so we are paying dearly now in my opinion. When I was growing up in the '60s even with all of the craziness happening then, kids knew the meaning of respect, honesty, loyalty and hard work. With dual income families, the priority is to buy the big house, big vehicles, go on big vacations instead of spending time and being present with your kids. The materialism is outrageous. We've become so greedy and unkind as a society. It's very sad.

It is very sad and Bridget is correct; The pendulum is quickly nearing the top of the other direction.

Everyone has psycological bruises

I hope this couple learns whatever lesson there is to learn from this and get the help they need. As for the 13 year old boy I hope he knows life doesn't have to be this way. He can go on to better things and hopefully learn to be a leader for his own family one day.
Parenting is the hardest job. Sacrifices must be made and you must ask for help when needed. Every day is a new day. Every day we need to hear our kids. It really makes a difference! I have a 13 yr. old son and we have a great relationship (so I think.. :) ) He respects me, I respect him. We have an understanding. He talks, I listen and vice versa. I hope it lasts!

Posted by: ammonra on November 10 2009 8:49 PM
Isn't it strange how child abuse is always justified by quoting the Bible, as if a 3000 year old book has any answers for life in the 21st century.

That book has many stories that we can take, or leave. It's up to you to define what works for you. The Bible says "spare the rod, spoil the child" Who ever said the rod was a stick? Personally, to me, the rod is discipline - We have raised three boys, I've never laid a hand on any of them. However, they have experienced discipline & we very much made the punishment suite the crime! I believe in natural consequences - and believe it's important to teach this to children. Our children respect us and are not the lazy spoiled children outlined by some of you.

The parents of that child are "broken" and broken people cannot raise healthy whole children - this is a social issue that - in my opinion - the best way to deal with it is to have a Life 101 class beginning from Kindergarten up to Grade 12, where children can learn what healthy parenting is, where natural consequences are the "punishment" for negative behaviour, and learn to heal their own psychological pain brought on by the trauma of their childhoods.

Those parents need help and I hope that along with criminal charges they get the psychological help they need as well.

Crap I am still trying to figure out where there was any mention of the bible in the posts prior to ammonra's first post.

Possibly I am missing something in a post that was taken out or something.

Yes, Quaddin, the post with the referenct to the Bible was one of those removed, as was one of my responses.

To Iceburger. Yes, I do understand that the reference to the rod may be metaphorical, but in the post to which I responded it was clear that the poster was applying it literally, i.e. hitting children with a stick was OK.

As usual posters are making all sorts of opinions without facts. As I said earlier, the vultures out...