The indictment of NFL player Adrian Peterson by a Texas grand jury for reckless or negligent injury to a child has generated an extensive discussion in the media on the topic of disciplining children by "spanking," or corporeal punishment, as commonly practiced in our society. The Peterson case is, of course, extreme--but not necessarily uncommon. He used a "switch," a slim, leafless tree branch, to beat his 4-year-old son, raising welts on the youngster's legs, buttocks and scrotum, but millions of Americans--by far the majority of the over generations--can testify to being "spanked," or in some cases "beaten," with belts, switches, cords, and other objects that left their markings on legs and buttocks.
Spanking in one form or another is as American as apple pie--and the practice is deeply rooted in, and most often defended by, a reading of traditional translations of the English Bible. The oft-quoted quip "Spare the rod and spoil the child" never appears in the Bible but in the book of Proverbs one finds a string of passages that seem not only to condone spanking, but also direly warn parents that unless they use the "rod" on their children they will utterly fail in their upbringing.
Here are the quotations in the traditional King James Version translation:. Prov "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him often. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell i. These six verses in the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible, as well as a single passage in the New Testament, that speaks of God's disciplining of us as a father disciplines his son Hebrew , have become the flimsy foundation for justifying a world of harm and abuse to children over our year cultural history--often with lifelong detrimental consequences.
Sincere parents, who love their children, but are stuck with a literal reading of badly translated verses taken out of context, are utterly convinced they are doing the right thing. On the one hand we have testimonials from the majority of us who were "spanked" or disciplined with corporeal punishment growing up, with seemingly no psychological damage, and on the other hand Christian Evangelical preachers and teachers regularly assure parents that spanking will not harm a child, it is positively commanded by God!
This Christian reinforcement of "spanking," based on a misreading of these verses of the Bible, is undoubtedly what continues to convince parents of the younger generations, who might have more of a cultural aversion to such practices, that they are carrying out God's will. Here are the cautious instructions on the popular the Focus on the Family web site:. When you spank, use a wooden spoon or some other appropriately sized paddle and flick your wrist.
