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Warning1 This topic involves reading material about abuse of children that will make you ill and heart broken.
Because we live in the East, we have not heard much about a young child, seven years old, who was beaten to death by her parents in California. Her older sister made it to the hospital just in time, before she died. The Schatz parents beat her for hours, taking turns, using a quarter inch plumbing supply line. The two girls had been adopted from Liberia. And to make it worse, some evidence shows that they probably had been stolen from their parents and were not orphans. The adoption agency seems rather shady, selling the children they acquire to people who ask few questions.
What has made me most ill is that this type of beating is actually taught in Christian circles by "minister" Michael Pearl and his wife Debbi. They have a website called, of all things, "No Greater Joy." Icannot imagine either parents or children finding joy in this method. I have been to the website and he indeed advocates hitting a child with this "rod." Almost all of the scripture on "using the rod to discipline" comes from the book of Proverbs, which is generally not considered our source of theological authority. Indeed, the Brethren believe that what is taught in the New Testament is more important than what is taught in the Old Testament. We see that Christ showed mercy and kindness, not physical discipline.
Sadly, many Christians are buying into this type of teaching. At their website, the Pearls are raising money to translate and distribute their books in other countries. The book advocates hitting children as young as six months old. Mr. Pearl says that he never advocated hitting, only discipline. But the tone of his website is quite otherwise. What makes it worse for the children being hit, is that the parent is supposed to be calm and in control and talk of love. I would rather have an out-of-control parent hit me, than a parent who is in control but stlil doing this!
Have American Christians gotten so scared of their children falling into issues in their teens that we have resorted to this? One website that was connected to this also advocated never letting the children play with outsiders, even other church members. What happened to being light and salt?
Here is a newspaper report on this, http://www.paradisepost.com/news/ci_14469888
The article suggests other sources to look at for more information. Personally, I am praying that the Pearl family be held responsible for their teachings and its results. And I praying for the Schatz family and all those caught in this deadly, non-Christian deception, that they may see the truth. |
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