[Divaostrich]

Hi all,

This won't be pleasant....just need us GD advocates to know what we're up against. My in-laws give us a gift subscription to World Magazine (which I have not been too impressed with) and we just recieved this issue with an article about "Sparing the Rod". It is pro-spanking and warning the Christian community about Gentle Parents who are going to "spoil" a whole generation. This article sickened, repulsed, and angered me to no end. Here's the link:

http://www.worldmag.com/articles/12096

This magazine has also advertised many pro-spanking parenting books in their advertising section and their was a book advertised that went something like "A hug and a good spanking" or some such. I can't remember exactly. It was a parenting book of some sort. I just remember the "and a good spanking" part of the title

I'm so angry and sad. I can't believe this type of thing is still happening!

 

[chfriend]

Just a warning. There is a disturbing picture of a child being spanked on the page when you click through. And you can't see the bulk of the article unless you have subscribed to the magazine.

 

[frontierpsych]

I wish there was someone I could hire to spank these people every time they did something wrong!

"No right turn on red mister! Now you get the belt, bend over!"

Lucky me, I believe in Karma.

 

[shoefairy3]

i think the whole "spare the rod, spoil the child" thing has been taken way out of context. IMO it means more that you will spoil the child if you throw discipline out the window. Sometimes i dont agree completely with every GD theory, but i dont believe in beating your child either..that is just plain wrong.

 

[kristenok18]

Am I missing something? The paragraph that is on the page with the spanking picture talks about Susan Lawrence's campaign against spanking...

Kristen

 

[angelpie545]

Yuck..the rod. Even pro-spanking parents that I know do not use a rod.

I still distinctly remember the rod that was used to punish me when I was a kid.

 

[ShaggyDaddy]

In this age old arguement I love to blow people's minds by telling them that "sparing the rod" challenges the child more than just whipping them as punnishment.

If you could choose a whack on the butt instead of paying a traffic ticket, paying late fees on credit cards, repairing the fence you backed over, etc etc would you take it? I know I would. But our world is not that "easy".

When we set up real consequences for real actions, in my opinion we are not spoiling a child, we are calling on them to rise to the situation. We are expecting and asking more of them.

Life's mistakes are not fixed by a swatt on the butt and if you are teaching someone that they are, then you are spoiling them.

 

[Divaostrich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kristenok18 Am I missing something? The paragraph that is on the page with the spanking picture talks about Susan Lawrence's campaign against spanking... Kristen

Unfortunately to read the whole article you have to sign in to the website. It goes on to warn against people like Susan Lawrece. They say she is wrong for trying to change legislation that would protect children from spanking. The article says that we should have the right to spank and that people who do not spank and are trying to make is illegal to spank are wrong and are going to be the downfall of obedience and "good people" in our society. They warn that the US might become like some of the European countries where it is illegal to spank.

I thought the full article would especially be of interest to people that are trying to change legislation in their areas and in the US to protect children from hitting and to show what we are up against.

I should've warned of the distrubing picture. Sorry mommas! I highly recommend to read the whole article.

 

[Divaostrich]

Oh, this link is to a Grace based parenting sight and speaks more about what the "rod" that is spoken of in the Bible really is.....not what our culture has misinterpereted it to be. No disturbing images here!

http://www.aolff.org/sparetherod.html

 

[sapphire_chan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Divaostrich Unfortunately to read the whole article you have to sign in to the website. It goes on to warn against people like Susan Lawrece. They say she is wrong for trying to change legislation that would protect children from spanking.

:

:

: The views they disagree with can be accessed for free with no registration?!? Speaking of karma....

 

[mamatoablessing]

Does anyone know who Frank Warren is? He is an artist that asked complete strangers to send them their "secrets", anonomously, on postcards. He compiled them into a book called PostSecrets. It's very interesting and very sad. There was one I will never forget:

"My father beats me and calls it a spanking"

That is what I think of when I hear/read about spanking in the name of God or religion or whatever. It's just an excuse to beat.

Gag.

 

[aja-belly]

when i was maybe 11 our priest had a sermon that talked about the real menaing of the 'rod'and how it had nothing to do with hitting, but guiding as a shepherd would with his rod. i think about that everytime i hear that phrase (or any of the bible verses dealing with 'rod's).

of course none of this applies to us at all being agnostic and having to rely on our own thoughts and feelings about hitting or not hitting out child....

:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Divaostrich Oh, this link is to a Grace based parenting sight and speaks more about what the "rod" that is spoken of in the Bible really is.....not what our culture has misinterpereted it to be. No disturbing images here! http://www.aolff.org/sparetherod.html

 

[AntoninBeGonin]

I can't believe our country. Doctors encourage naive but well-meaning parents to remove normal parts from male children at birth, and we think nothing of hitting someone who is physically to small and weak to fight back, and too young to articulate an argument. Is this really the country that was founded on rights and freedom?

~Nay

 

[frontierpsych]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShaggyDaddy In this age old arguement I love to blow people's minds by telling them that "sparing the rod" challenges the child more than just whipping them as punnishment. If you could choose a whack on the butt instead of paying a traffic ticket, paying late fees on credit cards, repairing the fence you backed over, etc etc would you take it? I know I would. But our world is not that "easy". When we set up real consequences for real actions, in my opinion we are not spoiling a child, we are calling on them to rise to the situation. We are expecting and asking more of them. Life's mistakes are not fixed by a swatt on the butt and if you are teaching someone that they are, then you are spoiling them.

Yay you! ITA. I love your explanation. I also like to point out that the "rod" they speak of may not have necessarily been corporal punishment, but general discipline, or guidance, such as the ROD that was used to GUIDE sheep by the shephard.

I think a lot of the Bible is taken out of context, which is why Christianity is often chastised. You know, like the protesters in the streets shouting about how "God hates queers" and whatnot. I don't believe God hates anyone. And I also don't believe he wants you to smack your kids around.

 

[Plummeting]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mamatoablessing Does anyone know who Frank Warren is? He is an artist that asked complete strangers to send them their "secrets", anonomously, on postcards. He compiled them into a book called PostSecrets. It's very interesting and very sad. There was one I will never forget: "My father beats me and calls it a spanking" That is what I think of when I hear/read about spanking in the name of God or religion or whatever. It's just an excuse to beat. Gag.

Post Secret started out as a website. It's still running, but for some reason I've been unable to access it lately. Every week he updates the cards. They're all homemade.

 

[Plummeting]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan : : : The views they disagree with can be accessed for free with no registration?!? Speaking of karma....

YES! That is exactly what I was thinking. How awesome is that? It makes it look like the whole article is going to be about how horrible spanking is! YAY!

 

[kristenok18]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Divaostrich Unfortunately to read the whole article you have to sign in to the website. It goes on to warn against people like Susan Lawrece. They say she is wrong for trying to change legislation that would protect children from spanking. The article says that we should have the right to spank and that people who do not spank and are trying to make is illegal to spank are wrong and are going to be the downfall of obedience and "good people" in our society. They warn that the US might become like some of the European countries where it is illegal to spank.

Ahhhh! Thanks for clearing that up. I know it's naive of me, but I have such a hard time believing people can do this to their children. Of course, then I'm confronted with it (visit with my cousing and his dc), and I'm physically sick about it.

: Why do these people think that they have to be at war with their children?

Kristen

 

[ConfusedPrincess]

Well no offense but why is everyone acting shocked considering it comes from a Christian based magazine. I in no way mean to offend anyones beliefs I am just speaking from experience-I would say the same thing if it came from a Muslim magazine.

 

[phathui5]

Being a Christian myself, I hate it when Christian publications do that. It makes us all look bad.

 

[Divaostrich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ConfusedPrincess Well no offense but why is everyone acting shocked considering it comes from a Christian based magazine. I in no way mean to offend anyones beliefs I am just speaking from experience-I would say the same thing if it came from a Muslim magazine.

I was not shocked that most Christians in America have this view, it seemed like a war cry on their part to work against parents that are trying to change legislation in America to protect children from violence. I thought it would be good information for those that are trying to do so.