From: dhanson@nyx.cs.du.edu (David L. Hanson)
Subject: Re: God's Family Values
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Keywords: Historical perspective - positive for both sides!
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix at U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Sat, 25 Jul 92 00:49:17 GMT

In article <4619@crl.LABS.TEK.COM> sjk@strl.labs.tek.com (Steven King) writes:
>In article <1992Jul23.230636.16878@watson.ibm.com>, john@johniac.austin.ibm.com (John Iacoletti) writes:
>|> In article <23JUL199209072925@addvax.llnl.gov>, kettering@addvax.llnl.gov (Brett 'Volleyball Is My Game' Kettering) writes:
>|> |>                                                          It's OK if you don't
>|> |> believe in a Diety, but some of us do and do not consider that Diety to be
>|> |> pagan.
>|> 
>|> Some of us even know how to spell "deity"!  :-) :-)
>|> 
>|> I agree with your point, by the way.  If it's related to children and
>|> child-raising, then this is an appropriate place to discuss it.  The
>|> free marketplace of ideas will decide if an old book's advocacy of the
>|> value of child-beating is a worthwhile pursuit.
>
>A little historical perspective is in order here...
>
>If you know the job of a shepherd, then you would also know how a rod is
>used.  The paradigm was a familiar one during the time of Christ, but is
>grossly mis-interpreted on both sides (Judeo/Christian and non-Judeo/
>Christian) of this fence.
>
>The shepherd used his rod to gently guide his sheep.  The hook in the
>rod was used to pull sheep out of deep ravines and creek beds.  The rod
>was also used as a weapon against wolves.  The shepherd loved his flock,
>and never used the rod to beat the sheep.  The modern day shepherd uses
>his rod in the same way.  If anyone has ever been to the middle-east,
>and witnessed the modern-day shepherd, you would observe the same practice.
>
>Thus, the references to "rod" in the Old Testement do not condone spanking
>or beating of the child.  They indicate that you should gently nudge them
>from time-to-time, that you should rescue them in times of need, and you
>should protect them from enemies.  And as the shepherd loved and nurtured
>every sheep in his flock so too should a parent with their children.
>
>Rather a nice thought, IMHO.

It might be a nice thought but it is not Biblical.  The context of the
use of the word rod in Proverbs indicates punishment. Two examples
follow:

"Do not withhod discipline from a child; if you punish him with a rod,
he will not die.  Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death."
Proverbs 23:13-14

"Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the
back of him who lacks judgement"  Proverbs 10:13

On the way home from work today, I checked four different Bible dictionaries
about the use of the word rod in the Old Testament.  There are 4 or 5 
Hebrew words that are translated to the word rod.  The rod used to 
tend sheep is a different Hebrew word than the rod of punishment used to
correct children.  Check for yourself.

The point is that God (yes, He wrote the Bible, unbeliever) gives parents
instructions to spank their children.  The world has twisted itself to
believe the opposite (spanking is harmful) which is hardly surprising
considering who their god is. NOTICE that I did not say abuse. And I
also did appreciate the comments about balance (the duty of the father
for example) that another poster made.  God desires that parents be the
servants of their children by loving and caring for them more deeply than
themselves; and he wants children (including teenages) to be servants of
their parents by honoring and obeying them.y

David L. Hanson
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