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“France Just Made Spanking Your Kid Illegal”

The above headline crossed my computer’s news feed this morning. The article says that the new law made all forms of corporal punishment illegal including spanking. They did give some deference to spanking over other forms of corporal punishment by making it a civil rather than criminal matter.

This is just another example of the trend of liberal governments’ trying to destroy ages old traditional family models – both in structure and management.  It makes us wonder, if it is France today, who will be next – maybe our country?

The article says, “Research shows that techniques like timeouts, reasoning and removal of privileges can be effective if done correctly.” I wonder if the geniuses that figured all of this out ever tried to just reason with a two year as to why he/she should not run out of the yard into the busy street; or why he/she should not poke a finger into an electrical outlet; or why he/she should not lay down in the aisle of a grocery store and pitch a temper tantrum.

About now, some readers of this post are thinking, “What right does this fellow have to write on this subject? Just what are his credentials to be challenging the findings of the “experts” that guide governments, like France, to ban spanking.

As the apostle, Paul, once wrote “Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly.” Permit me list my credentials

1. Familiarity with God’s word “Proverbs 13:24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes. Proverbs 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. Proverbs 23:13 Withhold not correction from the child for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Proverbs 23:14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell. Proverbs 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom but a child left [to himself] bringeth his mother to shame.

2. Familiarity with Godly families Over the years as a gospel preacher I have been in the homes of many godly families with children of all ages. I watched children grow from infancy to adulthood – families whose children grew up to be successful, both as members of society and as members of the Lord’s body. From these observations, I have noticed the most successful came from those who lovingly and consistently administered corporal punishment as a form of training and discipline to supplement verbal teaching and training.

3. Personal experience I am fully aware that by making this point that I opening myself up for criticism and charges of self-congratulations. Be that as it may, I just want to say that my wife and I have had the privilege of rearing five children. The journey was not always smooth sailing. I will just say that we are pleased as to how they, and the new families they have formed, have turned out, both socially and spiritually. From the early age when needed we spatted their hands when they reached for something they should not have. We later spanked them when we deemed appropriate and graduated up to belt and bush switches until they grew enough that such would be no longer fitting or feasible.

Once one of ours, at about age 2, was told by his mom to do something. He looked her straight in the eye and said, “No! I not do it!” She then asked him, “Don’t you think you should reconsider that.” With roll of the eyes, he said, “Yea, or you will resider it with a fly swat.” Apparently, the fly swat skillfully applied to the appropriate body part had aided his future thinking somewhat.

Yes, I believe in both corporal punishment for children and capital punishment for certain criminals. In fact, I believe that if more corporal punishment were administered by parents there would be less capital punishment needed

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