Saturday, April 17, 2010

PCG Should Listen to This Plain Truth

PCG, which seems to have such a cavalier attitude towards the corporal punishment of children, should take this Plain Truth article to heart concerning excessive corporal punishment of children:

"We live in a culture that cherishes such maxims as "spare the rod and spoil the child." But such taken-forgranted sanctions of corporal punishment can easily lead to tragic consequences. Violence in the home today rivals that found on a battlefield or the scene of a riot." (Carol Ritter, 'Hitting Close to Home,' Plain Truth, August, 1978, p. 10, PDF p. 12.)

"though corporal punishment may be necessary under certain circumstances, there are often more effective ways of settling parent-child disputes and training children to behave. If these
alternative methods were habitually exhausted before corporal punishment was turned to as a last resort, there would probably be very little need for "the board." Authority in, the home should mean loving teaching and guidance, tempered with wisdom, kindness, and a willingness to sacrifice one's comfort and convenience for the sake of those young individuals one took the responsibility of bringing into the world, rather than authoritarian giving of orders followed by stern punishment for the slightest infraction." (Emphasis mine, p. 11, PDF p. 13.)

"In Germany, for example, "a national poll conducted by the Bielefelder Emnid Institute in Bonn showed that 72 percent of Germans interviewed felt obedience and respect for order to be the most important principles for child rearing. This emphasis on strict obedience to authority is considered by some to be the reason for Germany's having the highest rate of child abuse in Europe" (George M. Anderson, "Child Abuse," America, May 28, 1977, p. 481).

"Knowledgeable child rearing experts suggest that many if not most family conflicts can be solved through effective communication rather than authoritarian intervention." (p. 11, PDF p. 13.)

Are PCG parents fulfilling these ideals? Are the PCG ministers teaching these ideas? Are they?

1 comment:

  1. That article was written in the liberal 70s, thus it is rejected out of hand. Never mind that it contains reasonable arguments.

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