Pastor charged with felony for spanking son

Wisconsin pastor has been charged with felony physical abuse of a child after he spanked his 12-year-old son for lying and a teacher notified social services.

[CP Prosecutions]

This is an outrageous and absurdly frivolous prosecution. Wisconsin has a reasonable force law allow parents to physically punish their kids, but Wisconsin DA's have a long history of pretending it doesn't exist. Concerned parents and others should join the CP Prosecutions list at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cp_prosecutions

[Kelly]

It's been over a year and the trial is postponed again...... Is there not a Wisconsin ethics board that can be contacted about this?

[what is wrong with people]

OMG!!!! What the heck is wrong with people these days??? It should be mandatory that if your kid acts like a brat you should give him a spanking. Not a beating, but spank their little butts. Nowadays everyone just wants to put these children on drugs instead of a good old fashion spanking. oh stupid people make me so mad!!!!!!!!!!

[Jessica]

I'm with you Illinois! You said it wonderfully! Spank em!!!

[PDeverit]

Child buttock-battering vs. DISCIPLINE:

Child buttock-battering for the purpose of gaining compliance is nothing more than an inherited bad habit.

Its a good idea for people to take a look at what they are doing and learn how to DISCIPLINE instead of hit.

I think the reason why television shows like "Supernanny" and "Dr. Phil" are so popular is because that is precisely what many (not all) people are trying to do.

There are several reasons why child buttock-battering isn't a good idea. Here are some good, quick reads recommended by professionals:

Plain Talk About Spanking
by Jordan Riak,

The Sexual Dangers of Spanking Children
by Tom Johnson,

NO VITAL ORGANS THERE, So They Say
by Lesli Taylor M.D. and Adah Maurer Ph.D.

Most compelling of all reasons to abandon this worst of all bad habits is the fact that buttock-battering can be unintentional sexual abuse for some children. There is an abundance of educational materials, testimony, documentation, etc available on the subject that can easily be found by doing a little research on the topic.

Just a handful of those helping to raise awareness of why child buttock-battering isn't a good idea:

American Academy of Pediatrics

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Center For Effective Discipline

PsycHealth Ltd Behavioral Health Professionals

Churches' Network For Non-Violence

Nobel Peace Prize recipient Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Parenting In Jesus' Footsteps

Global Initiative To End All Corporal Punishment of Children

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

Countries where child buttock-battering is prohibited by law:
Sweden, Finland, Norway, Austria, Cyprus Italy, Denmark, Latvia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Germany, Israel, Iceland, Ukraine, Romania, Hungary, Greece, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Uruguay, Venezuela, Chile, Spain, Costa Rica, Republic of Moldova, and more in process.
In fact, the US was the only UN member that did not ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

[Jessica]

Spanking has slowly become a dirty word in our nation. Why? And If spanking was so bad, then how come nowdays kids are disrespectful to authority, our jails are running over, kids are killing kids in schools and 50 years ago - even 25 years ago kids were not as bad as they are now. To all you anti-spankers - why is this? I can tell you why - it's because there are no consequences like spanking. The fear of the belt kept me out of trouble and taught me to RESPECT authority whether I like it or not.

[PDeverit]

FYI- The US has the HIGHEST incarceration rate, and was the only UN member that did not ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The states with highest incarceration rates also have the highest child corporal punishment rates. Child buttock-battering produces crime, it doesn't curb it.

[Jessica]

Exactly! The US has the HIGHEST incarceration rate because SPANKING has become a dirty word! Our children are not afraid of consequences anymore. You must have a problem with authority -The Bible says it very plain and simple the guidelines we should be using to discipline. It sounds to me like you have a GOD problem. You don't want anyone telling you how to do it. You want to buck authority and whine while you do it. We all will one day bow to the MAKER and submit to HIS authority one day. How can our children submit to the Lord when they can't submit to the parents? They learn from us. If children don't submit to the parent, teacher, police, court, judge and prison warden - they will God one day and ot's the PARENT's job to teach them that!

[Michelle]

12 RULES FOR RAISING A JUVENILE DELINQUENT

1. Begin with infancy to give the child Everything he wants. In this way he will grow up to believe the world owes him a living.

2. Quarrel frequently in the presence of your children. In this way they won't be so shocked when the home is broken up later.

3. When he picks up bad words, laugh at him. This will make him think he's cute.

4. Give the child all the spending money he wants. Never let him earn his own.

5. Never give him any spiritual training. Wait until he is twenty-one and then let "him decide for himself".

6. Satisfy his every craving for food, drink, and comfort. See that his every sensual desire is gratified.

7. Avoid the use of "wrong". He may develop a guilt complex. This will condition him to believe later, when he is arrested, that society is against him and he is being persecuted.

8. Let him read any printed material, and listen to any music he can get his hands on. Be careful that the silverware and drinking glasses are sterilized, but let his mind feast on garbage.

9. Pick up everything he leaves lying around. Do everything for him so that he will be
experienced in throwing all responsibility on others.

10. When he gets into real trouble, apologize to yourself by saying, "I could never do anything with him.

11. Take his part against neighbors,teachers, and policemen. They are all prejudiced against your child.

12. Prepare for a life of grief. You will likely have it.

Taken from a pamphlet entitled Twelve Rules for Raising Delinquent Children distributed by the Houston Police Department.

*And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Ephesians 6:4
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6
The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

Proverbs 29:15
Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

[Dee]

When is this man going to trial. Something isn't right for it to be taking so long. It's been over 16 months now. What's up with that?

[nutnmucho]

i think spanking is good for the kids to make them see where they went wrong...since parents arent allowed to spank we have had alot more violence in school and on buses...i was spanked as a child by mom and dad i love them the bible says spare th rod hate the child dont believe it look it up..thank God i was taught to respect my parents

[Jenn]

I agree with you nutmucho! If closed minded people will think back to about 40 years ago when we didn't have alot of this disrespecting parents and such and think about what is differant. Spanking, going to church, eating together - just to nake a few.

[nutnmucho]

tht ryt....we need to live by the bible and understand ppl spanking with is not abuse..ur not beatn them down...i love my parents for makeing me mind and they mad me go to church and i know one thang if they hadnt i wud end up in the grave .look around you and thnk abt the old days compare to now see the difference...i loved to work in the garden as a child it taught me well...i loved going campn with my family no ppl dont do nutn with they kids...its sad isnt it?