Spanking of children

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>I personally believe, and most others that I know in our ranks agree
>with me on this, that the New Testament is an addition to the Old
>Testament, not a replacement for it.  It is like when you get a rider
>for an insurance policy: everything that used to apply still applies
>after the rider is issued unless the rider specifically changes it.  

 Are we still under the law?  Do you still offer up a sacrifice for
atonement of sins?  Then why should our children offer up a sacrifice for
atonement of their sins against usl?  We are no longer under the law but
under grace.  Should not our children receive the same?

>Could you please show me the scripture(s) from the nt that you feel
>indicate that spanking should no longer be administered?  If these
>scriptures do not directly address spanking, please elaborate your
>chain of reasoning that led to your conclusion.  Thank you.

The only scriptures I found do not mention corporal punishment directly but
say this:

Colossians 3:21 
Fathers, provoke not your children [to anger], lest they be discouraged.

Ephesians 6:4 
And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in
the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

I may be mis-guided in this thought,  All I can say is that I have been
blessed by wonderful obedient daughters who repond to my voice.

Too many people in the world punish their children out of anger, not love.
Often this corporal punishment is the most attention the child ever gets
>from their parent.

My own father never had the time to come to a school function that I was
involved in.  He never even had the time to play catch with me. But he sure
found time to beat me if I was disobedient.

My wife's parents were the same.  Lovers of themselves, finding their
children to be a nuisance.

Now some of you part time amateur psychologists would say; "Aha!  So that
explains why you are against spanking"!    WRONG!  I used to spank my
children very early on when my two oldest were quite young  (I have had six
daughters over twenty-two years).  I was converted  to this thinking later on.  

Now if I had a very disobient child thet did not respond to me by other
means, I can see where spanking might be needed in extreme circumstances.
But certainly not a frequently as some find excuse to use it.

=======================
Stan Hallett
Camden, Maine
stanh@midcoast.com