Yet another example of a religious person's contempt for the law of the land.... What arrogance. These Christians seem to think they can do anything just because their Bible tells them it's okay.

By tommyrot | September 10, 2009 9:02 AM

As usual common sense has gone. Of course a light slap on ocassions is not going to harm a child. It's only when a parent loses their temper and takes it out on a child that it can get out of hand.

By Fiona Macdonald | September 10, 2009 10:45 AM

Ones slap across the face is a "light slap".....and another ones "light slap" is a hard slap....that is why you can never have any kind of slap on a child. Fiona must be a family therapist...so she can define our slaps... ja sure!

By alanposting | September 10, 2009 12:20 PM

Let me guess Fiona, you were lightly slapped when you were a kid, right?

It's interesting how majority of people who support slapping kids were slapped themselves when they were kids; and vice versa.

It's really not strange, as you were slapped, you were also taught that it's okay to slap if you can't solve a dispute with words and diplomacy.

I'm very glad I never were slapped when I was a kid. If I ever get kids, I will never lay a hand on them. I will never give in to the easy way out to "solve" a disagreement.

By xen | September 10, 2009 12:41 PM

It is a next step to turn our society into all-allowing, self-loving and self-caring. If there is no children correction, then our kids will know not more than "Me,My,for Me". Sooner or later we can regret about that but it can be too late.

By vitfed | September 10, 2009 1:13 PM

This preacher was more than likely during his childhood abused by his parents, henceforth his ideology.

The light slap soon progresses to a punch in the stomach as the child becomes older and larger. For all the beatings I got as a child, I can't remember why or what I did wrong. I only remember the abuse. A father returning home from work via the bar drunk and aggressive to my neurotic mother. There are other ways to instigate necessary discipline on a child, beating is not the answer.

Considering the fairytale book, the old testament, full of disgusting immoral accounts, should never be used for bringing up a child. It contains ethnic cleansing, torture, slavery, human sacrifice, stoning, and is extremely sadistic. We do not get our morals from the bible, only prolific ignorance.....amen!)

By stevie | September 10, 2009 1:26 PM

I think everybody has had different "upbringing" experiences, and I am sorry for those that suffered during this time. Each person's upbringing shapes how they will raise their own children. 90% of parents do their best, with what knowledge they have, to raise their children well. If you use smacking, then that is your tactic. If you use discussion and diplomacy, good for you (I wish it worked in the adult world). That is also your tactic. But how I raise my children, is my business. And how you raise your children is your business. We can easily give each other advice on how to be better parents, but enforcing a universal law for very dynamic situations is not realistic. Follow your heart, and use logic. Agreed that the Old Testament is terribly dim. Good luck to all of you.

By Jasinta | September 10, 2009 2:41 PM

I agree with the priest.
Its not how hard you slap a child.
Even just threatening to slap a child will work.
My sister would never smack her children.
But they were running riot.
It is only with a smack they understand.
and I know many parents who don't smack there kids and they have no control whatsoever.
my sisters children now behave well.
This idea of not smacking children does not work.
I have no hang ups to the way I was raised.
There are parents that abuse their children but that is another issue.
And yes being beaten as a child from a drunk father is something that should be addressed but that is different to discipline.
I have hardly ever smacked my children and my daughter once she played up I held my hand and said smack and she stopped.
My sisters son ran down the street he could have ran on the road and my sister smacked him.
He remembered and that is something that could save his life someday.
You don't smack your child in situations like that and speak to them firmly they don't remember that and the next thing they run on the road.
Not smacking your children does not work believe me I know so many people that have children grown up like that. The children show no respect.
You don't even have to smack your children but if they think they will get a smack they will not do things that they are not supposed to do.
My nephew went running and charged and knocked my young daughter over I caught her preventing serious injury as her head would have hit the steel table leg. His father smacked him so he understood what he did was wrong. And these are the instances that a smack is what they remember for not hurting other children. Of coarse in time they will do these things again till the time they understand what they can and cannot do.

By Ronaldmartens | September 10, 2009 3:18 PM

What message to we send by hitting? I'm bigger and stronger than you and can hurt you if you don't do what I say?
Where does reason and teaching children a lesson exactly fit in there? Sounds like those who condone hitting have issues with communicating effectly.

Never hit my son. He's 23 now and a well-behaved, respectful, perfect gentleman.

By CW | September 10, 2009 3:20 PM

What message to we send by hitting? I'm bigger and stronger than you and can hurt you if you don't do what I say?
Where does reason and teaching children a lesson exactly fit in there? Sounds like those who condone hitting have issues with communicating to children effectively.

I never hit my son. He's 23 now and a well-behaved, respectful, perfect gentleman.

By CW | September 10, 2009 3:21 PM

Just to add fuel to the fire. I reckon it's fine to slap kids. Seriously. I was slapped sometimes, sometimes not. Even got smacked by a stranger for fooling around in the supermarket. Ironically I went to complain to my Mum and she said

"Well what did you do?"

Kids these days are too spoilt, too mollycoddled and treated too much like precious individual little gods. Sure, sounds fine in theory (ie: Parents living the childhood they wanted through their children) but they lack discipline and the ability to go without and not get their way in adult society.

I mean, look at the workplace, or better yet, just look at the local shop and stare at amazement how people can be flat out rude, blocking aisles, pushing ahead, being lazy at work, complaining about how they don't get enough salary yet do nothing to deserve it (don't get me started on them) and so on and so forth....

I say, let them taste some fear and have some respect.

By Kris | September 10, 2009 4:19 PM

A light slap or smack never hurt a kid...it's when it goes to far that everyone jumps on the 'dont smack band wagon'!! Fact - different methods of parenting create different results and I dont think anyone can judge one against the other. Stick to what is logic and fair and a kid will turn out fine...if not....then at either end of the specturum the kid may get screwed up....but a smack as part of growing is not going to create a CRAZY!!!! Whats next on the 'lets condition everyone' train.....no kid shall wear pink pants as it will turn them gay, no green pants as they become a greenie, we shoudl not let kids curl there hair, they can not dress up and have fun!!!

By Der!! | September 10, 2009 4:20 PM

Yet another example of a religious person's contempt for the law of the land.... What arrogance. These Christians seem to think they can do anything just because their Bible tells them it's okay.

By adhd | September 10, 2009 4:33 PM

@vitfed:

On the contrary, there's a plenty of evidence pointing to children being physical abused by a parent turning into violent adults.

There are plenty of ways to modify children's behaviour other than corporal punishment. I guess the real problem is, most parents aren't very good at their job.

By tommyrot | September 10, 2009 6:23 PM

You people seriously have to be joking. I was smacked as a kid and turned out just fine. This is why discipline and respect is gone because the government now tells us we cannot teach our kids the different between right and wrong. So the muslims can walk around holland not allowing us to shake hands with their wives. Never seen them arrested but as Christians we cannot smack our kids. Those who smack their kids on the bottom are not all abusers. Just like not all gays are paedophiles. You people are ridiculous.

By Juan | September 10, 2009 7:20 PM

I have four children now grown. Two needed to be spanked and two did not. Two were compliant and two were more rebellious. Two could be reasoned with and two could not. Deliberate and repeated defiance and dangerous actions resulted in an open handed spank on the bottom only and never in anger. Why the spanking occurred was immediately explained and hugs and kisses followed. Every child is different and needs different correction. By the way they all turned out great and have thanked me for the way I raised them.

By D vandenBerg-Williams | September 10, 2009 7:23 PM

I definatly do not condone child abuse or using a smack/slap etc to solve a problem, also to smack a child just because you loose control and you lash out is unacceptable, however i do think in some cases where for instance a child is too young to be reasoned with and they are persistantly doing something that is dangerous i.e. reaching for elecrical sockets, hot drinks, etc.. to give a child a tap on the back of their hand will more shock than hurt them and acutally will help to reinforce that the object is dangourous.
Can i just say though that unless you actually have children you can not say what you would do, as you have never been pushed to your limits, but i dont agree that someone in a position of trust and power, should be able to use a pubilic place to say its ok to smack just cos the bible says so. this kind of preaching leads to misinterpritation and child abuses trying to justify their actions.

By al | September 10, 2009 8:17 PM

I wish the report had specified what the preacher meant by "two soft cushions". That sounds like he meant the butt to me. I was spanked on the rear as a child. I myself have spanked my kids on the rear. In certain situations with small children it is the simplest and most effective way to correct bad behavior. It should only be used at a certain age and sparingly.

By Bill Kirsch | September 10, 2009 8:32 PM

I totally agree with Fiona. But the current generation of parents has swallowed the myth that some light form of corporal punishment is child abuse.
So they resort to this: "Tommy, No! Tommyyyy, No! I am not going to warn you again, Tommy! I am counting to three! One....Two.....Two and a half....Two and three-quarters..... Three! Tommyyyyyy, No! Tommy, I said No three times already!"
In the meantime, Tommy does his own thing and ignores his parents.

To Tommyrot: Try this: Yet another example of a government's contempt for the law of God..... What arrogance. If you for once stopped spouting off your ignorance and started reading (and believing) the Bible, you might come to an entire different conclusion. But I don't think you are really up to the challenge.

To Xen: Quote: It's really not strange, as you were slapped, you were also taught that it's okay to slap if you can't solve a dispute with words and diplomacy.
Maybe! But that is where our society has a double standard. We send soldiers to Afghanistan to kill Taliban when we (or they) can't solve a dispute with words and diplomacy. Or try getting a little rowdy, so the police gets called. Refuse to lay down your weapon or to lie face down on the pavement. Try to solve the dispute with words and diplomacy :). I bet the police would tackle you so fast and slap the cuffs on, you wouldn't know what hit you.

To Stevie: Actually the headline of this story is quite sensational and giving a totally incorrect picture. My dictionary defines a "smack" as "a slapping blow". I hope that is not what the preacher is promoting. If he is, he should be facing legal action and his religious views should be questioned. The Bible never condones such actions. The fact that the OT is "full of disgusting immoral accounts" shows exactly what unregenerated people are capable of when their hearts are full of hate for God and each other. The Bible is a book that teaches us how our hearts can be changed. People whose hearts have been changed belong to what Jesus called the Kingdom of God. You should try it sometime, if you're really serious.

By KenM | September 11, 2009 3:22 AM

Religion breeds hate and violence. That is a fact.

By Darren | September 11, 2009 8:15 AM

@KenM:

****
.... But the current generation of parents has swallowed the myth that some light form of corporal punishment is child abuse.
So they resort to this: "Tommy, No! Tommyyyy, No! I am not going to warn you again, Tommy! I am counting to three! ...
****

But that's just ineptitude on the part of the parents -- which, incidentally, can be fixed through coaching. Is it too much to ask that parents at least *try* to upgrade their communication skills first before resorting to violence? Seems like it's just too much effort for some....

****
To Tommyrot: Try this: Yet another example of a government's contempt for the law of God..... What arrogance. If you for once stopped spouting off your ignorance and started reading (and believing) the Bible ...
****

I think you've rather proved my point.

By tommyrot | September 11, 2009 8:56 AM

@KenM:

You ask me to take the Bible seriously, but when one of its public advocates (Mr Goldschmeding) maintains, for example, that God created his children's buttocks so that he as their father would have something to strike, you can hopefully appreciate that to a non-believer, it's hardly a glowing endorsement for the book and for Christianity generally.

By tommyrot | September 11, 2009 9:14 AM

It seems some of my posts were lost.
To tommyrot: RE: Parental ineptitude. I agree! But most of us try to do the best with what we have available to us at that particular moment. Kids happen to come mostly when we're still youthful ourselves. So, we cope and often fail.

Re: taking the Bible seriously. Let the Bible speak for itself. Don't judge it by what Mr. Goldschmeding thinks it says. Make up your own mind after you've read it.

By KenM | September 15, 2009 3:40 AM