February 2003
Hello Jordan,
I'm writing to thank you all for your efforts to make a difference in the lives of precious children. I have learned so much, and cried even more, as I have read the stories of suffering. My heart breaks especially being a Christian, knowing that many, many people who call themselves Christians, are the inflicters of this suffering, believing a false interpretation of scripture that supposedly condones, or even commands, that parents inflict physical ( and psychological ) pain upon their children, to teach them about God!!!! It amazes me how the Christian community in general is so, so blind in this area. My husband and I are very much in the minority among our brothers and sisters in the faith. I can't understand how the scriptures about the kingdom of heaven being like a little child, and that it is better for a person to have a millstone tied around their neck,and be tossed into the sea, than for anyone who offends or harms "one of these little ones''. It is so clear the special place God has in His heart for children. All those quotes from Solomon, of all people to take parenting advice from! Last I heard, Jesus is the one we are to emmulate as Christians, not a man like Solomon who had an insatiable lust for women and treated his children like animals! I can't in my wildest imaginings picture Jesus EVER striking a child for any reason, or any person for that matter. He didn't teach His disciples about the personality of God by beating the devil out of them first! I don't know if you are a Christian, but I have appreciated your insight regarding scripture and the poor use of it to justify harming children. So thank you.
I would love for you to talk to a certain radio talk show host here in Pittsburgh PA. He hosts a show on our local Christian station, and has been raising questions about abuse and discipline of children fairly often. He is in the pro-spanking camp however. I called him one day myself and got on the air with him, but he really didn't get my point that a teacher who tapes a kindergarten students mouth shut ( this was the topic ), should lose her job since this will be a pattern with her throughout her career! It's not so bad, when he was in kindergarten, his great wonderful loving teacher, who he still keeps in touch with since she was the best kindergarten teacher ever, put him in a cardboard dog house she made especially for bad little dogs, I mean, boys, like him! He just keeps spewing the "spare the rod spoil the child" party line so often, and callers of course agree with him, it is making me ill. Every time I hear this crap on Christian radio I want to scream, how do these people who claim to have a relationship with God have no idea what His true nature is? I would like this man to hear from an expert about all the studies that clearly show a relationship between corporal punishment and violence in society.... Thanks Again for all you do for "the little ones",
Sincerely,
Darlene Walsh