Posted on 12/30/2011 5:01:11 PM PST by TheDon
A Christian parenting book has come under fire after the deaths of three children from abuse. The families are reported to have been following the guidance of the book "To Train Up a Child" by Michael and Debi Pearl.
The "Today" show reports:
Hana Williams, 13, died of hypothermia after allegedly being starved, abused and locked outside by her parents. Lydia Schatz, age 7, died after being repeatedly beaten by her parents. And 4-year-old Sean Paddock suffocated after his mother wrapped him in a blanket too tightly in an effort to keep him from getting out of bed.
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(Excerpt) Read more at latimesblogs.latimes.com ...
Like I said, this was Michael Pearl NOT Debi Pearl and it’s on their website, or was, under reader emails.
Good point!
Those without the book have far worse records than those that do.
We could apply the same to those that have, and do not have the Bible.
Even our creator, God, whom is our Heavenly Father chastens those He loves.
“For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourageth every son whom He receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth you as sons; for what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then ye are bastards, and not sons.”(Hebrews 12:6-8)
“Futhermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverance: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure: but He for our profit. that we might be partakers of His holiness.” (Hebrews 12:9-10)
No way does this excuse those that abuse and offend and hurt children. The Lord made it clear that even to offend those little ones that believe in Him. “It would be better that they put a millstone about their neck and jump into the sea.” (Matthew 18:6)
Another is: “By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.” (Proverbs 16:6)
But I bet you learned a lot of cool Gregorian chants. :p
There’s a notation in the book that Michael did a lot of heavy editing, and, if the Pearls practice what they preach, then Debi is more or less a puppet of her husband and the book is primarily his POV.
I completely agree! The Ezzo books were very popular when my daughter was born 12 years ago, but when I read this line in Dr. Sears’ book, I knew his was the method I wanted to adopt.
“It’s easy for other people to tell you to let your child ‘cry it out’.”
Debi doesn’t look or sound like a down trodden woman. I believe any writers work should be judged by scripture rather than whatever viewpoint is drifting through popular culture. I don’t endorse the Pearls but I think that anyone with a little intelligence and common sense could find something useful from them. People lacking in those areas should stay away from that stuff. Concerning Debi’s book in particular, each woman’s life experiences will affect the way the book comes acrossed. Some women love the book and others hate it.
I have not read this book, but as a school nurse, I have sat in with parents, especially parents advised by clergy to follow the advice of Christian books. However, when the parents are not true believers, or dingy to begin with, these attempts usually do not bring favorable results. They cling to certain things in these books religiously and rigidly. It’s too bad, too, because for the average Christian parent, there is probably some very good advice to be gotten, but not for those who mistreat their kids to begin with, or are not attempting to follow after Christ. I’ve had to report abuse.
I have read this book. I don’t agree with some of its attitude.
It does NOT, however, recommend you do ANY of the abuse listed in the article. It is unfair to say that it does.
“She advises that a man who molests his children be turned in but that the kids come to prison to visit him, the wife remain faithful to him throughout the prison sentence, and then when he’s released, it will be a time of joy and reconciliation. “
This is where they lost me, too.
However the charges about the child abuse are unfair.
“The bottom line with Debi Pearl’s book is that all problems are the wife’s fault. That message is loud and clear throughout the book.”
To be fair there is a new book out, “Created to Need a Help Meet,” and the excerpts I have read are tough on the men, too.
I may be sounding like a Pearl apologist, I am not, although I have sympathy with some of their conclusions. I do believe they are vilified way beyond reason.
Heard about this on the radio recently. Talk about a smear job! The attack on christianity continues....
This is NOT an assault on Christianity, this is something a “Christian” author did.
I didn’t agree with everything the book said, but I can’t find fault with it where it agreed with the Bible.
Or some how they can twist the scripture around and keep saying this is what it means, and keep saying it until they kind of believe it.
ravenwolf
do a little internet research on this and the quiverfull movement. You will see these “authors” have made a real mess of things. No, it was NOT humor, genius, these devils have caused people to kill their own children
Unfortunately the logic of your analysis is lost on most folks. They prefer the illogic of the post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy.
Do you know what a catalyst is?
Do you know what a catalyst is?
The parents are the ones who are wacko here. I don’t care what some book says to do, like someone else here they should have “had better sense” or was it “common sense”? Or have about the brains God gave a monkey? Honestly I can’t believe after reading this article that anyone was this stupid.
So...if you consider yourself a christian - this is the book you were supposed to read first?
I never got the memo!
Anyone here know anyone with this book on their shelf?
I guessed as much.
“Having never read the book”, your assertion seems a bit... tenuous.
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