I would just like to say...hogwash.
Let's look at one of these ridiculous trends.
Promoting Disobedience:
Oh boy. Why is it okay to to be disobedient? Let's go to...SCRIPTURE!
Hebrews 12:5-13
"And you have forgotten to appeal with speaks to you as to sons, "My son, do not despise the discipline of Yahuah, nor faint when you are reproved by Him,for whom Yahuah loves, He disciplines, and flogs every son whom He recieves".If you endure discipline, Elohim is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom a father does not discipline?
But if you are without discipline, of which all have become sharers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.Moreover, we indeed had fathers of our flesh disciplining us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?For they indeed disciplined us for a few days as seemed best to them, but He does it for our profit, so that we might share His apartness.And indeed, no discipline seems pleasant at the time, but grievous, but afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.So strengthen the hands which hang down and the weak knees and make paths for your feet, lest the lame be turned aside, but instead, to be healed."
What do you do with those verses about discipline, especially equating physical discipline with how Yahuah disciplines us?
1 Peter 1:13-16
"Therefore, having girded up the loins of your mind, being sober, set your expectations perfectly upon the favour that is to be brought to you at the revalation of Yahushua Messiah,as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts in your ignorance,instead, as the One who called you is set-apart, so you also should become set-apart in all behaviour,because it has been written, "Be set apart for I am set-apart."
We, as parents, are called to model Yahuah's love for us. How can our children be obedient to our Heavenly Father if they can not be obedient to us?
As far as they tirade on "no-physical discipline" goes, I can understand why people wouldn't want to chastise their children when a mother hauls off and hits her child, but when the child knows the standard and you have established it and then breaks the standard, they must be chastised. But after a session in discipline, MOST PARENTS leave out the most important part -- LOVING COMMITMENT!
Yahuah, after chastising us and we REPENT, always lets us know that He still loves us and is still here for us! We must do the same thing!
Please, don't send your children to their rooms, or take away things after you chastise them. What they need is reassurance. The price has been paid. Everything is okay. You love them!
Even as we fear and love Yahuah Elohim, our children should fear and love us:
Leviticus 19:3 "You shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am Yahuah your Elohim. " (Will your young fear and love you?)
Colossians 3:20 "Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto Yahuah." (Will you insist on obedience, but take care that you not lead your children astray?)
Proverbs 15:5 "A fool despises his father's instruction: but he that regards reproof is prudent." (Will you reprove your children?)
Discipline is a blessing. Training your children is a blessing.
Proverbs 29:17 "Discipline your son and he brings you rest and delight to your life."
And finally:
"Proverbs 12:1: WHOEVER LOVES DISCIPLINE LOVES KNOWLEDGE, BUT HE WHO HATES REPROOF IS STUPID."
Train Up Your Child!
When my children are adults, I know that they will fear and love Yahuah because they feared and loved me. I know that they will obey Yahuah because they could first obey me.
Don't fall prey to new-aged parenting. Do you think that all this hullabaloo about no discipline and obedience, rules and routine worked in Scriptural times? Try to picture a Torah-Observant Yis'real woman trying to be a permissive parent when there was bread to bake, no fenced in yard, camels to water, tents to pull up, etc.
Oh, parents these days. -sigh-
One last rambling thought -- as a follower of Torah, I would rather take advice from another member of the Covenant than a breaker of the Law.
When looking at articles with statistics about "spanking" and whatnot, ask yourself: are the people in these statistics Believers or just your regular joes walking through WalMart?
Anyone can create a statistic.
These are just my thoughts by the way. Everyone is entitled to their own...I don't want to "change anyone's mind, only encourage those who are Believers to say 'you are not alone'."
Shalom.
