Welcome message

Dear friends,

Welcome to my blog. I am honored to have you visit. I hope you'll find my articles a blessing. I welcome your input and especially comments and questions.

I write as a Christian from Jerusalem, Israel about Biblical subjects.

I am particularly interested in the subjects of children, families, women's issues, corporal punishment, science and nature as these subjects relate to the Holy Scriptures.

For more information, see my website: www.biblechild.com

With every good wish - Samuel Martin

Friday, May 25, 2012

Before you say “I Do”

Announcement: As of May 4, 2012, Samuel Martin's book "Thy Rod and Thy Staff, They Comfort Me: Christians and the Spanking Controversy" is now available for free - For details, please see -  http://samuelmartin.blogspot.com/2012/05/pen-is-mightier-than-punch.html

Before you say “I Do”
I have been pretty active in the last five years or so concerning the issue of corporal punishment and the Bible and I am pleased to say that I am thankful for some of the results that have been and continue to be achieved through this activity.  I plan to continue right on in advocating for more accurate, studied theological positions on this issue. So much more work needs to be done. 

However, there are many other social issues which need attention because people are hurting and I really feel the pain that so many have. One area that has become particularly important to me of late is the issue of marriage, divorce and remarriage. This issue by the way is directly linked to the issue of corporal punishment of children in many Christian contexts and I will have more to say on that soon.

I have an online friend who has suffered greatly in a marriage where her husband did not treat her nicely for the last 25 years. For the last five years, she found herself suffering from really terrible mental abuse. Thankfully, she was not physically abused, but to be in a marriage to someone who does not act nicely, behave like a caring person or show even the common decency that one would expect from someone who is supposed to be in love with another person (which I think is fairly obvious that people who are married should actually love each other and that love should be growing stronger with time, not becoming weaker), this is certainly not a pleasant experience and for her is was a time of great personal suffering.

So, my online friend reached out to me with a couple of questions. To make a long story short, I would say over a time period of about one month, I was able to provide my online friend with some solid information from the Scriptures that (along with many other inputs) helped her a lot.

To any Christian who is facing hard situations in life, accurate information from the Word of God is often what is needed the most. We need accurate information about what the Bible is teaching and about what it means for us today.

Let me say though that I, of course, do not have a monopoly on the truth about this or any other issue, but I do have God’s book in front of me to study and as I have learned with my study of the issue of corporal punishment and what many Bible teachers are telling us and have told us in the past, many of the understandings that these dear people have may need a little modification.

I do not have all the answers and I am not alone. In fact, let’s refer to a book which I think shows very clearly the problem that many Bible believing God fearing Christians are facing over this issue of marriage and secondarily divorce and finally and very importantly, remarriage.

The book is titled: “Divorce and Remarriage:  Four Christian Views.” So just think about that title for a moment and what it means practically. Before we do that we need to know in summary what these four views are because let us not be confused with the fact that there is no unanimity in belief on what the Bible teaches on this issue and this is the case among major Scripture scholars teaching in seminaries or at the university level around the world. 

So what are the four views? They are that the Christian Scriptures teach that:

1.       There is no divorce and no remarriage
2.       Divorce is allowed, but after one has divorced, remarriage is not allowed
3.       Divorce and Remarriage are both allowed if one has been the victim of adultery or desertion
4.       Divorce and Remarriage allowed under a variety of different circumstances

Now concerning this book, which came out in 1990, which I absolutely urge any interested party to read, what we find therein are four essays by four Christian professors all teaching at the university or seminary level and each one is advocating for the truth of his (yes – they are all men in this book along with the editor) respective position. Then in each chapter each of the respective authors rebuts the position of the other professors. 

Let me tell you a fact. This book when I first read it got me so angry and annoyed that Christians could not find unanimity on such an important issue. Sadly, in the last 22 years, nothing has changed particularly in evangelical Christianity.

In 2006, this issue has been brought up again in another book called “Remarriage after Divorce in Today's Church: 3 Views.” Look at what Amazon tells us about this book.

 “A biblical and practical case for three main evangelical views on remarriage after divorce Among born-again Christians, 27 percent have experienced divorce as compared to 24 percent in the general population. Yet no consensus exists among evangelicals on their views of remarriage, leaving many Christians confused. This single volume summarizes and explores three main evangelical views:

1.      No remarriage
2.      Remarriage after adultery or desertion
3.      Remarriage for a variety of reasons.
Each of the three contributors offers his point of view succinctly with biblical support, and each interacts with the others to help readers come to their own conclusions. Contributors include: Gordon J. Wenham * No remarriage after divorce William A. Heth * Remarriage (two grounds) Craig S. Keener * Remarriage (variety of reasons)” - http://www.amazon.com/Remarriage-after-Divorce-Todays-Church/dp/0310255538/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1337957646&sr=8-2
Yes, many Christians are confused over this issue and it’s no wonder because even the scholars can’t agree on what the Bible teaches. All along this confusion over such an important issue of marriage and who you spend your life with is bearing fruit. If you do not have it right, imagine what kind of fruit your marriage is bearing?

Let us not be confused. All of the contributors to both of these books are evangelical Christian scholars who are teaching in a seminary or university environment. It is their teachings that defend or shape their own denominational perspectives and it is they who are holding up the status quo that they were taught and believe. It is also they who are training a future generation of pastors, Bible teachers and professors.

But there is one important point about this book and the previous book. All of the various positions taken cannot be right. In fact, in the first book, three out of four of them are totally wrong. This is not me judging them. It is a simple fact of arithmetic. 

God has one view on the issue of marriage, divorce and remarriage. That is clear. So, it is clear that it is impossible for all of these dear brethren to be correct.

But what about those who are adhering to the teachings of those who are wrong? What fruit are they bearing? The experience of my online friend gives us a glimpse into such a situation. For those going through it, especially the person being victimized, it is literally a hell on earth with, for some, no escape or way out. 

Let’s not diminish the importance of this issue to the lives of people. To my online friend, I can see that she has basically been mentally tortured with being in an awful marriage to a “man” who basically was a total jerk to her and her kids. I put “man” in quotes because anyone who would treat his wife and children in the way that my online friend described to me concerning her relationship, this person, while indeed human, was anything but a real dignified honorable “man.”

I’ve been very interested as I said in the whole corporal punishment issue and I didn’t think it was the right time to really branch out and discuss other issues which I have not studied so much, but here I have to admit that while I have not personally studied this issue as well as I have the corporal punishment one, I do have specific authoritative Scripturally based resources which I trust 100% available to me which represent the highest level of scholarship on this issue. So I feel absolutely comfortable moving forward and writing about this issue. 

Judging from the reaction of my online friend to these resources, my belief and confidence in these materials has been 100% confirmed.

So, since this is the case, I will be silent no more on this issue and will be taking a specific position concerning it. But before I tell you what that position is, I think it best to give you the evidence for that position.

I would like to thank my dear online friend. I pray that through your reaching out that some other people might be blessed by a perspective which is closer to that which was communicated by Jesus and the Apostles and the one today which Jesus is still teaching us through the agency of His Holy Spirit.

ADDITIONAL NOTE:

Based upon on further researcher, I am delaying this series of posts due to new information I have learned. More coming on this soon.


Tuesday, May 22, 2012

One of the best messages one could ever get


Announcement: As of May 4, 2012, Samuel Martin's book "Thy Rod and Thy Staff, They Comfort Me: Christians and the Spanking Controversy" is now available for free - For details, download it here -  http://whynottrainachild.com/2013/06/22/download-martins-book/

One of the best messages one could ever get

 I've received some really great messages of late and wanted to share a few of them.

Some came from individuals like this one:

1. I'd like the PDF of your book. I really appreciate your work. I've seen firsthand the damage that the teachings of the Pearls and this like them can do.

Others came from individuals working in non-governmental organizations focused on child protection like these: 

 2. I would be delighted to receive your newsletter. I am currently outside the country training facilitators who will be training parents in their provinces the positive discipline programme. Both ‘spare the rod and spoil the child’ and ‘children should be seen and not heard’ both came up. I was thrilled to be able to share your work.

3. We are presently involved in amending our Children’s Act – and motivating very strongly on the issue of corporal punishment. Religious arguments are constantly used to support the retention of Corporal Punishment. We would really value your book and use it in order to continue our work.

4. Please could you forward me a copy of the abovementioned book? As a Christian myself and also being involved in child protection in my work I am sure it would be a useful tool for both myself and my staff – and keep up the good work!

Others mentioned sites working toward child betterment like the following: 
 
5. Are you aware of the online message board Gentle Christian Mothers? http://www.gentlechristianmothers.com/community/archive/index.php It’s an excellent place to direct parents who are attempting to switch from punitive parenting to grace-based parenting.
 
Others came from mental health professionals like this one: 

6. As a counselor and therapist looking to add parenting classes to my offerings, I would love to see what your thoughts are on corporal punishment (very common in the South).

I've gotten many messages like this one over the years and spoken to many parents (mostly mothers) who echo what this message says: that is, they never felt right about spanking their child in their hearts, but were willing to do ahead and do it in the name of obedience to God.

7. I was spanked as a child and always thought that was what God wanted but THANK JESUS for the many revelations I have had recently about parenting! I just feel so genuinely excited about raising my daughter now...thinking God expected / wanted me to hit my kids to teach them right always felt wrong to me but I was prepared to do it because I really believed that to be what God wanted. I'm so grateful my eyes have been opened. And so looking forward to educating myself more on this issue. Thank you for what you do!!! You are a blessing. 

These previous messages really warmed my heart, but when people talk about finding my blog either with very small children or who are just becoming parents for the first time, these messages mean so much to me personally: 

8. I am a new mom to a beautiful baby girl and have recently found your blog! I was hoping to get a copy of your book, Thy rod and thy staff, They Comfort Me.

9. I came upon your book title, "Thy Rod and Thy Staff, They Comfort Me: Christians and the Spanking Controversy," in a blog posted by The Hippie Housewife, where she mentions you are offering your book on corporal punishment and the Bible free of charge. As my husband and I are pregnant with our first child, and discussing discipline philosophy, I was wondering if your offer is still good?

I have to admit that this last one is especially moving for me. This is what this blog is all about. Helping people have accurate information to make informed decisions in benefit of themselves and their families starting even when the children are in the womb but even not yet conceived. 

Thank you to everyone who mentioned my book through their online presence. There are so many wonderful blogs, newsletters and websites and your support and friendship has meant so much the years. Finally, I have to mention The Hippie Housewife's blog - All her posts are awesome. Here is one that touched me of late talking about how motherhood changed her view of God.

http://hippiehousewife.blogspot.com/2012/05/how-motherhood-changed-my-view-of-god.html 

Thanks to everyone who shared these messages. 



Thursday, May 17, 2012

Corporal and Eternal Punishment: Time to disconnect these two ideas once and for all – Part One

Announcement: As of May 4, 2012, Samuel Martin's book "Thy Rod and Thy Staff, They Comfort Me: Christians and the Spanking Controversy" is now available for free - For details, please see -  http://samuelmartin.blogspot.com/2012/05/pen-is-mightier-than-punch.html 

Corporal and Eternal Punishment: Time to disconnect these two ideas once and for all – Part One

Tuesday, May 08, 2012

Christian Theologians who advocated against spanking - Pt. 3

Announcement: As of May 4, 2012, Samuel Martin's book "Thy Rod and Thy Staff, They Comfort Me: Christians and the Spanking Controversy" is now available for free - Download it here - https://www.biblechild.com/assets/thy-rod-and-thy-staff-they-comfort-me-mar-2013.pdf

The book is also available on Amazon in hard copy for anyone interested to get the book in that format.

https://www.amazon.com/Thy-Rod-Staff-They-Comfort/dp/0978533909/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2FF8KXS6UQ1Z1&keywords=thy+rod+and+thy+staff+they+comfort+me&qid=1562349554&s=gateway&sprefix=thy+rod+and+t%2Caps%2C312&sr=8-1



Christian Theologians who advocated against spanking - Pt. 3

 

Probably one of the most important high profile individuals in this century who shunned the practice of corporal punishment is the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unfortunately, we don't have too much information on the reasoning he had from a theological point of view.

Certainly, Dr. King is well known for his work on non-violence and this philosophy seems to have made its ways into all aspects of King's life, including how he treated his own children.

I've contacted several of the top scholars concerning his life and work, but so far I am still looking for that sermon which may in fact not exist. I have a dream to find that sermon!

So, let me tell you though what we do have and thankfully we have two witnesses from the immediate family of Dr. King. One reference is from Yolanda King and I've quoted it at length in my Tiger Mother vs. Bear Mother paper which is referenced below.

http://samuelmartin.blogspot.com/2011/05/normal-0-false-false-false_20.html

In that article, I give the link to Yolanda herself talking about her "buddy daddy."

Another reference about Yolanda King, her father and the fact that there was no spanking in the King home is found at: 

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/17/us/17king.html

As for the testimony of Dexter Scott King, you can note the following link which has the following direct quote from the book "Growing Up A King."

"He didn't spank us...Daddy might sit us down and explain things.  'This is why you shouldn't do that, son.'  He would deal more on a mental level, try to get us to understand why things were."

http://dralvy.blogs.com/parent/2006/01/the_parenting_l.html#more

I hope to find that paper or sermon one day where Dr. King shares why he did not spank his children. If anyone has any information or ideas, please do share.