Christian Fundamentalists Promote Child Abuse Manuals

Following the murder of 4-year-old Sean Paddock, the truth about Child Abuse, Christian Fundamentalists and homeschooling is coming to light.

Books and dvd's promoting severe physical violence against children are being pumped out by the religious right.

A swift swat with a light, flexible instrument will sting without bruising or causing internal damage. Many people are using a section of ¼ inch plumber’s supply line as a spanking instrument. It will fit in your purse or hang around you neck. You can buy them for under $1.00 at Home Depot or any hardware store.

“To Train Up a Child,” was written in 1994 by Tennessee man Michael Pearl with his wife, Debi, who claim to have raised five “whineless” children.

“To Train Up a Child”, has sold over 550,000 copies and has been translated into over 20 foreign languages. It is currently being sold in Australia, along with a demonstration video.

While the Pearls are well known in Fundamentalist Homeschooling Christian circles, they were largely unknown to the secular world until March 2006, when their discipline methods were tied to the death of a North Carolina boy and the abuse of two of his siblings. As reported by Mandy Locke of the Raleigh News & Observer, the children’s adoptive mother, Lynn Paddock, 45, a devotee of the Pearls’ teachings, is currently behind bars. She is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 4-year-old Sean, who suffocated when wrapped tightly in blankets, reportedly to keep him from hopping out of bed. She is also charged with felony child abuse in connection with welts found on two of Sean’s other five siblings. Nowhere in the Pearls’ book do they advocate restraining with blankets; however, Sean’s siblings had apparently been struck with a particular type of “rod” recommended by the Pearls: a length of quarter-inch plumbing supply line.

“Select your instrument according to the child’s size,” writes Pearl. “For the under one year old, a little, ten to twelve-inch long, willowy branch (stripped of any knots that might break the skin) about one-eighth inch diameter is sufficient. Sometimes alternatives have to be sought. A one-foot ruler, or its equivalent in a paddle, is a sufficient alternative. For the larger child, a belt or larger tree branch is effective.” Additional advice from their Web site: Switching with a length of quarter-inch plumbing supply line is a “real attention-getter.”

Further instructions tell you how to beat a naked boy with plastic piping. It is suggested you bend him over a table or chair. If he screams, he is given 10 more lashes. You keep beating him until he is silent. If he continues to wince, subdue him by force by sitting on him and continue to hit him. It is written with what appears to be sexual undertones.

In particular an Australian Fundamentalist Mr John Angelico is selling this filth from his website.

The trial of Lynn Paddock starts on Monday 19th 2008.

For more information please see http://childabuseaustralia.wordpress.com/

These books and dvd's are also being sold by Amazon who are well aware of their content.