Quote:
|
Originally Posted by markpaul
This is an interesting topic. I studied the part on beating a child several years ago. Because my personal experience in China told me this was more likely Chinese cultural stuff, I didn’t take it seriously. But now I realize that a lot of LCers cite WN’s teaching like Bible, it would be helpful to figure out what the problems are with this teaching. Could anybody show some verses in Bible to me to against this teaching? Thanks.
|
I can't say that I have a good answer to your question, but I can provide some of my thoughts on WN's view of discipline.
To quote some of the verses
aron referred to:
Prv 13:24
He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.
Prv 23:13-14
Do not withhold correction from a child, For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. You shall beat him with a rod, And deliver his soul from hell.
When you see these verses, the question arises: what are we to make of these kinds of verses? Obviously, WN's teaching would fall in line with Proverbs and other verses. But are these verses meant to be taken literally? It's probably safe to say that most people would agree that the point of these verses is about the need for discipline rather than the form of punishment utilized. What I would point out is that Biblical forms of discipline match what was socially acceptable at that time. Stoning people was also a form of punishment, both endorsed in the Bible and practiced by all. So obviously we can't take things too literally here.
I think this is exactly part of the problem with Nee's style of exegesis. Nee liked to take things literally, even to the point of reading much more into the text than is actually there. Of course, there is also the cultural aspect of it - that being that there was no negative stigma about beating or whipping a child back in Nee's time. Nowadays, employing this form of disciple can get someone arrested. WN even says you can go so far as to cause bruising and swelling. Would anyone in their right mind take this kind of advice now? Apparently someone thought it well to listen to Nee's advice. I think aron said it well when he put that Nee holds a 'ritualistic' view of discipline. It's certainly not the view the Bible presents.
WN claims that the act of beating a child is done in love, saying that the family should have towel and cold water ready to reduce the swelling. This doesn't seem very loving to me. If there were concern about pain and swelling, how about not inducing it in the first place? WN's advice here is simply absurd. There is really no other way to put it.