I'm a little confused as to why the Pope is commenting on spanking.
Anyways....thoughts?
http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/06/europe/vatican-pope-spanking-children/
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Eh well I disagree. I don't care what the Pope says anyway.
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Don't know why he's commenting on disciplining children when he has none.
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Hmm, personally I fail to see how it's possible to hit someone without demeaning them. But this is definitely not the only opinion the pope and I don't share! lol
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The comments were part of a talk he was giving on the role of fathers (he's been talking about parents a lot lately).
And the secular media loves to pull one-liners that might spark debate
He also recently said if someone insulted his mother, he would slap them across the face.
I'm not sure his comments are always meant to be taken literally.
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@MaryM: He's a sarcastic pope?
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@MaryM: It was more than just one line.
"I once heard at a wedding a father say, 'I sometimes have to hit my children a little but never in the face, so as to not demean them.' How nice, I thought, he has a sense of dignity," the Pope said.
"When he punishes, he does it right and moves on."
"A good father knows how to wait and knows how to forgive from the bottom of his heart. Of course he can also discipline with a firm hand: he's not weak, submissive, sentimental," he said.
"This father knows how to discipline without demeaning; he knows how to protect without restraint."
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I'm not catholic, but there are bible verses about spanking so I don't think its that much of a stretch for a religious figure to be talking about it. * I'm not a spanker, so please no one jump on me
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I think the true content of his comments comes not from the wedding anecdote, but this part: "A good father knows how to wait and knows how to forgive from the bottom of his heart. Of course he can also discipline with a firm hand: he's not weak, submissive, sentimental," he said.
"This father knows how to discipline without demeaning; he knows how to protect without restraint." -
I'm also not pro-spanking. But, I think it's also important (when interpreting his remarks on anything) that he's not just the pope of the first world, but of all Catholics from all cultures around the world.
Sure, we (here and now) can see that there are better alternatives to spanking, but many cultures aren't there yet. So for those that do still see it as a normal thing, I think there's a lot of effect in his comments on discipline vs. punishment and restraint and waiting.
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@MrsSCB: 100% agree with your whole comment.
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@lawbee11: yeah I never felt demeaned when I was being hit anywhere but the face
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From reading his quote it seemed like he was focusing on that a parent should focus on disciplining without demeaning and that's what he was supporting.
I do agree hitting is demeaning, but it doesn't sound like he was actually talking about whether or not spanking was good or bad.
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Actually reading the first part again it does sound sarcastic. Like he's saying "How nice. What a good father, doesn't hit his kids in the face."
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I don't agree with him.
Also his opinion on parenting doesn't really affect me.
I guess if I force myself to have an opinion on it, I think that it's unfortunate because his opinion does matter to a lot of people. And it's unfortunate because I think he's been pretty good about moving the church away from some of it's more archaic beliefs. But I also can't keep him in context as a person, being someone who was born and raised in south america (I think???)-- I believe spanking is a lot more common there.
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I'm catholic, so I'm very surprised all the other things that he's been saying. It's great that he said "If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?" Huge step for a catholic pope!
So it's definitely a step in the right direction, though, I'm sure some hard core catholics aren't too happy with him.
As for this spanking, it doesn't bother me. I was spanked as a kid but my parents are asian and their spanking was more like abuse. So because of my experience, I couldn't and don't want to spank my kids. But I can see ways spanking might be okay, as long as it doesn't hurt and there is no anger involved.
So his spanking quote doesn't bother. He's not perfect but he's much more progressive (?) than a lot of the past popes... and I'll take it!
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Yeah, sorry, not going to trash the pope. I'm Catholic and have a lot of respect for him. I also am not totally against spanking, as I have done it myself on the rare occasion I thought it necessary.
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Maybe I just don't know enough about Catholics, but it would never be shocking to me that a (Christian) religious figure would endorse spanking. It would surprise me more if he were against it. (For what it's worth, 100% anti-spanking under any circumstances here. But also 100% non-religious.)
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I'm pretty happy with this Pope. I have nothing bad to say about his feelings on spanking.
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I agree with him. I was spanked once as a child - not hard, it wasn't demeaning, and it was effective. I would spank as a last resort, and I think thoughtful, patient discipline is what he's advocating and what is most effective no matter what specific strategies a parent chooses to use.
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