Michael Pearl and his schtick

[Praxis+Theodicy]

No discussion of Mike Pearl is complete with this set of his anecdotes:

https://nogreaterjoy.org/letters/pacifism/

I have been struck and pushed and cursed for the gospel’s sake. I have had my life threatened several times. I have been non-resistant in all cases, but when I came across a man raping a woman in the woods, I reached for my pistol and saved her life. To this day she is thankful that I was not a pacifist. She didn’t need a spectator; she needed a deliverer.

We have a Mennonite neighbor who practiced non-resistance under all circumstances. Some evil men found out about it and came into his home demanding to take sexual liberties with all his daughters. He did not resist but gave them his younger daughters as well. The men returned. His daughters became pregnant and bore little bastards. No man ever wanted them for wives. He stood by and watched the evil men strip and rape his daughters. It destroyed the family. They had to move so as to cease being used by evil men at their will. He was a fool. His doctrine was of the Devil. He should have risen up in righteous wrath and slain the enemy, like Joshua of old.

I have quoted the above to a plain person who responded there is no way Michael or Debi Pearl would have ever said such a thing, despite it having been on his website for north of a decade.

Both stories sound completely made-up.

Was just gonna say this. They sound like the kind of thing someone who really loves the idea of being a righteous warrior would make up. If both these stories are actually true, the Pearl's live in an unbelievably dangerous area for that much SA to be happening that much.

[Praxis+Theodicy]

The first item that caught my attention was the concept of "breaking a child's spirit", my thought was I'm not subduing wild horses... I wasn't so sure I wanted to break my children.

I think it's breaking their "will", because their will is sinful (Augustine/Lutheran theology focusing on original sin), and yes, I've heard it compared to breaking in an animal. Not sure if they make that comparison directly or other people have pointed out the similarities.

Soon after an older person taught a Sunday school class on child training under the title "Shepherding a child's heart" which I liked much better.

We have watched the DVD series of these. Tedd Tripp right? I liked them a lot. At a previous church, we had watched a parenting series by Paul David Tripp and I was not a big fan. I assume Tedd is Paul David's father, but Tedd had a way more gospel-focused lens than Paul David did.

[barnhart]

It was 20 years ago so I don't remember much but there was no video. There was a book used as a resource but as I recall was primarily based in scripture.

[barnhart]

The first item that caught my attention was the concept of "breaking a child's spirit", my thought was I'm not subduing wild horses... I wasn't so sure I wanted to break my children.

I think it's breaking their "will", because their will is sinful (Augustine/Lutheran theology focusing on original sin), and yes, I've heard it compared to breaking in an animal. Not sure if they make that comparison directly or other people have pointed out the similarities...

If you baptized babies to wash out the sin of Adam, I suppose it's consistent to use physical force to drive the sinful will out of young children, maybe even babies. It probably works on some, but my experience tells me not all children will respond well to that sort of thing. Children are very different, what works with one will not work with another. That makes this sort of child rearing teaching so dangerous, when it is isolated from a human community or a culture of experience and elevated to God status. I know a middle aged father with grown children who is grateful for two older ladies in the church family who intervened when he was young and idealistic and to warn him of his harshness after being influenced by this type of teaching. Interestingly they were both from more communal cultures where raising children is also the business of friends and family.

[joshuabgood]

The first item that caught my attention was the concept of "breaking a child's spirit", my thought was I'm not subduing wild horses... I wasn't so sure I wanted to break my children.

I think it's breaking their "will", because their will is sinful (Augustine/Lutheran theology focusing on original sin), and yes, I've heard it compared to breaking in an animal. Not sure if they make that comparison directly or other people have pointed out the similarities...

If you baptized babies to wash out the sin of Adam, I suppose it's consistent to use physical force to drive the sinful will out of young children, maybe even babies. It probably works on some, but my experience tells me not all children will respond well to that sort of thing. Children are very different, what works with one will not work with another. That makes this sort of child rearing teaching so dangerous, when it is isolated from a human community or a culture of experience and elevated to God status. I know a middle aged father with grown children who is grateful for two older ladies in the church family who intervened when he was young and idealistic and to warn him of his harshness after being influenced by this type of teaching. Interestingly they were both from more communal cultures where raising children is also the business of friends and family.

I was given that book also...and unfortunately bought in for about 6 months of my son's life. However, thanks largely to my wife and some other influences I left that nonsense. And I think the book is extremely dangerous and has resulted in very abusive environments for children, somemof which died at the hands of folks following his corporal disciplone/abuse regimen. Voddie Baucham goes in the same category and also the Babywise folks in my view.

[Ernie]

Soon after an older person taught a Sunday school class on child training under the title "Shepherding a child's heart" which I liked much better.

We are using this book as a discussion guide for parents - new believers and not yet believers. This book was very helpful for us 15 years ago.