14 DAY TRIAL // One of the most controversial books of all time is now linked to three deaths in the last seven years after promoting child abuse. The “To Train Up a Child” parenting manual was allegedly the reason why three kids died at the hands of parents who followed its guidance.
Michael and Debi Pearl, the authors of the book, are keen supporters of whipping and spanking infants as young as four months with belts, branches or rulers in order to discipline them from an early age. Critics have claimed the book is a promoter of child abuse, a trigger for psychological problems and a risk factor for the children's well-being.
The controversial parenting manual first appeared in 1994 and was extremely popular among evangelical Christians that believed in strict discipline and full obedience. The book highly recommended “training” children from an early age so that they learn to be obedient “before the crisis arises” and they become rebellious, notes Daily Mail.
According to the two authors, training must begin when the infant is under one year old and doesn't have the capacity to become a terror for his parents. Beating is accepted and recommended, as it serves to condition the child's mind and make them surrender completely to their parents' authority. “If you have to sit on him to spank him then do not hesitate. And hold him there until he is surrendered...defeat him totally,” the book writes.
If the parents have a hard time applying the methods praised by the book, the authors recommend deep breaths, relaxation and a few prayers, so that the Lord may guide them towards a strong child education.
The book sparked an incredible debate, with petitions and objections meant to remove the manual from the market as it encourages both physical and mental abuse. Amazon customers who stumbled upon the book were outraged and demanded the website to remove it. “This book is a manual for child abuse and Amazon supports violence against children when sells this kind of material,” one review reads.
Others said that this way of “training” kids in unhealthy, horrific, sadistic, ghastly, causing permanent damage and that the authors should be in jail for this kind of suggestions. One critic wrote “If it was a book on training dogs, the authors would be arrested for inciting cruelty against animals. But because it's in the name of a 2,000 year old religion, they get away with it.”
Three deaths have been linked to the book, as children were mistreated by the parents following the strict principles of the manual. Amazon has encouraged people to write negative reviews in the comments section but refused to take it down as it sold in more than 800,000 copies.