AN IMMORAL NEW MORALITY
An extraordinary event was brought to light this week. A mother was in a supermarket with her children, aged 11 and 4, who were misbehaving. She warned them that unless they behaved she would smack them when they got home. That is an everyday occurrence. What makes this so different is that an off-duty policeman overheard what she said and secretly followed her home. Six weeks later two uniformed policemen visited her and interviewed her about the incident. They proceeded to advise her on other forms of disciplining children apart from smacking. Later, the family received a letter from Social Services which said that no further action would be taken “at this time”. The letter also added rather ominously that the Social Services “do keep the information on record.”
As the mother has observed, she was only doing what parents ought to do - “Setting moral boundaries for how children should behave.” The Christian Institute reports that Care, a social welfare charity, comments: “One fears that it was a wholly disproportionate response to a threatened smack informed by the destructive and censorious views of those opinion formers who refuse to make a distinction between smacking, which can be helpful, and beating which is a serious crime.” This incident is not an isolated one and other examples could be quoted.
Two issues arise out of these and similar cases. The first is the question of parental rights to discipline their children, and the second is what is happening in our society.
As far as the issue of parental rights is concerned we have to be very clear that it is not a crime to smack a child. Clearly there has to be a boundary and that surely arises when a parent goes from administering a smack to being actually violent and beating the child. In the case quoted at the start of this article the Hampshire Police said that the off-duty policeman had “reasonable grounds for concern for the children’s welfare and that they may be at risk of physical chastisement.” But ‘physical chastisement’ is not a crime and is therefore nothing to do with the police. Of course, some will begin to talk about child abuse. But there is a growing danger of a paranoia affecting our society that sees any rebuke or restriction on children as harmful. A study by Demos, a left-leaning research body, has shown that households where there are a father and mother and where ‘tough love’ (i.e. warmth and discipline) is operating produces the most balanced, contented and successful children.
In the Bible the use of corporal punishment is advocated but as part of a loving environment where the best interests of the child is paramount. The Bible also warns that to fail to administer strong and consistent discipline with a caring purpose will have detrimental impact on the child. This teaching on the discipline of children is given further significance when it is used as an explanation of God’s care for His children (Hebrews 12).
But there is the second issue that we need to consider. What does the involvement of police officers have to say about our society? Some would put the whole business down to excessive political correctness. But we have to set alongside the issue of parental rights other trends. There is the growing number of Christians who are being interviewed by the police in respect of their perfectly legal statements about homosexuality. Then there are the warnings issued to preachers and others who are acting in a perfectly legal manner but who comment negatively about Islam. It seems that there is an attempt to impose a set of rules and regulations that are not enshrined in legislation but which reflect a particular liberal agenda. The police are acting as the arbiters of ‘a new morality’ that has neither a substantiated philosophical basis, nor any proof of public support, nor even any basis within our laws.
What we see is the confusion and chaos that arises when a society has no clear moral framework. Politicians constantly give mixed messages on these matters. The Church through its public representatives is vague and muddled. So it has been left to liberal opinion formers to set an agenda for what is acceptable or not. So smacking is not approved, homosexuality is to be fully supported whatever the cost to people’s physical and emotional health or to family structures, and Islam is off limits to any form of questioning or discussion.
But why these three things in particular? I would suggest at the bottom of this lies fear and prejudice.
Fear of children being abused which can get out of proportion. Fear of any sexual restrictions because sexual liberty is the idol of so many in our society. Fear of an Islamic fundamentalist backlash which even devalues some more moderate Muslims.
The prevailing view is that there can be no overarching values for everyone to follow. So everything is dealt with in a pragmatic way. That produces a moral vacuum. In such a situation fear and prejudice begin to take over. That is why such irrational and improper things are happening.
For the Christian Church there are three responses that we must make. We know that behind what we see there are other forces at work and ultimately these are spiritual issues. We are in a spiritual battle. So what must we do? The first thing is to pray for God to be merciful to our decadent society. The second is to promote and practice the teachings of the Bible in our daily lives with increased determination - even if there is a cost to pay. The third is not to shy away from stating what we know to be the truth that God has revealed -
Parents are responsible to Him for the discipline of their children. That is the basis of a stable society.
Homosexual practice is a sin, just as adultery and robbery and lying are sins. Public approval of sin is ultimately destructive. Righteousness is vital for a truly prosperous society.