4 times The Gospel Coalition outdid itself for bigotry

Last updated on: August 19, 2016 at 4:23 pm by Jonny Scaramanga

4. The child abuse. Oh god, the child abuse.

The Gospel Coalition is awash with posts endorsing child spanking, including very young children. In an April 2010 post, Erik Raymond ponders “How young is too young to spank your children?” While he never gives a solid answer, 11 months is within his safe threshold:

[Y]ou would not discipline an 11 month old the way you would a 7 year old. You may just flick their hand when they touch a light socket and then provide instruction that they might understand. The burden of providing instruction and discipline as controlled and compelled by God and his word is the priority.

In 2007, Raymond wrote against a proposal to ban spanking children under the age of three in California. Not content with opposing it, he claimed that not spanking children is child abuse:

However, to remove the arm of discipline from the parent in effort to protect children is actually harmful and abusive. This is child abuse. To remove discipline in favor of reasoning is hurtful to the development, discipline and training of a child.