Sweep our own house – Child abuse – million dollar profits in the fundamentalist community

Last week the US ABC network show called “Primetime” aired a show called When Stepfamlies Don’t Mix which included a segment of an Iraq war vet stepfather beating his teenager daughter.

World Net Daily – a fundamentalist internet new site, ran the story of outraged viewers and the demand for the host Diane Sawyer to be fired.

As a child I was a punching bag for my adoptive parents, and I saw that show segment off an ABC affiliate from Detroit. It was sickening to watch this father, an Iraq war vet, lose it and attack his child, while screaming and out of control. The fact is was shown on air means authorities and counsellors can intervene (and are) in this troubled, broken and dysfunctional family. It is no longer a secret.

It’s interesting that WND chooses not to highlight a problem in the fundamentalist religious movement in the US of abuse that has resulted in the death of a child and  arrests.

Perhaps they are unaware of the Pearls, authors who make over a million dollars last year advocating beating children with PVC pipes, hitting babies with switches, and other unspeakable things in the name of raising godly children.
The Pearls run the No Greater Joy website to sell their materials and books and are given a free pass by fundamentalist dominionist, God’s Warrior religious groups. It is the Pearl’s way or the highway,  all the research on child development needs play no part in their methods.

1) Allthings2all takes a look at the spiritual beliefs behind the beatings and neglect  of babies and the theological underpinnings and justifications the Pearls embrace.

2) Way of Life also warns of the spiritual deviation of the Pearl’s philosophies and how theology gets twisted.

3) The Raleigh  News Observer has an eye opening article about the Pearls and the people that believe and use their parenting material.

Here is an investigative series on the The Pearl’s - authors of child rearing books they pass out to servicemen for free, and  market  to  homeschoolers  from  a   seemingly innocuous website.  This ‘ministry’ uses Michael Pearl’s books (and his wife’s writing) targeting parents to convince them they need to beat the fear of God into their children as one way to exercise biblical parental authority. They also recommend frightening psychological corrosive ways to foster obedience. And then the ’ministry’ works to keep these parents in line with the program. 

Please do not read this material below if you’ve been abused and are concerned about flashbacks or personal pain, or if you are a runaway or walkaway from domionists and other socially isolated ‘churches’ or individuals that embrace this kind of abuse that pushes the Pearl’s agenda.
If you are triggered, reach out to someone balanced you know who understands and loves you.

These three articles are written by dogemperor who escaped this style of sect/cult.
He outlines issues clearly and unsparingly, and provides the the reader the solid studies on the long term consequences for these abused children.
He  points to resources and practically counters the Pearls recommended actions to parents toward their children. There are stories of domionist and vulnerable parents who came to their senses and let  go of the Pearl’s use of fear, domination and vengeance in what is sadly typical of dominionist/fundamentalist ’advice’ on parenting.

Death by Chastening Rod
A followup Re the Pearl’s dominionst child abuse - including the case of Lynn Paddock arrested for the death of her four year old son Sean and the beating with PCV pipe of at least two of her five adopted children.
Another sad case of dominionist child abuse - builds on the Florida Sun-Sentinel (not available online) story of Michael Bilodeau who has been charged with of aggravated child abuse and neglect. He bonded out and disappeared, telling investigators:

He allowed them to punish her like he did: strip her naked, put her in an awkward position and strike her repeatedly with a belt or a stick, according to Bilodeau’s arrest report. The punishments came in response to the girl not using proper English, not finishing her homework, lying, or “not accepting Jesus into her heart,” police have said.

The final article is called: Talking action: and gives information on what you can do to help stop the sales of the Pearl’s child rearing books and how to network with others who have realized this is marketed abuse using God and fear.