By all means if the consequnces of their actions are a smack on the backside or being sent to bed early without their games console.
So, Matt, are you suggesting that you believe that telling a child that running out into the road without looking could result in serious injury (without mentioning death, by the way) is going too far?
Remember that in most cases, the serious consequences aren't 'inflicted' by the parent, but by a third-party.
You really don't think that this is reasonable comparison do you?
The consequences of running into ther road are immediate and and demonstable to the child by traw;ling the internet. It is not something where the punishment is goinbg to be deferred for their entire lives and inflicted after death.
The thirsd party agument is rubbish and unconnected.
But to tell them that they are going to be tortured for eternity by being flung into fire is, by any civilised standards, child abuse, psychological abuse.
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Floo aside, I wonder how many of us here who were brought up in Christian families were told this kind of thing. Have to say that Floo is one of only a small handful of people I know who were brought up in such a context who have been told this.
More rubbish - hunreds if not thoudznds of kids over the centuries have been taught this, I was taught it in Sunday Schoiol, the kids in the Magdelene homes in Ireland were taught it day in and day out.
If you don't like the truth of the history of your religiomn and the fact that, to a lot of people, your god is the very definition of a Right Bastard for his treatment of those who refuse to follow and obey him without question, don't try to tell others that it is not truth; they only have to read the bible to find that this is what is promised to those who refuse to do as he says.