To Train Up a Child

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To Train Up a Child
Book cover of To Train Up a Child[a]

To Train Up a Child is a 1994 book written by Michael and Debi Pearl, published through their non-profit organization No Greater Joy ministries. The book has attracted controversy for advocating child abuse and its teachings being linked to the deaths of three children.

Michael and Debi Pearl[edit]

Michael Pearl (born 1945)[3] is an American independent Baptist preacher and author. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science from Mid-South Bible College, he worked with Union Mission in Memphis for 25 years.[4] His 2006 graphic novel Good and Evil[5] won the Independent Publishers' IPPY Award Bronze Medal in the Graphic Novel/Drama category in 2009[6] and was a 2009 ForeWord Book Award finalist.[7] His other publications include No Greater Joy Magazine,[8] Training Children to be Strong in Spirit,[9] and Created to Be His Help Meet.[10]

Michael and Debi Pearl married in 1971.[11] Together they wrote To Train Up a Child, which was published in 1994.[2] As of February 2012, the Pearls have five children and eighteen grandchildren.[4] Their daughter Shoshanna Easling has said she had a wonderful childhood and that her parents never spoke to her in anger.[3] Another daughter, Rebekah Pearl Anast, has said, "I think that the fact that all five of us are very happy, balanced people with great marriages and happy kids is evidence that my parents did the right thing."[12]

No Greater Joy ministries[edit]

No Greater Joy ministries is Michael Pearl's 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The organization brings in between $1.5 and $1.7 million a year through product sales and donations[3][12] and has sold or donated over 1.5 million copies of Pearl's books, CDs, DVDs, and other materials.[12] The Pearls state that they do not receive royalties from the sales, and that the profits are used for ministry purposes.[13]

Controversy[edit]

To Train Up a Child has been criticised for advocating child abuse. The book tells parents to use objects like a 0.25 in (6.4 mm) diameter plastic tube to spank children and "break their will". It recommends other abusive tactics like withholding food and putting children under a cold garden hose.[3][14] Its teachings are linked to the deaths of Sean Paddock,[15] Lydia Schatz,[16] and Hana Grace-Rose Williams.[17] In all three cases, homeschooling parents acted on the Pearls' teachings.[18] Michael Ramsey, the district attorney who prosecuted the Schatz case, called To Train Up a Child "an extraordinarily dangerous book for those who take it literally" and "truly an evil book".[1] Dr. Frances Chalmers, the pediatrician who examined Hana Williams's corpse, said that "this book, while perhaps well intended, could easily be misinterpreted and could lead to what I consider significant abuse."[3]

On his website, Pearl published responses to the deaths of Hana Williams and Lydia Schatz, listing quotes from the book that warn against abuse.[19][20] Michael Pearl reacted to the death of Lydia Schatz by "laughing" at his critics and arguing his link to the murder of Schatz was not objectionable because Pearl's children became "entrepreneurs that pay the taxes your children will receive in entitlements."[21] Pearl claimed that he did not bear responsibility for the murders because the size of the plastic tubing he recommends in his book is "too light to cause damage to the muscle or the bone."[3][22] Pearl called the murder of Hana Williams "diametrically opposed to the philosophy of No Greater Joy Ministries and what is taught in the book."[14] Pearl claimed "The book repeatedly warns parents against abuse and emphasizes the parents' responsibility to love and properly care for their children, which includes training them for success."[14] The Seattle Times claimed that of all the abusive methods To Train Up a Child recommends be used on children, the only one proven to have been used on Williams was spanking, which it called "clearly the heart of the book."[1] The New York Times suggests that the Williams' other discipline tactics involved Pearl's book taken to extremes, such as the Pearls' advice that "a little fasting is good training."[3] A witness in the trial reported that Hana Williams was subjected to the Pearls' recommendations "to use a switch, cold baths, withhold food and force children outside in cold weather as punishment".[17]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ The cover repeats a 2011 claim by Michael Pearl that the book had sold more than 670,000 copies.[1] However, Nielsen BookScan recorded only 9,579 sales between 2001 and 2013. While it is possible the book sold best prior to the earliest sales records available, this figure is likely to be inflated by shifting books through mailing lists.[2]

References[edit]

Citations

  1. ^ a b c Hodson, Jeff (November 27, 2011). "Did Hana's parents "train" her to death?". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  2. ^ a b Merritt, Jonathan (April 22, 2013). "How influential are Michael and Debi Pearl? And how harmful?". Religion News Service. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Eckholm, Erik (November 6, 2011). "Preaching Virtue of Spanking, Even as Deaths Fuel Debate". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Meet the Pearls". No Greater Joy website. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  5. ^ Pearl, Michael (2006). Good and Evil. No Greater Joy ministries. ISBN 1-892112-38-8.
  6. ^ "Announcing 2009 IPPY Awards National and Regional Results". Independent Publisher website. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  7. ^ "Book of the Year Awards". ForeWord Publishing website. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  8. ^ "Magazine". No Greater Joy website. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  9. ^ Pearl, Michael (2011). Training Children to be Strong in Spirit. No Greater Joy ministries. ISBN 978-1-61644-037-4.
  10. ^ Pearl, Michael (2012). Created to Need a Help Meet. No Greater Joy ministries.
  11. ^ Pearl 1994, About the Author.
  12. ^ a b c Harris, Lynn (May 25, 2006). "Spare the quarter-inch plumbing line, spoil the child". Salon. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  13. ^ "About Us". No Greater Joy website. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  14. ^ a b c Burnett, Thane (October 8, 2011). "Was child abused to death due to advice from book?". The Toronto Sun.
  15. ^ Is Conservative Christian Group, No Greater Joy Ministries, Pushing Parents to Beat Kids to Death?, CBS News, March 4, 2010.
  16. ^ DA: Kevin and Elizabeth Schatz Killed Daughter With "Religious Whips" for Mispronouncing Word, CBS News, February 22, 2010.
  17. ^ a b Stoll, Lee. "Kids testify in parents' murder and abuse trial". KIRO TV. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  18. ^ Hodson, Jeff (September 29, 2011). "Murder charges for parents who left girl outside". The Seattle Times.
  19. ^ "Response to Schatz Case". No Greater Joy website. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  20. ^ "Hana Williams Official Statement". No Greater Joy website. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  21. ^ "Laughing". No Greater Joy website. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  22. ^ Cooper, Anderson. "Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees, Aired October 26, 2011". CNN. Retrieved 8 August 2013.

Bibliography

External links[edit]

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