Translate This Page
Suffer the little children 1
The year 2002 has been developing as a year of
disturbing exposure of the extent of the evil of child abuse – especially
sexual child abuse – and particularly that perpetrated by priests, pastors
and other church leaders. The pain and suffering of children across the
globe has caused increasing anguish and anger in caring people everywhere.
As the year has progressed (??) and time gone on, the reports of past and
present child abuse and exploitation have increased. Parents have been
guilty of terrible neglect and abuse – both emotional and physical; children
have died because parents refused them adequate, available medical or
other health care; children have been abused and murdered; children in
several Asian countries have been raped and sexually abused by ‘sex
tourists’ – including Australian men; impoverished parents have abandoned
children or sold them for
adoption; young children have been taken from families
with the promise of finding them work, only to have them sold for adoption,
slave labour, or sexual exploitation, including prostitution; young children
have been sold or kidnapped to be used as under aged jockeys in Middle
Eastern camel racing;
children as young as five have been
forced to work long hours through poverty or child labour exploitation;
children – even very young children - are being used as war-fodder and child
soldiers – they are often the first victims of war, greed and corruption, as
well as of poverty and famine.
Most of these child sufferings and abuses are not new or limited to 2002.
The abuse and exploitation of children has been with us almost since the beginning of time. In the ancient world male children were important in order to pass on the family name and to provide care for the parents in old age (those same values remain in many countries and communities today). Female children were often regarded inconsequential or insignificant. In some ancient communities girls did not even gain a personal name but took on the name of the clan. Mostly they were not considered worth educating. Young girls were sold into slavery or temple prostitution.
Some of the ancient Greek philosophers became famous for their lofty reasoning, but many enjoyed having blonde haired young boys. In Roman society a son was of value for passing on the father’s name, but the father had total ownership of his children and had the right do with them as he pleased – even beat them to death. In ancient Jewish society the oldest male (even great-grandfather) had dominance over all others in the family, and children, including boys, had to remember their place and position.
In most ancient societies young children were regarded as something of a nuisance, especially around men involved in ‘men’s business’ – whether it was working, sitting around discussing, listening to a teacher, philosopher or politician, or the like.
(Click to View)