"a rod" "the rod" are in the Bible in different places and DO have different meanings
there are Biblical scholars who know the difference
I have read the explanation of the difference in meaning but unable to locate links at moment
but this is interesting:
Christians have no moral rationale for spanking their children
From the article that you gave is very biased and wrong, here are some from the article (the underlined is from the article):
1. "
The NFL star hit his four-year-old son with a "switch," creating welts on the child's legs, scrotum, and buttocks"... This is abuse not spanking.
2. "
many belt-swinging believers" and "Christian who is hell-bent on hitting your kids"... Is pure emotionalism and not truthful as many spanking parents do not swing a belt or even use a belt, nor are they "hell-bent on hitting" their kids.
3. "
the Hebrew word translated "rod" refers to a shepherd's rod, which "was used to guide the sheep, not to beat them."".... This is simply not true as we can see in Proverbs 23:13 shows the "rod" was not about guiding but discipline .
4. "
There are numerous commands against physical violence"... true but nothing against spanking as what the article is about.
5. "
Jesus was a defender of children, offered a withering warning about harming them, and taught that violence only creates more violence."... This is pure emotionalism as Jesus never taught that "spanking creates more violence or that violence creates more violence. This is something that was added not something that is taught tho scripture.
6. "
Many social scientists have explored the effects of spanking on children, and the majority of their results are overwhelming negative."... Wrong as there are many studies and researchers in favor of spanking as I have already provided.
Few more since I had some time.
7.
Christians.... to a Proverbs passage they clearly don't understand, or by ignoring the entire New Testament and Jesus' teachings.... This is a dangerous worldview of elitism that we have seen in groups like westboro baptist Church and A True Church. Many cults have also used this worldview and philosophy to justify about everything. When a person claims understand scripture and others do not understand the true meaning be cautious. Not to mention that many biblical scholars disagree on the articles position on spanking.
8.
abuse steepens when parents hit in an emotional moment.... parents will often tell you that they usually spank compassionately and rarely. But don't believe them..... According to this article parents will abuse their children and if they do not abuse them do not believe them. So according to this article the fact that I never abuse my children and the fact I lovingly provide for them does not matter according to this article do not believe me. This article you provided hinges on ridiculousness.
9.
Instead, many New Testament passages discourage hitting a child for any reason.... Yet with this claim the article does not give one scripture on not spanking your child except turn the other cheek which is not at all relevant to spanking.
10.
And it's not as if religious parents can point to the Bible for justification.... Right there is no biblical support let's see here Proverbs 23:13-14, Proverbs 13:24, Proverbs 22:15, Hebrews 12:11, and Hebrews 12:6
11.
Both Ephesians 6and Colossians 3 include commands for parents to not provoke their children..... Provoke and discipline are two different actions. Provoking can be favoritism, discouragement or putting them down all the time, using love as a tool against them, failing to let children grow up and failing to sacrifice for them. Which is fully separate from discipline that is from love that promotes success in life and boundaries.
12.
for the damage you've done to the pink-faced child who thinks you hung the moon...It's your fault..... More emotionalism and sensationalism that is void of factuality. This article is full of misinformation as pointed out and emotional hooks to get readers to buy in to this false story that spanking is evil and parents who do so are abusive.
I could go on and on, on this article but I think I made my point that this is heavily biased and leads to assertions of using words to suggest spanking are abuse when that is not the case.