Difference between revisions of "Category:Physical Abuse"

David Berg favored authoritarian discipline and often advocated harsh physical punishment to deal with a variety of alledged spiritual ailments.

His exemplification of physical abuse in cases such as that of Merry Berg as well as his consistent exhortation of corporal punishment resulted in systemic adoption of corporal punishment within The Family that was quite often physically abusive.

The Family's official position on beatings was not favorable toward physically harmfull punishment and with the advent of interest in The Family on the part of social workers in various countries beatings that left physical evidence were forbidden.

However in numerous Family Publications Berg's own use of corporal punishment was harsh and his missives to his cult following was often vehement and verbiage about spiritual battles was often violent in metaphor and practice, a position that translated into over-eager physical punishment meted out to the second generation for many years.

After Berg's death and the Charter the use of excessive physical punishment decreased significantly. though corporal punishment remains a staple of disciplinary methods within The Family.