God

[KenWittlief]

What exactly is the author talking about here? If he isn't talking about beating, smacking, humilating, kicking, etc., exactly what kind of discipline IS he talking about?

spanking. When I was in 2nd grade (public school in buffalo, NY) one boy in my class threw a snowball and hit a girl in the eye. She told the teacher, the student was made to stand in front of the class, and the teacher paddled his behind with the 'board of education'. Spanking was always reserved for those situations where a student physically hurt or attacked another person. We knew full well that if we 'laid hands' on someone else, that a teacher or the principle WOULD lay hands on us. This form of discipline was very effective, both as a deterrent, and as punishment.

Funny... as I recall, there have only been around 20 or 30 kids at most who have killed strangers, classmates, and themselves with no conscience...

you are talking about high profile, multiple killings that happened inside the school buildings - The US has [I believe] the highest percentage of its own population in prison - our prison system is overwhelmed - Most of those people in prison were brought up in our public education system.

I dont know the exact number, but somewhere around 100 people are murdered in the US every day.

Those who don't believe in God will go to hell if there really is one, but just die if they're right. However, those who believe go to heaven if they're right, and if there really isn't a god, they just die.

this idea that religion is about what happens to you when you die is misleading. If there is a God, then why would He only be interested in you after you die?

Religion is about your personal relationship with God, now - here - today

if you dont want God to be a part of your life now, then He wont be present with you after this life is over either (that would be hell)

and if you DO want God to be personally involved with your life here and now, He will continue that relationship after this physical life is over.