To: craig crawford who wrote (245381 ) 4/4/2002 12:39:58 PM From: TigerPaw Respond to our Christian societyThat some early Christian parents did indeed expose unwanted female infants to the elements was evident in the writings of the Church Fathers who were concerned over future acts of incest. Saint Justin Martyr (114-166 AD) cautioned that it was wicked to expose children for, "almost all those who are exposed are raised to prostitution." He then added a warning against consorting with prostitutes because it was thereby possible that one would be guilty of having intercourse with his own child. Clement of Alexandria (150-211 AD) similarly advised of this danger. For the most part, however, as with the Jews, this criminal act was not accepted by Christian Society, and infanticide remained a clearly impious and illegal act. infanticide.org The colonists brought infanticide to America from England while at the same time finding that the Indians practiced it as well. As was the case in Germany extreme discipline characterized family life in puritanical colonial America and parents were given extensive liberty to punish their children, even to the point of death. In 1646 the General Court of Massachusetts Bay had enacted a law where "a stubborn or rebellious son, of sufficient years and understanding, " would be brought before the Magistrates in court and "such a son shall be put to death." "Stubborn child laws" were also enacted in Connecticut in 1650, Rhode Island in 1668, and New Hampshire in 1679. www2.h-net.msu.edu Over history, there has been a general tendency in the curbing of family size to shift from deliberate action after birth (infanticide) to action before birth (abortion) or before conception (contraception). While infanticide is on the wane, as late as the 18th century in European countries unwanted infants were disposed of by abandonment and exposure, a practice that prompted the establishment of the Foundling Hospital of London. britannica.com
