Raising up abuse victims, I mean, children, the Christian way.

DA links fundamentalist "training" to Paradise girl's death

OROVILLE -- A fundamentalist religious philosophy that espouses corporal punishment to "train" children to be more obedient to their parents and God is now being investigated in connection with the death of a young Paradise girl and serious injuries to her sister.

Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey confirmed Thursday that other children in the home who have been interviewed told investigators "this philosophy was espoused by their parents."

Ramsey said he is also exploring a possible connection to a Web site that endorses "biblical discipline" using the same rubber or plastic tube alleged to have been used to whip the two young ridge girls by their adoptive parents.

In court Thursday, a judge granted a two-week postponement before the children's parents, Kevin Schatz, 46, and Elizabeth Schatz, 42, enter a plea to murder and torture charges that could carry two life terms in prison.

The story goes on to say that the website had endorsed whipping children to make them potentially emotionally scarred for life by feelings of shame and hurt "happier and more obedient to God". Somehow making them severely injured or dead wasn't referred to. Oh, and the family asks that "people of faith" pray for them. I'm not a person of faith. I wish all their children well, but I can't say I'm too kindly-intentioned towards the parents. Or anyone who would encourage child abuse in the sick idea that torturing kids is okay because "spare the rod, etc." is in the Bible.

It's just pathological.