there is no accountability the use of that power often becomes arbitrary and violence is required to enforce it because there is no logic behind the enforcement of power. The case studies showed how the Manu Samoa39 team losing could lead to a husband hitting his wife to reinforce who was the boss of the household. With no accountability, the exercise of power, and subsequent use of power is never questioned and allowed to flourish. It is therefore clear to the Inquiry that two things have happened – the first is that there has been a misinterpretation of the Bible in favour of a patriarchal society, and that following that interpretation the use of violence has crept in to enforce this internalized hierarchy and to ensure that it is maintained. Myth 14: The Bible says that wives are inferior to husbands and should be physically disciplined if they fail to obey. Reality: The Bible is quite clear that men and women were created equally in the image of God and there is absolutely no reference to physical discipline between husband and wife or intimate partners. On the contrary there are extensive teachings around non-violence, kindness, tolerance, peacefulness and even sacrifice. This myth is perpetuated by those seeking to maintain the current patriarchal system. 7.4.2 Faith and Violence towards Children “Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them.” Proverbs 13:24 The Report has so far detailed how there is a strong belief that children require physical discipline to ensure obedience and bring them up to be good people. However, the Report has also found that all physical and harsh verbal discipline/violence amounts to violence against the child. Part of the justification for violence derives from the Bible which warns against ‘sparing the rod’. This passage is widely cited as the justification for physical discipline of children.40 The passage certainly does encourage parents to be resolute in the disciplining of a wayward child. It is something else to insist that the passage advocates whipping with a stick (rod) in lieu of chastising and instruction by word of mouth. It is interesting that just four verses down from this particular passage Proverbs 14:3 declares that “a fool’s proud talk becomes a ‘rod’ that beats him.” The presumption upon which the misinterpretation is founded is that the rod is a physical rod. Very often however, the rod in the Bible depicts the phenomenon of positive power and consequence as in ‘the Lord 39 Refer to Hope’s story, Case Study 12. It is often confused with ‘spare the rod and spoil the child’, which is not from the Bible but from a 1664 poem by Samuel Butler. 40