Wednesday

sick parenting

It has come to my attention that a popular form of child discipline among a number of different fundamentalist Christian groups is spanking children with "glue sticks," which are apparently rubber rods found inside craft glue guns.

I was doing some research about this sick practice and stumbled on this scary CHILD GUIDANCE ADVICE offered by some preacher who appears to be located in my area, and affiliated with at least one local Presbyterian church.

Reading his views on how he disciplines his poor children made me feel sick.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

gross, just scary gross.

Anonymous said...

Ok, two things. One, the church "in our area" is about two hours away. And two, it's frustrating to us Presbyterians to have us all lumped together. In this case, that's Sproul's fault (and our fault, too, for having a generic name), as his is a nondenominational Presbyterian church. In any case, I wish you would make clear that this Presbyterian church is not connected to the Presbyterian Church (USA) that is the biggest and most well known Presbyterian denomination - and doesn't condone spanking. This is a completely unrelated and nondenominational Presbyterian church. ie yes it is a Presbyterian church, but it's not the same church most people think of when they talk about Presbyterians.

Anonymous said...

"That's disobeying, and Daddy must spank you." The child is then relieved of any overly protective padding (a thick pair of jeans or a diaper) placed over my knee and given a swift wack with a glue stick."


This is one sick man inflicting sadistic sexually charged spanking to children.

If you have ever read any of the adult websites about S&M spanking (consenting adults for sexual or playful pleasure), they have the exact tone and words as this preacher is using for his rationale for disciplining children.

This is scary actions and language!
Hitting a child with a rubber like hose (a glue stick is like a rubber hose when it is long) and "Reliving child of their clothing". Yuck, yuck a million times!

Anonymous said...

"That you should spank your disobedient children is aromatic." what the hell does that mean? That is one sick f&*@

Anonymous said...

Please do not tell me that is the Ron Sprowl of the news!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Because i love him! And i would have to stop that love.
becky

Lisa said...

Wow. Unquestioning obedience. That seems like not such a good over-all goal to teach our children.

Elizabeth said...

Zowie. My first thought was, is this the same RC Sproul that's a pretty serious Protestant theologian? I think it must be his son. His sick, twisted son. I was thinking that he must have fallen pretty far from the tree.....and then I was taking a good hard look at the teachings here, and thinking back to the philosophy in the household and church that I grew up in....and yep, it'd pretty much fall in line. The big thing that they always said made it not abuse is that it's done in love, not anger. It's a pretty twisted way of looking at love.

Anonymous said...

At least it's just the glue sticks and not the hot glue gun. That would be like branding cattle.

Anonymous said...

More at;

http://tinyurl.com/yro6yd

Dale said...

Someone asked what it means that the need to spank is "aromatic." I think he means "axiomatic" but he's using words a little too big for his brain.

Anonymous said...

Elizabeth - he does seem to be RC Sproul's son.

And it's a shame that he sounds like he's trying to be his father, who was quite intelligent if misdirected, and proving to be a poor imitation.

Anonymous said...

An honest question: What is it that you find so appalling about this? The "glue sticks" do seem a little odd--but even that doesn't seem unreasonable when you hear the rationale ("sharp but temporary pain")--the intent is to NOT inflict lasting harm. And the commenter who complains about taking off a diaper...How is a child going to feel a spanking through a thick diaper?? How is that sexual at all?!

The advice given sounded wise to me: spank the first time to avoid training children in delayed obedience (warning them over and over and over, counting to twenty-seven)...don't humiliate them...never spank in anger...offer forgiveness and reconciliation... What's sick about that?

Julie said...

I find hitting children AT ALL wrong.

Hitting them with some sort of object is even worse.

Family members should not hit one another. Period.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the clarification. To discuss this with someone who believes in spanking, but finds the methods outlined offensive for whatever reasons, would be very different than to discuss this with someone who is completely against spanking at all, ever. I'll agree to disagree and avoid commenting further as I (obviously) don't have a problem with spanking, under certain limited conditions.

I enjoy your blog, at any rate--been lurking for a while and find lots of interesting stuff here. thanks!

laura linger said...

My mother used to beat me and my siblings with a rubber flip-flop, because (and I quote) "it won't leave any marks."

When I see stuff like this, it nauseates me. There is never any excuse for hitting a child. Never. The only goal of doing so is to bully, not to teach. It's a very sad thing to think that there are adults out there so insecure about their sense of self that they must strike a helpless child in order to feel powerful.

No good can come of it. My MIL and I go round and round about the issue. "I only slapped him," she yells, referring to my husband.

I hold up an open hand, then make the simple movement of forming a fist. "Not too terribly different, is it?" I always ask her.

I am childfree, but I have a tremendous amount of compassion for little ones. No one should ever have to go through the hell that was my childhood. No one.

laura linger said...

"the intent is to NOT inflict lasting harm."

You can take it on my very good authority that it does.

It does.

Anonymous said...

What is he thinking, a glue stick? When I was in prison we found a bar of soap wrapped in a sock really worked nicely. It provided the needded pain, and it wouldn't bruise.