THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, August 21, 1995 TAG: 9508180598
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 30 lines
Why are people so quick to accept the wisdom of our time and ignore the accumulated experience of more than a hundred generations? This is the question that came to mind as I read the letter by the Reverend Rebecca L. Kiser-Lowrence.
Ms. Kiser-Lowrence is undoubtedly sincere in her belief that corporal punishment has no place in the raising of a child and there are doubtless many ``studies'' which support her view. She is disingenuous, however, in saying the phrase ``spare the rod and spoil the child'' is not ``Scriptural.'' Given her credentials, she must know very well that Samuel Butler's phrasing is simply an adaptation of Proverbs 13:24: ``He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves his son is diligent to discipline him.''
Like anything else, there is a right way and a wrong way to administer corporal punishment. Regrettably, it appears that as a child Ms. Kisser-Lowrence may have experienced an excess of rigor minus the mercy.
H.E. MELENDY
Norfolk, Aug. 7. 1995 by CNB