Don't Spare 'The Rod'

Is your child misbehaving? Are you having trouble coming up with the proper means of discipline? If you spare the rod, you'll spoil the child - and there exists the perfect "rod" that will keep your child from being spoiled: a 22-inch nylon whipping stick that will put the fear of God into the little blighters.

The Boston Globe explains:

''The Rod," a $5 flexible whipping stick, was described as the ''ideal tool for child training."

'Spoons are for cooking, belts are for holding up pants, hands are for loving, and rods are for chastening," read the advertisement she saw nearly two years ago for the 22-inch nylon rod. It also cited a biblical passage, which instructs parents not to spare the ''rod of correction."

Bullock, a Southern Baptist, said he stands by the virtue of The Rod, which, he said, is safer than a belt or paddle. He said he believes his product is in keeping with biblical teachings that rods be used only as a ''last resort" to train children. He opposes its use on babies. He said he sold the device at a rate of ''a few a week" over the last six years or so. Many of his customers returned for more rods, and cited the Scriptures when they made their purchases, he said. ''I'm one of these simple people," Bullock said. ''The Bible is what it is -- I'm not trying to change it. God is right. We have to have faith in that."

Images of the original ads are available online. Advantages include it being "ideal for car or home," it's "an excellent gift idea," and "helps children to receive wisdom." It has a nice "cushioned vinyl grip," thus ensuring that it won't go flying out of your hands while whipping the tiny miscreants. It's "durable for years of use," because we know your burgeoning brood needs all of the correction it can get — and if the Rod's extensive use leads to it breaking in the first year, they'll replace it for free! Hows that for customer service?

Read More:

• Religious Right
• Religious Right News