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sb editors mail s kkzxf9xx5hm weekender october 1987 p5 case goheens use the rod piece backed for discipline column dear sir i write with respect to rev michael goheens from the pul pit column sept 19 weekender theres no need to spare the rod dr langford and elaine rowan miss some very signifi cant points i cant help but paraphrase the well known commercial for ef hutton when god talks nobody listens anymore any sensible adult giving the bible a fair reading would find that a truly loving parent pro vides guidelines and expectations and discipline based on compas sion and caring but you cant wish away the need for discipline and of course elaine rowan seems to believe that the bible teaches both love thy neighbor but beat the daylights out of thy children my what intemperate lan guage elaine i couldnt find it in the bible it seems to me the sad fact is that we are now living in a post- christian era psychology proposes no abso lutes while the bible calls us to lives of discipline and obedience keep it up rev goheen we dont like medicine either but we know we need it james w boehmer unionville dear sir the passionate fervor that characterizes the tone of dr langfords letter to you re verends ideas disturb reader sept 26 evidences an obvious and deeprooted interest for the health of the family it particularly shows a desire for children to flourish in a proper family environment further dr langfords letter is saturated with an ardent con cern for abused children and those adults permanently scarred by child abuse i rejoice in this commendable zeal and pray that god might use him to ease the pain and suffering in the family due to mans sin however the vitriolic and vituperative nature of this letter is disturbing in my column i only wanted to set forth one bib lical principle the bible teaches that parents are to use spanking in their child- rearing it was not suggested that spanking be employed apart from guidelines and expectations- based on compassion and caring it was not suggested that spank ing be a method to induce obedi ence on the basis of intimidation and fear nor was it suggested that spanking alone can solve the complex and heartbreaking problems of modern living it was not even suggested that spanking alone would have solved johns problem my friend has read these things into my article and has consequently attacked a straw man if on the other hand he is sug gesting there is no place for spanking and corporal discipline administered as i said with love proportionately and within reason then his quarrel is with gods word not with me to suggest this principle is established by a few bible quotes by rote and that this principle can be overturned by an appeal to a few new testament quotes shows a need for another look at the bible dr langford is not dodging a few isolated prooftexts taken out of context rather he is seeking to dodge an avalanche of biblical evidence on the matter may god grant that we seek to raise our children in the light of gods truth rev michael goheen first presbyterian church of unionville pilageb ox meats autumn savings iso ii7 iv iv uthbertson heating air conditioning i hutlhi 4 tut coxoltlonlms iji109i your local furnaces central air ultimate m high efficiency natural gas furnace depend on the canadian leader buy a combination of a natural gas furnace central air and accessories to receive up to 35000 in factory rebates ask your icg dealer about lowcost utility financing when you convert to a natural gas furnace limited time offer september 1 to october 15 1987 only available from participating dealers icg comfort you can count on family owned operated business serving mahkham unionville surrounding areas for over 30 years uthbertson 4799544 heating air conditioning located in markham y a m