>This just happens to be from my hometown newspaper in Portage, WI:
>
>http://portagedailyregister.com/news/49a11bd6-a139-11dd-840c-001cc4c03286.html


Yes. It's the adult throwing a tantrum and step to escalation. Those who say it's benign because they "were raised that way and turned out fine" undermine their own argument—if truly benign, it can be done without. I was once in a class taught by Joseph Chilton Pierce and I like his take on going corporal: it's gets a child's attention but is evidence of the adult's lack of creativity. My son is 5 y/o, well behaved and very empathic. i.e. no paddle required. But then, I am not a fundamentalist of any sort. So I'd be willing to make an exception: if found guilty, let the judge/jurors paddle the pastor. On youtube. ;-)