adjective "Christian"

[Baker, John]

        The reference is to Proverbs 13:24, which in the King James Version reads "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes."  Note that, as so often is the case, personal selectivity and interpretation matter a great deal.  McConnell could have interpreted the verse as simply urging punishment and discipline, without being specific as to the manner of the punishment.  He could also have emphasized the New Testament teachings of Jesus, which typically mitigate the severity of the Old Testament teachings.  An example would be "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."  (John 8:7)  That McConnell chose instead to advocate beating the children in his care was the result of his own choices, not just a neutral reading of the Bible.

John Baker


-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf
Of Arnold M. Zwicky
Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 1:27 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: adjective "Christian"


from the NYT, 3/10/05, p. A22, "Favor the Rod, Get the Ax" (with
subhead: "College Expels Education Student Who Advocated Corporal
Punishment"), by Patrick D. Healy:

The profanity transported him [Scott McConnell, the education student
in question] back to his own days at Robert E. Lee Elementary School in
Oklahoma in the 1980's, when there was a swift solution for wiseacres:
The paddle.

"It was a footlong piece of wood, and hung on every classroom wall like
a symbol, a strong Christian symbol," said Mr. McConnell, who is 26.
-----

i'm struggling to see how a paddle used for punishment serves as a
Christian symbol.  what's the interpretation of "Christian" here?

arnold (zwicky at csli.stanford.edu)