UNITED STATES
Raw Story
ARTURO GARCIA
18 MAY 2016
A reclusive man describing himself as a fundamentalist Christian is attempting to resume sales of a “virtually indestructible” stick he sold as a disciplinary tool — without drawing attention to himself, the Friendly Atheist reported.
The vendor, Steve Haymond, sent letters to former customers nearly 10 years after his California-based company, Biblical Child Training, stopped operating because of what he called “external pressures and family reasons.”
Haymond said in the letter, sent from a Montana address, that he was ready to resume making the “chastening instrument” — a 9-inch long and 1.5-inch wide polyurethane stick that is 3/16ths of an inch thick. However, he said he would only do so “on a private basis and without a web site or any internet exposure.”
“Feel free to let other Biblically-minded parents know about this chastening instrument, but do not post anything about it on the internet and please exercise discretion as to who you tell about them,” the letter read. “Although proper chastisement is legal, there are some (even among family members) who mistakenly believe that spanking of any kind constitutes child abuse. Our willingness and ability to make these instruments available to parents who believe in Biblical chastisement depends both on their responsible use by us as parents (see our tips) and care in who we tell about them. Thanks for your sensitivity on this.”
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