FLOGGING FOR GOD: Violence toward children under the guise of religion
The poisonous pedagogy of hucksters and quacks who promote the theory that child beating is God's will

The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie, deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic. Belief in myths allows the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.

John F. Kennedy (1917 - 1963)


To read the most-recently added items on this Web site,
including news clips, editorials, articles, reports, comments, excerpts, letters, etc.,
proceed to: CHILD ABUSE IN-BOX — ALL CATEGORIES


Breaking Their Will, By Janet Heimlich, Prometheus Books, 2011
Religious Child Maltreatment. Educates the public about child abuse and neglect perpetrated in the name of religion.
A bright line not yet drawn, By Jonathan Zimmerman, INQUIRER - philly.com, November 29, 2011
UnGodly Discipline, CNN - Anderson Cooper 360o, September 1, 2011
Horror Stories From Tough-Love Teen Homes, Girls locked up inside fundamentalist religious compounds. Kandahar? No, Missouri., By Kathryn Joyce, motherjones.com, July/August 2011 Issue 167
Girl spanked to death in the name of God, By Gary Tuchman, "Anderson Cooper 360o," CNN, August 15, 2011
Independent Fundamental Baptist Deception
Exposing the abusive teachings of the Independent Fundamental Baptist Denomination, April 9, 2011
THE KING OF PAIN, Chapter 6 of Republican Gomorrah by Max Blumenthal, 2009, Nation Books, NY
False allure of the boot camp
By Henry Lawton, January 2005
The childhood origins of terrorism
Religious extremism: A parenting style, Chapter 14 of Parenting for a Peaceful World, By Robin Grille, 2005
Reply to a Christian conservative who claims to be living proof of spanking's benefits, By Jordan Riak, November 11, 2004
Debate over the meaning of "rod" is irrelevant, By Rev. Thomas E. Sagendorf September 20, 2006
ROD INSPIRED WISDOM, By Adah Maurer, Ph.D., 1993
Open Letter to Roy Lessin, Author of Spanking: Why, When, How, From Beth Fenimore, September 7, 2005,
EXPLOITATION IN THE NAME OF "SPECIALTY SCHOOLING"
By Allison Pinto, Ph.D., Robert M. Friedman, Ph.D. and Monica Epstein, Ph.D.
Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida, 2005
FACT SHEET
BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION FACILITIES
U.S. Department of State, Washington, D.C., January 2004
The Truth About New Horizons Youth Ministries
SURVIVORS of Victory Christian Academy are invited to contact Rebecca Ramirez at rebecca_ramirez_1@yahoo.com
ISAC
International Survivors Action Committee (ISAC) is an organization in the forefront of the struggle to expose and combat abuse perpetrated against children in "treatment centers."
Coalition Against Institutionalized Child Abuse, Inc. (CAICA)
Isabelle Zehnder, President
Website: www.caica.org
Tel: (360) 903-3951
E-mail: info@caica.org
Mountain Park Survivors
Where the voices of all who have suffered are finally heard - a site dedicated to all former students of Mountain Park Academy.
Mountain Park Horrors
For 30 years Mountain Park Academy has been Abusing Teens in the Lord's name. Please read the entire Website for the Truth about Mountain Park Academy.
TEEN BUSTING, Armelle Vincent Arriola
PARENTS BEWARE -- Schools or "youth training programs" that absolutely should be avoided

  1. Hitting someone is never right, By John Ostwald, The Record, July 29, 2012

  2. Presbyterian Church Rejects Spanking , By Ann Rodgers, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, July 5, 2012

  3. St. Aug board struggle is settled; paddling is banned, By Bruce Nolan, The Times-Picayune, December 23, 2011

  4. PETITION TO AMAZON: Don't carry books that promote child abuse! By Milli Hill, Somerset, UK, 2011

  5. Pair face life in girl's 'training' death, UPI.com, November 28, 2011

  6. Beating Babies in the Name of Jesus? — The Shady World of Right-Wing "Discipline" Guides, By Frank Schaeffer, AlterNet | Report, November 8, 2011

  7. Wisconsin Church Members Charged With Abusing Infants, By Lisa Holewa, Contributor, www.aolnews.com, March 26, 2011

  8. Editorial: Would Jesus beat a kid?, Keith Magill, Executive Editor, DailyComet.com, March 26, 2011

  9. Black Earth pastor, brother charged with child abuse for spanking kids with dowels, rods, By Devin Rose, drose@madison.com, Wisconsin State Journal, March 18, 2011

  10. Spank Your Children Well, By Richard Latimer, capecodtoday.com, August 16, 2010

  11. Ban corporal punishment in all the schools, By Jennifer Hancock, Tampa Humanism & Freethought Examiner, July 18, 2010

  12. Beating death draws national attention, By Elizabeth De Alwis - MediaNews Group, Chicoer.com, February 25, 2010

  13. History of Violence: Christian boarding schools and the March 10 trial of Jack Patterson, by Akopsa, The Seminal, February 23, 2010

  14. Godly discipline turned deadly — A controversial child "training" practice comes under fire -- this time from Christians themselves, By Lynn Harris, Salon.com, February 22, 2010

  15. DA: Deadly Child Abuse Case Linked To "Biblical Chastisement", Reported by: Owen Clark, khsltv.com, February, 12, 2010

  16. IRELAND: We forced Christian behaviour into Catholic schools: Far from doing nothing, it was the people who stopped corporal punishment, By Dr. Cyril Daly, Independent.ie, June 21, 2009

  17. IRELAND: An entire nation in denial, Raymond Lambert's response to the above article by Dr. Cyril Daly.

  18. Ireland: The church scandal becomes a national disgrace, The Week Magazine, June 5, 2009

  19. A Century of Looking the Other Way, By John Banville, Op-Ed, The New York Times, May 22, 2009

  20. Media Whitewashes Dobson, Hides 'Beat-Your-Child' Dogma, By Jeffrey Feldman, The Huffington Post, June 25, 2008

  21. Teacher accused of burning cross on student's arm, From Nkechi Nneji, CNN, June 21, 2008

  22. Give kids a hiding, MPs told, news24.com, September 18, 2007

  23. Principal Admits Spanking Preschooler; State Attorney To Decide Whether To Press Charges, News4jax.com, September 6, 2007

  24. Christian discipline? 2 arrested in alleged dragging of girl behind van at boot camp, By Associated Press, Houston Chronicle, August 10, 2007

  25. FOX Television Stations, Inc. Gives Free Advertising to Maker of Product that Endangers Children By Jordan Riak, July 2, 2007

  26. Paddle maker up against national battle, By Jennifer Reeger, Tribune-Review, June 25, 2007

  27. GOD TOLD HIM TO DO IT; Send a message to a paddlemaker, May, 2007

  28. Letter to the Contra Costa Times, By Jordan Riak, Contra Costa Times, April 27, 2007

  29. Church instructs parents: Spanking is God's will, By John Geluardi and Kim Wetzel, Contra Costa Times, April 26, 2007

  30. Priest defrocked for allegedly abusing boys, San Francisco Chronicle, April 14, 2007

  31. Lawsuit accuses pastor of abuse, By Melody McDonald, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, February 10, 2007

  32. Defense, judge argue in Georgia child-murder trial, as dead boy's brother testifies, By Daniel Yee, Associated Press Writer and Anita Wadhwani, The Tennessean, February 8, 2007

  33. Mutilating for God -- Some children are forced into bloody rite, By Scheherezade Faramarzi, Associated Press Writer, FOXNews.com, January 30, 2007

  34. Christianity and spanking, A letter from Edyta, November 18, 2006

  35. I don't believe that this was God's will, A letter from M.C., November 3, 2006

  36. Private Christian school under scrutiny over campus conditions, corporal punishment, By Jennifer Kabbany - Staff Writer , The Californian, November 14, 2006

  37. Saudi court sentences rape victim to 90 lashes, By DPA, Jerusalem Post, November 2, 2006

  38. Dr. Robert Fathman's letter to Dr. Gil Kliman, October 27, 2006

  39. School of Last Resort, By Maria Eftimiades, PEOPLE, October 23, 2006

  40. Youth facility in Marion under fire for its tactics -- New Horizons official says problems of the past are being solved, By Teresa Auch, The Chronicle-Tribune, October 22, 2006

  41. In God’s Name -- As Exemptions Grow, Religion Outweighs Regulation, By Diana B. Henriques, New York Times, October 8, 2006

  42. Suffer little children; US evangelists are twisting the Bible to say that beating the young is a Christian doctrine, By Giles Fraser, The Guardian, June 8, 2006

  43. COUNSELING OR ABUSE? Pastor causes bruises and welts to teen girl's buttocks [Four articles] May 2006

  44. Boot camp youth dies of thirst after forced exercise; 8 indicted, KSLA News 12, May 24, 2006

  45. Church members mum on pastor, By Nathaniel Zimmer, Chicago Sun-Times, May 17, 2006

  46. Pastor charged with spanking girl, By Charles Keeshan, Staff Writer, Daily Herald, May 11, 2006

  47. Divine Discipline, Lance West Reporting for NewsChannel 4, KFOR-TV-DT, April 28, 2006

  48. Youth minister accused of sexually abusing teenager, By Associated Press, WHOtv.com, April 22, 2006

  49. Youth Minister Accused Of Sex Crime, nbc5i.com, April 21, 2006

  50. Dead child's mom sought discipline tips; Lynn Paddock ordered books by a minister and his wife that recommended using pipe to spank kids, By Mandy Locke, Staff Writer, The News & Observer, March 16, 2006

  51. Preacher is charged with paddling woman, By Donnie Johnston, Fredricksburg Free Lance-Star, February 18, 2006

  52. Abounding Grace School's owners to answer charges; Punishment turned into abuse, boys say, By Jessica Guenzel, Winston-Salem Journal, July 31, 2005

  53. GEORGE MILLER: End Institutional Abuse Against Children Act, April 20, 2005

  54. Suitor loses Kemper bid -- Boonville council rejects offer, By John Sullivan, Columbia Daily Tribune, April 19, 2005

  55. Mom pulls twins from Eagle Point after riot , By Mollie Reeves, The Mississippi Press, April 16, 2005

  56. His Own Private Abu Ghraib, By John Gorenfeld, March 23, 2005, Source: Orkut

  57. Bethel Shuts Down After Girls Flee, WDAM-TV, February 17, 2005

  58. Students flee Bethel school; allege abuse, HattiesburgAmerican.com, February 16, 2005

  59. Boot camp director guilty in teen's death, By Michael Kiefer, The Arizona Republic, January 3, 2005

  60. Victory Christian Academy: Secrets in the Schoolhouse WEAR-TV, November 30, 2004

  61. Parents Sue Bethel Boys Academy; Plaintiffs allege systemic, methodical torture of youths - In a civil action filed November 2, 2004, against Bethel Boarding Academy, AKA Bethel Baptist Church, a private kids' boot camp/behavior modification lockup, the list of plaintiffs' allegations include: "...Defendants use coercive persuasion to coerce cadets into beating, terrorizing, mocking, or restraining other cadets, while maintaining “plausible deniability” of their own culpability in these violent abuses when confronted by civil authorities... Cadets at Bethel Boys Academy are forced to guard, harass, mock, assault, and physically injure other cadets on command. They are not given a meaningful choice concerning whether to commit such acts against other cadets. They are forced to commit violent crimes against other cadets as a matter of survival. The choice is one between doing the beating, or receiving the beating... Those who fail to comply with the orders of the Drill Instructors are subjected to loss of some or all privileges, beatings by Drill Instructors, extreme physical exhaustion, made to hold to electric fences, held underwater at the “swamp” up to and including drowning and resuscitation..."
    Read the complaint at     http://nospank.net/complaint2tc.pdf
    HTML version

  62. Parents sue Bethel Boys Academy; Cadets beaten, forced to work at military style school, lawyer says, By Lora Hines, lohines@clarionledger.com Clarion-Ledger, November 3, 2004

  63. Correspondence between Congressman George Miller and Attorney General John Ashcroft about alleged human rights violations of children in WWASPS facilities , 2003 - 2004

  64. Experts: 'Get Tough' Programs Don't Curb Youth Violence, By E.J. Mundell, HealthDayNews, October 15, 2004

  65. Teen-help operators have clout -- Family behind schools with checkered record calls in political favors, critics say , By Dan Harrie and Robert Gehrke, The Salt Lake Tribune, September21, 2004

  66. Baja raids shut boarding schools for U.S. teens , By Sandra Dibble and Anna Cearley, Staff Writers, UNION-TRIBUNE, September 11, 2004

  67. Safe Choices for Troubled Teens -- Residential treatment centers for troubled teens are plagued by allegations of abuse and ineffectiveness. But do anguished parents have an alternative? , By Anthony Meza-Wilson and Christy Harrison, August 12, 2004 Source: Questions.org at http://www.askquestions.org/articles/teens/

  68. Bethel failed two portions of inspection, By Antoinette Konz, Hattiesburg American, July 16, 2004

  69. BETHEL: Rehabilitation or child abuse?, By Sara Burnett, Daily Herald, July 11, 2004

  70. State agency investigates Bethel facility -- Report details alleged abuse, By Antoinette Konz, Hattiesburg American, June 11, 2004

  71. Mountain Park Baptist Boarding Academy: Schools close amid discipline questions, CNN.COM, May 31, 2004

  72. Former students, prosecutors question methods of some 'tough love' schools, By Cara Connelly, KY3 News (Springfield, MO), April 30, 2004

  73. Response to a scripture-quoting defender of spanking, Randy Cox, April, 2004

  74. Briscoe Memorial School: 'It was a truly brutal place' , By Janet I. Tu, Staff Reporter, Seattle Times, February, 16, 2004

  75. Child Marriage: An issue whose time has come, Compiled By Tom Johnson, November 10, 2003

  76. Kaufmann vs. Mountain Park Academy (7 Plaintiffs in this lawsuit), Case # 103cv00105cas, Filed in US District Court, Eastern Dist. of Missouri, Southeast Div., September 24, 2003

  77. Bethel Academy offers 'tough love' , Two Letters to the Clairion-Ledger, Mississippi, August 6, 2003

  78. Camp Hell - Children abused in the name of God, Correspondence from Johnny McPhail, June 12, 2003

  79. Lucifer's Brothers - A Memoir, By Casey, April 25, 2003

  80. No brother to me By Steve Boulton, The Guardian, April 23, 1998

  81. Remember the Christian Alamo, By Pamela Colloff, Texas Monthly, December 2001

  82. PUNISHED TO DEATH: Parents murder their 12-year-old daughter by hitting her 160 times with a 5-foot stretch of electrical cable, By Kirsten Scharnberg and Eric Ferkenhoff, Tribune staff reporters. Tribune staff reporter Rudolph Bush contributed to this report, Chicago Tribune, November 14, 2001

  83. Protestant Fundamentalism and Support of Corporal Punishment, By Anon. From Irregularity Dot Communique, received August 2003, date of publication unknown.

  84. Teen Busting, By Armelle Vincent Arriola, June 2001

  85. Parents Beware - Schools or "youth training programs" that absolutely should be avoided, Compiled by Jordan Riak , June 2001

  86. Acting on Faith: Desperate Parents; Unregulated Reform Schools in Missouri, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 19, 2002

  87. WHERE ARE THE CHRISTIANS WHO OPPOSE CORPORAL PUNISHMENT?
    An invitation from PTAVE, December 2002
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND COMMUNE

GOD TOLD HER TO PADDLE CHILDREN

Lucille Poulin

THE BRANCH DAVIDIANS

Coercion, Conformity, and Kids From the Waco Cult, By Jack Kyle Daniels and Bobby Gilliam, Reclaiming Children and Youth , Vol. 6 No.3 Fall 1997

(South Africa) Welcome to Midlandia, a Christian care center/detention camp where patients reportedly are handcuffed and left sitting either in the hot sun or in the cold; they have to dig huge holes before receiving food, and are kicked and punched to "break down their rebelliousness".


SHACKLED
A fourteen year old patient from Noupoort Christian Care (Rehabilitation) Centre for drug and alcohol dependants shows how he himself was previously shackled in a cell in the "punishment camp" where Logan Klingenerg was found dead. Photo: JAMES OATWAY

  1. Noupoort managers lament 'sudden closure' , South African Press Association, October 06 2004

  2. Noupoort rehab centre probed, South African Press Association, June 6, 2004

  3. Outrage over boy's chain death

  4. Hard labour, assault at camp 'in Jesus' name'

  5. Inside rehab detention camp

MISCELLANEOUS
  1. Abuse Charges Hit Reservation Church-Run Schools Cited In Wide-Ranging Lawsuit, By Sharon Waxman, Washington Post, June 2, 2003

  2. (Florida) Pastor given jail time for spanking, By Michael A. Scarcella, Herald Tribune, December 31, 2002

  3. (Kansas) Third person is charged in death of KCK boy, By Robert A. Cronkleton and Mark Wiebre, Kansas City Star, January 3, 2003

  4. (Kansas) KCK church voices support for pastors accused of killing son, By Kevin Hoffmann, The Kansas City Star, January 2, 2003

  5. (Kentucky) 2 school officials acquitted of abuse -- Jury's quick verdict pleases supporters, angers boy's parent, By Alan Maimon, The Courier-Journal, October 19, 2002

  6. (Canada) Judge backs CAS seizure of spanked children -- St. Thomas parents used the scriptures to defend discipline, By Christie Blatchford, National Post, October 12, 2002

  7. Arcadia religious reform school accused of abuse in lawsuit, The Herald Tribune, July 10, 2002

  8. Biblical beating kills girl: cops, By Maureen O'Donnell, Ana Mendieta and Annie Sweeney, Staff Reporters, Chicago Sun-Times, November 13, 2001

  9. Hare Krishna Schools Sued--Federal Suit Involves 44 Plaintiffs Alleging Abuse, By Julia Campbell, abcnews.com, June 12, 2000

  10. Mother defends 'shaming' at church, By Jessica McBride, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, July 15, 1998

  11. Nation of Islam, Dallas, Texas -- Guards at Mall Escape Flogging Indictment, The New York Times, June 28, 1995
Canadian Parents' right to beat children v. government's obligation to protect them

  1. Canadians from sect flee to U.S. over right to spank, By William Clairborne, Washington Post and Houston Chronicle, August 2, 2001.

  2. Spanked kids returned to parents, Written by CBC News Online staff, July 27, 2001

  3. Court ruling keeps seven Aylmer kids from going home, By Stephanie Cesca, Free Press Reporter, London Free Press, July 10, 2001

  4. Spanked children to stay in foster care, Written by CBC News Online staff, July 9, 2001

  5. "There has to be pain," church says, By Randy Richmond and Jonathan Sher Toronto Sun, July 7, 2001

Brainwashing and Re-Indoctrination Programs in the Children of God/The Family
By Stephen A. Kent, Ph.D. and Deana Hall, M.A., University of Alberta
THE NORTHEASE KINGDOM COMMUNITY CHURCH OF ISLAND POND
  1. Cult and child-beating, By Dudley Clendinen, New York Times, July 1, 1984

  2. Have We Lost The Children?, Editorial: The Weekly Journal, Orleans County, Vermont, June 27, 1984
REV. ARTHUR ALLEN
  1. New warrants out in House of Prayer case, By Steve Visser and Jill Young Miller, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 8, 2003

  2. Reprieve Issued for Church Members, WXIA-TV Atlanta, March 5, 2003

  3. Pastor, Followers' Date With the Law, By Mike Stevens, WXIA-TV Atlanta, March 3, 2003

  4. House of Prayer's preacher leaves jail, By Jill Young Miller, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, January 26, 2003

  5. House of Prayer may lose 7 children today, 11 News, May 8, 2001

  6. Inside the House of Prayer, By Alan Judd and Jill Young Miller, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, April 22, 2001

  7. Child Abuse at a Church Creates a Stir in Atlanta, By David Firestone, The New York Times, March 30, 2001

  8. Judge rules beatings in church are abuse, takes children away, Associated Press, Houston Chronicle, March 29, 2001

  9. Kids in Foster Care After Abuse, Associated Press, By The Associated Press, March 28, 2001

  10. Church members defend spanking--Testimony by kids is expected today , By Alan Judd and Charles Yoo, Staff Writers, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 28, 2001

  11. Minister has prior conviction for beating--He's released from jail in latest case, By Alan Judd and Jill Young Miller, Staff Writers, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 22, 2001

  12. Pastor, 5 followers arrested in child beatings, By Joshua B. Good and Ron Martz, Staff Writers, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 21, 2001

  13. Church faces abuse probe over whipping of children, By Alan Judd, Staff Writer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 17, 2001
School Principal Michael Wetton: A Career in Spanking
Word of Faith Fellowship
    Mom can keep kids in church enclave, but judge critical of Spindale community By John Woestendiek, The Charlotte Observer, September 14, 2000
JAMES DOBSON, PH.D.
  1. THE KING OF PAIN, Chapter 6 of Republican Gomorrah by Max Blumenthal, 2009, Nation Books, NY

  2. How to bring up boys who can't think clearly -- A review of James Dobson's Bringing Up Boys: Practical Advice and Encouragement for Those Shaping the Next Generation of Men, Reviewer: Joseph L. McCauley, Amazon.com, January 12, 2006
    SOURCE: http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A17E7K3MQ5KKR5?ie=UTF8&display=public&page=5

  3. How James Dobson changed my life, By Chip Wilson, May 6, 2006

  4. Preacher or behavioral scientist: Dr. Dobson needs to make up his mind, By Ralph S. Welsh, Ph.D., ABPP SOURCE: Connecticut Psychologist, Newsletter of the Connecticut Psychological Association, Winter, 2006, Vol. 59, Number 4, page 6.

  5. Dobson Panned -- A collection of readers' reviews of The New Strong-Willed Child, 2005

  6. A very dangerous man, Rev. Thomas E. Sagendorf's letter to Senator Ken Salazar about Dobson, May 19, 2005

  7. Rev. Thomas E. Sagendorf reviews James Dobson's The New Dare to Discipline , Amazon.com, February 24, 2005

  8. Would you trust this man alone with your dog?
    Commentary by Chris Dugan on James Dobson's treatment of the family pet.

  9. Focus on the Family promotes painful spanking
    The Institute for First Amendment Studies, August 25, 1997

  10. Advice of violence-prevention professionals compared to advice of James Dobson
    Compiled by Eric Perlin
    A critical look at the evangelical right's leading proponent of violent authoritarianism in the family, Dr. James Dobson, through quotes from his best-selling publications. In this material, Dobson's admonitions are juxtaposed for easy comparison to the advice of experts in the fields of domestic violence and child-sexual-abuse prevention.

  11. The dope on Dobson
    Excerpt from David H. Bennett's PARTY OF FEAR: The American Far Right from Nativism to the Militia Movement.
EZZO
  1. Unprepared to Teach Parenting? Two churches long associated with Babywise author Gary Ezzo denounce his character and fitness for Christian ministry, Kathleen Terner, ChristianityToday.com, November 13, 2000

  2. Babywise Publisher Plans Contract Cancellation -- Multnomah editor now considers Ezzo book "dangerous", By Corrie Cutrer, ChristianityToday.com, March 23, 2001

  3. Sears on Ezzo

  4. "Babywise" advice linked to dehydration, failure to thrive By Matthew Aney, M.D.

  5. Beware of dangerous advice! By Elizabeth Pantley

  6. Babies Aren't for Breaking
    By Melissa Dribben, from Philadelphia Online-The Philadelphia Inquirer, City & Region, June 23, 1997

  7. Getting Wise to "Babywise", by Katie Allison Granju, Salon 1998

  8. EZZO-FIED!, by Katie Allison Granju, from BestFed.com

  9. Storm over smacking children 'for God', By Jo Revill, Health Correspondent, Associated Newspapers Ltd., October 29, 1999

  10. For Christ's sake, put a stop to smacking, By Richard Reeves, The Guardian (London), October 31, 1999

  11. Renae Bonnett, mother of three, comments on Ezzo
VICTORY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

Secrets of the School House

A plastic rod for use on infants and children

"Rods are for Chastening--Full one year replacement guarantee against breakage with proper use"

REV. DONALD R. COBBLE, JR.

WITHOUT EXCEPTION, KIDS SHOULDN'T BE HIT, by Anne Driscoll
(Rev. Donald R. Cobble Jr. uses the soft end of a belt on his son's clothed buttocks)

REV. MACK FORD
The Abduction and Rescue of 14-year-old Matt Gries from preacher's compound
  1. Rev. Mack Ford, man of God By Alan Clendenning, Associated Press Writer, from Yahoo News, May 13, 1999

  2. Fighting to rescue grandson from a Louisiana preacher's cruel detention compound, By Lou Kilzer, Rocky Mountain News, November 1, 1998

  3. Religious beatings are recalled--Women say abuse was part of life when they were held inside preacher's compound, By Lou Kilzer, Rocky Mountain News, November 3, 1998

  4. Students join effort to free Matt Grise--Review of Baptist center begins after students call White House, By Lou Kilzer, Rocky Mountain News, November 5, 1998

  5. Coloradan denied visit with grandson--After traveling two days, woman, 70, spurned in bid to see boy, 15, at harsh Louisiana compound, By Lou Kilzer, Rocky Mountain News, November 27, 1998

    For more articles concerning religion-related abuse of children, see files marked with R on The Newsroom.

  6. Detention center loses fight--Lawsuit pitched; Louisiana preacher holding Colorado teen will face inspection, By Lou Kilzer, Rocky Mountain News, December 6, 1998

  7. Teen freed from church compound--Lawmaker helped to get court order, Associated Press, The Gazette, December 13, 1998
See A KINDER, GENTLER RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVE ON SPANKING
See Spanking, Sex and Solomon


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