I never got even an inkling that the school administrator who paddled me had any sexual interest, but of course I've heard other, darker stories from people who are sure their corporal punishment had a sexual element to it.

I mean look at it this way, there I was – at 11, 12, and 13 – alone in a small room behind closed doors with a man in his 30s. With my pants pulled down.

I don't know what was going through his head while he looked at my undressed body and hit me with a paddle. I didn't question it, because everyone "knew" God wants adults to do that to children.

No wonder sexual abuse was rife in the Southern Baptist world. I say "was," but I'm not so sure.

Lots of private Christian schools today follow very similar practices, though I sure would hope they know better than to allow a man alone in a room with a boy like that anymore.

That's part of what Tyger's P&P essay is about: American Evangelical Christians are fighting to be able to continue this practice.

If the man had a sexual or sadistic interest in children, he sure was in the right job, wasn't he?