Reply #15: No, I don't think the characterization is proper at all

[Azathoth]

I think its projecting external bias onto the situation. Most fundies believe it is the man's job to discipline his wife. It's in the Bible for god's sake. That's what they preach in their churches. Hell, in his own mind, the guy probably thought he was doing a good thing, since he spanked her because she wanted to sacrifice one of her children. I see nothing in the article to suggest that the guy made a habit of being capricious or attempting to "lord" anything over her. All I see is a not-to-bright guy who seems to be off in his own religious fantasyland.

A pathological degree of control and domination over a spouse is how I would phrase it.

Because he spanked her once? Come on. The guy's a fundie idiot, but this is hyperbole of the first order.