Tennessee Judge Forces Child's Name Change

A Tennessee judge has ordered a baby's first name changed from "Messiah" to Martin, saying that the only true messiah is Jesus Christ, a ruling the boy's mother promises to appeal, a Tennessee television station has reported.

The parents of Messiah DeShawn Martin went before Tennessee Child Support Magistrate Lu Ann Ballew because they could not agree on the 7-month-old's last name.

Ballew instead last week ordered the baby's name changed to Martin DeShawn McCullough.

"The word 'messiah' is a title, and it's a title that has only been earned by one person, and that one person is Jesus Christ," Ballew told WBIR.

Ballew, who could not be reached for comment on Sunday, said the child would likely struggle with his given first name because he lives in Cocke County, a predominantly Christian area in eastern Tennessee.

"It could put him at odds with a lot of people and, at this point, he has had no choice in what his name is," Ballew said.

"I didn't think a judge could change my baby's name because of her religious beliefs," Martin said.

Christianity refers to Jesus as the Messiah, while Judaism uses the term to mean an anticipated saviour of the Jews. Dictionary definitions say the word can mean one who is seen as, expected or professes to be a saviour or liberator.

Messiah was the 387th most popular name for boys born in the United States in 2012, based on applications for Social Security cards filed with the U.S. Social Security Administration.

In all, there were 762 applications for boys named Messiah in 2012, up from 368 applications in 2011, the Social Security Administration said.

Initially, I thought the judge had done the right thing as the child's life could be made a misery with an inappropriate name - until I read that in Judaism, the term means 'an anticipated saviour of the Jews'. But wouldn't that also be problem by assuming your child is going to a saviour?

Did the judge do the right thing?


http://uk.news.yahoo.com/tennessee-j...2.html#i9TZ46y

Re: Tennessee Judge Forces Child's Name Change

This is going down the same road as the Muslim faith when they forbid images of Allah etc, I don't support either TBH. As we all have to make our own minds up about Faith etc we should not be judging others on their stances.

Having said that some fundamental sects should be judged.

So I think I will sit on the proverbial fence on this one !

Re: Tennessee Judge Forces Child's Name Change

I thought you were allowed to call your child anything you wanted.

Some children are named Jesus, and in some religions the name Mustafa means "the chosen one".

Where is this all going to lead

Re: Tennessee Judge Forces Child's Name Change

This is ridiculous... Of course a parent should have the right to name their kid anything they wish... BUT.. I am certainly not surprised.. Especially since it's a Southern judge. The Far Religious Right is neck deep into our politics and policy. They are hell bent and determined to turn our democracy into a Theocracy. Never mind that not ALL Americans are Christian.. and we and NOT a Christian country as per the Treaty of Tripoli of 1796..


It's getting really scary here with the Religous fanatics forcing their views on everyone else. They are as dangerous and the Islamic fanatics.

Re: Tennessee Judge Forces Child's Name Change

Fanatics in any religion are pretty scary.

Re: Tennessee Judge Forces Child's Name Change

It's going to lead to a Far Religious Right patroling our streets just like the Taliban forces it's view in Islamic countries. It's dangerous. Our constitution is predicated on the separation of Church and State. However this factor keeps infringing on this and pushing for legislation that promotes their religious views. It's very bad and must be stopped. We can only do this at the ballot box.

Re: Tennessee Judge Forces Child's Name Change

Absolutely!

Re: Tennessee Judge Forces Child's Name Change

Religion - piff. When are people going to grow up .

Re: Tennessee Judge Forces Child's Name Change

Why do so many atheists have to be so unpleasant ? when I didn't believe it was enough that I didn't I didn't feel I was more grown up than anyone else and certainly didn't feel I had to rubbish anyone else's Faith.

Re: Tennessee Judge Forces Child's Name Change

The only good thing about religion is that it provides plenty of fodder for discussions. But just like a lot of fodder needs to be excreted eventually or it bungs up the works .