Separation of church and state group backs parents of boy named Messiah

[rug]

The parents gained the support of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, which wants the actions of Judge Lu Ann Ballew investigated and punished if she showed religious favoritism. Ballew had told Jaleesa Martin and the father of her 7-month-old son Messiah that they had to change his name because only Jesus Christ was the Messiah.

By Trudi Bird / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Friday, August 16, 2013, 8:32 AM

A not-for-profit organization that supports the separation of church and state wants an investigation into a Tennessee magistrate for ordering a baby's name be changed from Messiah to Martin.

The Freedom from Religion Foundation says it also wants possible "discipline" for Judge Lu Ann Ballew, who it said in a news release, showed religious favoritism by ordering the name change, stating that only Jesus Christ had earned the title.

The parents of the seven-month-old boy had originally gone before the child support magistrate in Cocke County Chancery Court because they couldn't agree whose surname he should have.

But Ballew was more concerned about the baby's first name - Messiah.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/freedom-religion-foundation-joins-messiah-baby-name-fight-article-1.1428617

http://ffrf.org/images/ballew_letter.pdf

[Drale]

1. I would be surprised if this was not overturned by another judge

within 5 minutes of that judge looking at the case.

[rug]

2. I agree, especially since Messiah is trending as a popular baby name with the Social Security Admin.

http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/rankchange.html

I would also be surprised if the magistrate is not disciplined.

[cbayer]

3. This judge was so out of line.

I was told by hospital personnel that I could not give my children a hyphenated last name.

I refused to sign the birth certificate and they relented.

Anyway, people should pretty much be able to name their children what they want, though I support the judge who told one set of parents they couldn't name their child Hitler.

[rug]

4. What bureaucratic crap to deal with after giving birth.

[cbayer]

5. Don't even get me started about the fight over not having

my boys circumcised.

[cleanhippie]

6. I'd love to know the reasoning you were given as to why you had to do it.

I'm glad to hear that you prevailed.

[hrmjustin]

7. The judge should be removed from the bench.

[struggle4progress]

8. Ms Martin and Mr McCullough ended up in front of the judge, squabbling about whose last name

their baby would use

The judge ordered the baby be given her last name Martin as first name and his last name McCullough as last name, so the baby would be called Martin McCullough

Problem solved! The kid's name includes both parents' last names, and the problem before the court goes into the circular file in the corner of the judge's office

Who cares if the judge's comments on changing the first name seem somewhat bullshizz? The whole frickin dispute is bullshizz!

The dispute, of course, could have been resolved equitably in all manner of ways, but all are equally undeserving of our attention: the judge's actual solution is completely fair

FFRF has no meaningful interest here, being unharmed in any way by the assignment of the name Martin McCullough to the child

[cbayer]

9. I disagree that the judge's solution is fair.

If you want your child to have your last name as their last name, using it as a first name does not resolve the problem.

The only fair resolution is to give the child a hyphenated last name.

[struggle4progress]

10. Personally, I myself prefer that solution with the order resolved by a coin flip but

such cases aren't resolved by popular vote: they're resolved judicially

[cbayer]

12. Surnames can be meaningful.

In many cultures, names are routinely combined.

My kids have hyphenated last names and it's worked out well for them.

[struggle4progress]

13. The case isn't worth further attention IMO

The judge is paid to resolve such petty disputes

[eomer]

16. So the name, then, would be Messiah Martin-McCullough.

The initials would be MMM, which when dialed on a phone is 666. Just saying.

I know this because I've had to sign my name over the phone using the first 3 digits of my last name and those 3 digits for me are 666.

[okasha]

11. To start off with, the judge is factually wrong.

A good many Biblical persons are referred to as (a) messiah, including the pagan Cyrus of Persia. Choosing a name that would leave the kid with a nickname of "Messy," though, might have benefited from a little more thought.

Unless it's been changed, Texas has a law that does not permit a parent to give a child a name that will invite ridicule. This is perhaps the only lasting legacy of the late Governor Hogg, who called his children Ima, Ura and Hesa.

[Evoman]

14. Geez, I'm glad he doesn't live in South America or Mexico.

The alarming number of Jesus' would blow his fucking mind. Or, being an ignorant fuckhead, he would probably think their name was haysoos.

[rug]

15. UPDATE: Judge fired.

Better late than never.

[hrmjustin]

17. Glad she was fired.

[rug]

18. Here's the most recent link.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/04/us-usa-tennessee-judge-idUSBREA131UE20140204

Missed you around here.

[hrmjustin]

19. I needed a little break from this room and DU but I am ok now.

[rug]

20. Glad to hear it.

[hrmjustin]

21. .