• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Tenn. judge changes infant's name from 'Messiah'

Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

Arbo said:
There are a lot of terrible choices for names. But that's not the point. A clear mixing of religion in government where it does not belong. I didn't pay enough attention to see what sort of judge it was (appointed or elected), but the judge should no longer be one, anywhere, ever.
Click to expand...

I personally like L-a, pronouced La'Dasha. ;)
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

Peter King said:
This judge decided to take the child's best interest as her guideline. As said, another judge might change that decision but until then I do not see how this harms this child if it is called Martin for a short time in his life. There are worse things that can happen.
Click to expand...

The Judge did no such thing. She didn't care about the kid's interests at all. All she cared about was the religious sensibilities of some fundie Christians. She refused to allow the name because, supposedly, there is only one Messiah and this kid is obviously not worthy of Jesus' title.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

roguenuke said:
There are plenty of bad names out there, but this is America (at least where this story is) and people can name their children anything they want and Messiah is certainly not a bad name, not nearly as bad as other names children have here.
Click to expand...

After Frank Zappa named his kids Moon Unit and Dweezil, I knew it couldn't get any worse, unless you wanna call them Duck Drop Soup or Crap Bag?
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

grip said:
After Frank Zappa named his kids Moon Unit and Dweezil, I knew it couldn't get any worse, unless you wanna call them Duck Drop Soup or Crap Bag?
Click to expand...

Princess Consuela Bananahammock and her husband, Crap Bag
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

Arbo said:
No, the judge decided to use her religious bias to rule on a case, and changed something that was not part of the case. She went above and beyond to push her religious beliefs upon others.
Click to expand...


Exactly. Could you imagine if a Muslim judge in the US changed the name and spouted some religious bs? Would the same people defend it?
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

Arcana XV said:
The Judge did no such thing. She didn't care about the kid's interests at all. All she cared about was the religious sensibilities of some fundie Christians. She refused to allow the name because, supposedly, there is only one Messiah and this kid is obviously not worthy of Jesus' title.
Click to expand...

I don't think Messiah's a terrible name. As we've seen, there are plenty worse, but I'm with Peter in saying that parents don't have the right to saddle a kid with a name that's going to leave them open to ridicule or violence. Like the poor kid of this piece of work:

Heath Campbell: White supremacist who named his son Adolf Hitler proposes to girlfriend in full Nazi regalia | Mail Online

Should a judge be able to step in and prevent this kid having to arrive at school and answer to Adolf-Hitler Campbell?

Again, I'm not talking about this specific case, but about the general point of protecting a child from bat-s**t parents.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

Andalublue said:
I don't think Messiah's a terrible name. As we've seen, there are plenty worse, but I'm with Peter in saying that parents don't have the right to saddle a kid with a name that's going to leave them open to ridicule or violence. Like the poor kid of this piece of work:

Heath Campbell: White supremacist who named his son Adolf Hitler proposes to girlfriend in full Nazi regalia | Mail Online

Should a judge be able to step in and prevent this kid having to arrive at school and answer to Adolf-Hitler Campbell?

Again, I'm not talking about this specific case, but about the general point of protecting a child from bat-s**t parents.
Click to expand...

Wait one minute, you agree with a guy named "Peter" that parents shouldn't be allowed to give their children names that open them up to ridicule? Hilarious! :lamo
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

clownboy said:
Wait one minute, you agree with a guy named "Peter" that parents shouldn't be allowed to give their children names that open them up to ridicule? Hilarious! :lamo
Click to expand...

I'm sure that's very funny in Oregon. I assume over there Peter is a euphemism for a penis? Over here it's Willie, Dick, John Thomas, Pepe, Fat Albert and Frank('n'Furter). That judge is going to be busy!
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

Andalublue said:
I don't think Messiah's a terrible name. As we've seen, there are plenty worse, but I'm with Peter in saying that parents don't have the right to saddle a kid with a name that's going to leave them open to ridicule or violence. Like the poor kid of this piece of work:

Heath Campbell: White supremacist who named his son Adolf Hitler proposes to girlfriend in full Nazi regalia | Mail Online

Should a judge be able to step in and prevent this kid having to arrive at school and answer to Adolf-Hitler Campbell?

Again, I'm not talking about this specific case, but about the general point of protecting a child from bat-s**t parents.
Click to expand...

I don't have any issue with Adolf on its own, but I'll agree that putting it together with Hitler as a middle name is asking for trouble. Sometimes it may be necessary for government to intervene and just refuse to allow certain names on a birth certificate. Swear words as first names, for instance, I'd be okay with banning those too. But Messiah? Nowhere near in the same league.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

CanadaJohn said:
Irrespective of the issues in this case, I don't believe that parents have a purogative to name a child as you claim. I don't believe any jurisdiction would allow you to name your child f***er, or n***er, or aintnowhiteasshonky, or some others that come to mind. I consider some names that parents chose to be a subtle and sometimes not so subtle form of child abuse.

Children have civil rights and just as the government/courts can step in if you're not educating your child they can step in for other child protection reasons if the parents aren't protecting and raising their child properly.
Click to expand...

I am old school when it comes to children in that they are essentially property till they reach the age of majority. After that they the children do as they please change their names and tell their parents to go to hell. Till then the parents have essentially absolute authority with VERY little area of interference by government and then only if it's criminal activity or life or death. Anything other as far as I am concerned is verboten. I wouldn't tolerate interference that's for damned sure. That's bring out the artillery time and go to war, no quarter expected or granted. You don't interfere with the raising of children without EXCEPTIONAL reason. The governments notion of proper raising of children has changed over the years. One should not be subject to fads or notions when it comes to child rearing.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

Peter King said:
I have both concept of self sovereignty but also live in a country that has sovereignty but also respects the rights of the child.

This judge showed a good heart and decided with compassion for the child, and let's not kid ourselves that child would have been tormented by bullies in his childhood.

The reason the judge gave is stupid but the results is fine IMHO. And this judge did not go and change his name out of the blue, the parents had started this court case because of issues with the name giving and that gave the judge the opening she needed to protect the child by changing the child's name. Also, the mother says she will appeal so we will have to wait and see if the ruling stands. I hope it will because Messiah is a poor excuse for a name.
Click to expand...

Bullying is part of life. An essential part of life both being on the receiving end and dishing out. Its how you learn compassion and tolerance for others. Because you don't like it when its done to you. Its how you learn to stand for yourself despite getting your butt handed to you on a platter. Bloody noses, skinned knuckles and knees, and hurt feelings are all part of growing up, of gaining an essential character quality, intestinal fortitude. Some government hack shouldn't have the power to take away the opportunities to learn those things. Its just sad really that children today don't get to test themselves. That's part of growing up too.

As far as sovereignty, your country is, you aren't. That's a big difference. You don't think like a sovereign.

Respect is earned, NEVER given.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

Grand Mal said:
Get out. Do you really think a baby's name should be a matter of judicial revue?
Unless your name is Ziggy, Dweezel or Moon Unit you don't have a case.
Click to expand...

I was thinking more like Mercedes, Rain, or Apple. How about the new one, North?
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

What would the parents have called him for short?

You know like Billy for Bill

Messy for Messiah???
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

the judge should lose her position, and I would also favor jail for such actions

I have heard worse. Grew up with a family with a last name Hatch. One of their daughters was named Vodka. Although she would not confirm or deny, we were all told her middle name was downda. Vodka Downda Hatch.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

Peter King said:
So it is the parents right to torture their kid? I am sorry, some might call it activist judging, I call it common sense judging.
Click to expand...

They were not torturing their child, they named the child as they saw fit. There was NO criminal activity in their actions. They are free sovereign people who do as they see fight regardless of your or I's view of the matter. They went to the judge to resolve a dispute about which LAST name they were going to use as is proper in a dispute. What was improper was the judge deciding on a matter not in dispute and not relevant to the case at hand. The judge by all rights ought to be disbarred and their license to practice law revoked.

Side note. I wouldn't name my children Messiah, however I shouldn't be able to IMPOSE my view on these people because of a matter of preference. That's what freedom entails. Tolerance of stupidity of others so they, hopefully, tolerate your stupidity. Freedom includes the freedom to be stupid. Otherwise its not freedom.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

ARealConservative said:
the judge should lose her position, and I would also favor jail for such actions

I have heard worse. Grew up with a family with a last name Hatch. One of their daughters was named Vodka. Although she would not confirm or deny, we were all told her middle name was downda. Vodka Downda Hatch.
Click to expand...

I hope your making that up. That may be worse then a boy named Sue.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

Mason66 said:
What would the parents have called him for short?

You know like Billy for Bill

Messy for Messiah???
Click to expand...

Probably the short version would be Sigh I bet.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

Van Basten said:
Messiah is a terrible choice for a given name anyway. ;)
Click to expand...

That was my thought when my wife was reading this article out loud while she was on the computer.

At first I went "Oh god, it's going to be one of those cases wherep oeple name their child something horribly stupid"

then she got to the judge part and I was like

"wow.,...takes a lot to make yousrelf look even stupider than parents who named their kid 'messiah'"
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

grip said:
I had a boss named Richard Head and nobody dared call him the shortened version and keep their job.
Click to expand...

That's an awful lot of temptation. That would be very difficult for me to resist. In fact, wait for it..............Resistance would be futile. :mrgreen: Couldn't resist a Star Trek reference. It was futile. It would be difficult to keep a **** eating grin off my face for couple weeks. Hiya Di.. ahh Rich.

I wonder was he thinned skinned or had a rhino hide?
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

Zyphlin said:
That was my thought when my wife was reading this article out loud while she was on the computer.

At first I went "Oh god, it's going to be one of those cases wherep oeple name their child something horribly stupid"

then she got to the judge part and I was like

"wow.,...takes a lot to make yousrelf look even stupider than parents who named their kid 'messiah'"
Click to expand...

She was most definitely on a mission to prove she was the stupidest there that's for darn sure.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

Here's the thing...

If the Judge hadn't gone on about the "there's only one messiah" type of talk, I'd still think it was incredibly done but not be as over the top baffled by it because I do think in extreme circumstances where it's reasonable to believe the quality of a childs life will be significantly hindered due to the parents name.

However you'd be hard pressed to suggest to me "messiah" would fall in the realm of "Nigger" or "Arian Nation" or "Suck My Dick".

But the bigger issue is that through the statement the judge made it clear the ruling was being made, in part, on religious grounds and reasonings. That makes the very questionable decision become one that's beyond excusing.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

PirateMk1 said:
Bullying is part of life. An essential part of life both being on the receiving end and dishing out. Its how you learn compassion and tolerance for others. Because you don't like it when its done to you. Its how you learn to stand for yourself despite getting your butt handed to you on a platter. Bloody noses, skinned knuckles and knees, and hurt feelings are all part of growing up, of gaining an essential character quality, intestinal fortitude. Some government hack shouldn't have the power to take away the opportunities to learn those things. Its just sad really that children today don't get to test themselves. That's part of growing up too.

As far as sovereignty, your country is, you aren't. That's a big difference. You don't think like a sovereign.

Respect is earned, NEVER given.
Click to expand...

Yes, some bullying is normal but with a name like Messiah one can assume/imagine that bullying will be much more often and for longer than normally. Your views about teaching children how to have respect/compassion/tolerance and how to stand up for themselves is how kids were taught 50 to 100 years ago. It is an antiquated way of teaching children valuable life lessons.

And there is no government hack who wants to take opportunities away but who is charged with not unduly negatively torturing a child with a totally in-appropriate name like for example "Methadon Molly" or "Crack-Whore" and names like that. Parents should generally be totally free to name their children but there are boundaries and that has nothing to do with not thinking like a sovereign but with compassion and the right to children to not be punished for the stupidity of parents.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

PirateMk1 said:
That's an awful lot of temptation. That would be very difficult for me to resist. In fact, wait for it..............Resistance would be futile. :mrgreen: Couldn't resist a Star Trek reference. It was futile. It would be difficult to keep a **** eating grin off my face for couple weeks. Hiya Di.. ahh Rich.

I wonder was he thinned skinned or had a rhino hide?
Click to expand...


We actually had an employee (goofball) slip up and say "Hey, Mr Dick Head"....lol

He didn't laugh though I had to leave the room. He must of heard it all thru school and partially why he probably succeeded in life. ;)

You know regardless of what name your parents give you it can be changed for the most part by a nickname.

I can't tell you how many older guys whose parents named them things like Marion that changed it. I know a lot of guys with initials as there name like B.J. or Bubba or some such.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom