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

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

Quite right, the government should have the duty and the right to protect it from parents who do not have the decency to give the child a name that does not make it bullied and ridiculed.

Messiah is not an suitable name for a child.

Nonsense. As it is the kid's exposed to being called Marty Farty. Messiah is fine, call him Mess for short. Judge should be disciplined.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

You live in the Netherlands I see. This means you have NO concept of self sovereignty. If you did you would be saying the same thing the Americans are mostly saying, the judge is full of crap.

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

Maybe, but if he was Latino his name might be 'Jesus'. Do we want a judge to say it can't be?

Actually, Jesus is a name. Whereas, Messiah is a title. You would be surprised to know how many people actually think Jesus's last name is Christ. LOL! Christ is a title too.

I also agree that this is a terrible name to put on a child who has no say in the matter. It will lead to a life of ridicule that he did nothing to deserve.

But, that being said, it is not my place, your place, our place or the courts place to interfere with the wishes of a parent as to what they want to name their child. To me, this is a blatant violation allowing a judges religious convictions to determine the name of someone else's child.

But it's Alabama. It really doesn't surprise me.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

Why not? What's wrong with Messiah? Plenty of Spanish men are called Jesus. Plenty of Italians are called Santo (meaning Saint). Plenty of Spanish women are called Immaculada Concepcion (Immacualte Conception). Heck, plenty of Spanish women are called Mercedes, like the car. I don't see what the probem is with Messiah as a boy's name.

Jesus is a name that is acceptable in the Latino community and is a name that as you say is given to plenty of Latino men.

And I would think a child named Messiah will be bullied and will have issues his whole life if he had been named Messiah.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

So should we have the judge change a kids name from "Peter" to something else? I mean he might get bullied or ridiculed by being called "Dick" another name for your peter. Sorry, but kids bully and tease REGARDLESS of the name, so this is a lame excuse for a judge to get involved in the naming of a kid.

The excuse might be lame but I think it is in the child's best interest to not be named Messiah as the first name. I could care less if it was is second name.

He could have been called Micaiah Messiah ........ or Matthias Messiah ....... but Messiah as the first name is a name that will be reason for bullying.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

And I would think a child named Messiah will be bullied and will have issues his whole life if he had been named Messiah.
Meh.

Warning: We interrupt this program to give caution that there will be a politically incorrect statement forthcoming.

I doubt he would be bullied much, if at all. He's a poor black kid in a poor black community (according to other reports I have seen), and given some of the patently ridiculous names that are given to kids in these communities, "Messiah" is actually pretty tame and unalarming. At least one can spell it and pronounce it.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

The excuse might be lame but I think it is in the child's best interest to not be named Messiah as the first name. I could care less if it was is second name.

He could have been called Micaiah Messiah ........ or Matthias Messiah ....... but Messiah as the first name is a name that will be reason for bullying.

Or he can call himself by his middle name - DeShawn
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

Jesus is a name that is acceptable in the Latino community and is a name that as you say is given to plenty of Latino men.

And I would think a child named Messiah will be bullied and will have issues his whole life if he had been named Messiah.

That doesn't make any sense. Jesus is ok because it's culturally acceptable in the Latino community, but Messiah is not? What's the difference? Both names refer to the same biblical person.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

The excuse might be lame but I think it is in the child's best interest to not be named Messiah as the first name. I could care less if it was is second name.

He could have been called Micaiah Messiah ........ or Matthias Messiah ....... but Messiah as the first name is a name that will be reason for bullying.

You said you didn't mind the judge changing the name to prevent ridicule and teasing. So are you supportive in a judge saying that "Dick" shouldn't be a first name?
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

Jesus is a name that is acceptable in the Latino community and is a name that as you say is given to plenty of Latino men.

And I would think a child named Messiah will be bullied and will have issues his whole life if he had been named Messiah.

The kid will just as easily be bullied with Martin. Or, pick a first name. What determines the coolness or geekiness of a name follows a formula that seems only comprehensible to children. Had a student named Thomas Hawk and another named Chipper Monk, neither were ever teased about it. However, other kids with names like Martin were teased. Go figure. Oh, and the principal of the first school I taught at, his name - General Scott Davies.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

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.

You call it 'we live where we are mere subjects, rather than people with a free will' judging. We do not want that, and there is a reason we fought to get away from it.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

You said you didn't mind the judge changing the name to prevent ridicule and teasing. So are you supportive in a judge saying that "Dick" shouldn't be a first name?

I support this judge for rocking the name giving boat. Whether the decision stands is to be seen, but I do not understand the drama. The child was not harmed by giving him a proper name, he is healthy and will not be aware of all this name BS.

A new judge will possibly give him back his first name but maybe this will kick start a discussion about proper naming and the rights of children to be given a name that would not ensure ruthless bullying.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

I support this judge for rocking the name giving boat. Whether the decision stands is to be seen, but I do not understand the drama. The child was not harmed by giving him a proper name, he is healthy and will not be aware of all this name BS.

A new judge will possibly give him back his first name but maybe this will kick start a discussion about proper naming and the rights of children to be given a name that would not ensure ruthless bullying.

Nice avoiding of my actual question. I'll try again, since you are concerned about a child being teased or ridiculed for his first name, do you support a Judge ruling the name "Dick" as inappropriate? And if not, why? The kid will be teased and ridiculed for his first name in that instance.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

You said you didn't mind the judge changing the name to prevent ridicule and teasing. So are you supportive in a judge saying that "Dick" shouldn't be a first name?

"Dick" is not usually the full official name on the birth certificate. It is normally used by choice.

I am not aware of it ever being an official name, but I'm sure that if you perused all the birth certificates in the world, you'd probably find one somewhere.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

Nice avoiding of my actual question. I'll try again, since you are concerned about a child being teased or ridiculed for his first name, do you support a Judge ruling the name "Dick" as inappropriate? And if not, why? The kid will be teased and ridiculed for his first name in that instance.

My first job was working for a guy named Dick, Richard officially. He had a 2 yr old son. Richard Jr. Cute and happy-go-lucky kid. Always smiling and laughing. He and his wife called him "Dickie".

He was 2 yrs old, he didn't know any better. I cringed every time they did that and predicted his first week of Kindergarten was going to be pure hell.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

So should we have the judge change a kids name from "Peter" to something else? I mean he might get bullied or ridiculed by being called "Dick" another name for your peter. Sorry, but kids bully and tease REGARDLESS of the name, so this is a lame excuse for a judge to get involved in the naming of a kid.

I knew a guy whose name was "Richard Dick". His honest-to-God last name was Dick and his parents still named him Richard. (He lived up to his names too.)
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

I knew a guy whose name was "Richard Dick". His honest-to-God last name was Dick and his parents still named him Richard. (He lived up to his names too.)

I had a boss named Richard Head and nobody dared call him the shortened version and keep their job.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

You call it 'we live where we are mere subjects, rather than people with a free will' judging. We do not want that, and there is a reason we fought to get away from it.

I do not live "where we ware mere subjects", I live "where we are free people living in a respectful society governed by laws" just like the US is governed by laws and the constitution.

UN convention on the rights of the child. The US may not have ratified it but has signed it.

Article 3

1. In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.

2. States Parties undertake to ensure the child such protection and care as is necessary for his or her well-being, taking into account the rights and duties of his or her parents, legal guardians, or other individuals legally responsible for him or her, and, to this end, shall take all appropriate legislative and administrative measures.

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

Nice avoiding of my actual question. I'll try again, since you are concerned about a child being teased or ridiculed for his first name, do you support a Judge ruling the name "Dick" as inappropriate? And if not, why? The kid will be teased and ridiculed for his first name in that instance.

No, Dick is a proper name and may get some bullying but it is not like the child is called Messiah. My brother in law is called Dick and I do not have an issue with that name.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

This judge should go. There is no way that she should have changed the kid's first name. It was absolutely not her place.

I personally like the name Messiah. I don't know what everyone's problem is with it. And most children would not care. Those that would need to learn not to be so easily offended.

It can't be any worse than "Apple" or "Sage Moonblood" or "Tu Morrow". (In fact, I've teased my brothers that one of them should name their child "Mercedes" because of our family name.) Or how about any of these real baby names from last year?

http://www.today.com/moms/har****-abass-worst-real-baby-names-6C10141004
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

I had a boss named Richard Head and nobody dared call him the shortened version and keep their job.

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

"Dick" is not usually the full official name on the birth certificate. It is normally used by choice.

I am not aware of it ever being an official name, but I'm sure that if you perused all the birth certificates in the world, you'd probably find one somewhere.

We're not talking usual, I'm using a real example. My step father's name was Dick (Not Richard) on his brith certificate. That is why I am using that as an example.
 
Re: Tennessee Judge orders baby's name be changed from 'Messiah'

I do not live "where we ware mere subjects",

When the government has a system set up that requires you to register a kids name and get it approved, yes, you do. No matter how much you want to believe you do not.

UN convention

The UN is a damn joke. Anyone that defers to them for any issue is not being serious.

This judge decided to take the child's best interest as her guideline.

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

No, Dick is a proper name and may get some bullying but it is not like the child is called Messiah. My brother in law is called Dick and I do not have an issue with that name.

But you said you thought the name should not be given because the child would be ridiculed and teased. The name Dick is the same thing. Your logic is flawed. I don't fault you for hating the name "messiah" (I do too), but having the courts involved is just stupid if you're using the reasoning for it because the child will be teased.
 
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