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How much power does a judge really have?

StPaulHusker

By StPaulHusker,
in Politics & Religion

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StPaulHusker Offensive Coordinator

StPaulHusker

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A Tennessee judge has ordered parents of a baby to change the child's name from Messiah to Martin because "that title was earned by only one person, and that person is Jesus Christ."

 

Can a judge really do this? The parents are going to appeal the decision. Do they really have to?

 

It seems that the judge stepped over the line a bit here. Thoughts?

 

 

 

 

http://www.foxnews.c...m-at-odds-with/

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strigori Blackshirt

strigori

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A Tennessee judge has ordered parents of a baby to change the child's name from Messiah to Martin because "that title was earned by only one person, and that person is Jesus Christ."

 

Can a judge really do this? The parents are going to appeal the decision. Do they really have to?

 

It seems that the judge stepped over the line a bit here. Thoughts?

 

 

 

 

http://www.foxnews.c...m-at-odds-with/

The judge needs to be disbarred. He is endorsing a religion from the bench, and using it as the means to make his decision, which clearly flies in the face of the First Amendment.

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JJ Husker Head Coach

JJ Husker

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Sounds like everyone involved in that is too stupid to have the responsibilities they have.

 

^^^This.

 

"Child Support Magistrate Lu Ann Ballew ordered the name change last week, according to WBIR-TV . The boy's parents were in court because they could not agree on the child's last name..."

 

Can you spell dysfunctional? I knew thatcha could. The magistrate clearly overstepped but I suppose when dealing with crap like this everyday, it might be tempting to do something that you feel would be in the childs best interest instead of just playing along with people who likely should not be parenting a child. I would be in jail if I had to deal with "system" people on a daily basis.

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zoogs Head Coach

zoogs

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NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/17/us/in-the-name-of-god-or-baby-messiah-competing-claims-of-religious-freedom.html?_r=0

 

On the other hand, last year a New York judge refused to allowa couple to change their family name to ChristIsKing. The judge argued that allowing certain names could infringe on the religious liberties of others, and he offered the example of a court employee forced to call out a name with a religious message.

 

There's an interesting other side to this argument that I wouldn't have considered before reading this. They even argue the Tennessee judge could have instead ruled for a name change in order to protect religious freedoms (i.e, so that atheists won't be subjected to having to call a man 'messiah'). I don't really agree with that but then again, I've never met anyone named Rejoice ChristIsKing either.

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knapplc Legend

knapplc

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The right of someone not to have to speak a religious name ends at my right to name myself whatever religious name I choose. Their freedom from religion can't infringe on my religious freedom. The greater harm would be to the religious person having their freedom of religion infringed upon.

 

There are a bunch of Hispanic dudes named Jesus out there. Tons of Muslims named Mehdi. We're going to force them to change their names because they use the name of their savior? Or does this just count for specific religions/ethnic groups?

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StPaulHusker Offensive Coordinator

StPaulHusker

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I could even understand a judge not allowing a name change however stupid their reasoning is long before a judge making parents change a child's name. Unless of course the name was derogatory or publicly offensive. This judge clearly stepped over the line. I just feel bad for the family that will have to spend money on lawyers to appeal this.

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Conga3 Four-Star Recruit

Conga3

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This is actually a fascinating sub-topic within the overall discussion of individual's freedoms.

 

The freedom to choose your name (or child's name), however, is rather low in the totem pole freedoms that we cherish and want protected. Absurd names can quickly become burdensome to society, and judges do have the job to smack down the wackos and idiots who make extraordinary attempts to break societal conventions and be weird for the sake of being weird and causing problems.

 

I actually don't have a big problem with the judge's action. I say 'action', because not allowing "Messiah" for a kids name, which might make life a bit more difficult for a kid with clearly dysfunctional parents, probably falls within the norm of the weird things judges see everyday and make attempts to regulate using their best judgement. The reasoning given for the decision by the judge (that we are fed in the article remember) is beyond incompetent.

 

The judge sounds like a baffon -- But I'm a regular consumer of news and I've come to realize the whole story is rarely told when a more abbreviated and controversial version can be sold.

 

If that story didn't have the 'pro-Jesus' type comments made by the judge, it'd never have made national news. An atheist judge could have easily made the same decision simply on the grounds that it's a name that could cause controversy and it's not in the best interest of the kid.

 

My guess - this sort of stuff happens all the time. The only reason we are reading about this story is it evokes the sort of reaction strigori had.

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