This story seems unreal in the United States of America. In short, Lu Ann Ballew, the Child Support Magistrate who serves the 4th Judicial District of Tennessee that includes Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson, and Sevier counties, renamed a Tennessee’s mother’s child’s name. She did this based on her own religious beliefs and the preponderance of the Christian religion in the child’s surroundings.
This is more serious than it seems on the surface. Many in the Right Wing get upset when they are compared to the Taliban, yet the type of control they attempt to take on the civil liberties and freedoms of citizens is immediately visible. The attempt in Tennessee and in various states governed by Right Wing politicians to pass laws against non-existent Sharia Laws as cover for their attempt at their own theocracy and ideological dominance is dangerous.
According to the The Tennessean the parents of baby Messiah were in a dispute over his last name. They went to court for a resolution.
The name change was part of Judge Ballew’s case; however, the parents did not think the first name would be changed. Judge Ballew ordered the 7-month-old’s name be “Martin DeShawn McCullough.” It includes both parents’ last names but leaves out Messiah.
“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,” Judge Ballew said. [Source]
The judge arbitrarily renamed the child’s name from Messiah to Martin. Will parents now have to seek permission from the state to choose their babies’ names?
In an interview on WBIR Channel 10 News the judge says
I thought out into the future. … The word Messiah is a title. And it’s a title that only has been earned by one person. And that one person is Jesus Christ. … It (the name) could put him at odds with a lot of people. And at this point he has had no choice in what his name is.
When the reporter asked the judge for her thoughts for children named ‘Jesus’. In the Latino culture many name their children ‘Jesus’ pronounced in Spanish as ‘hey sues’. The judge had the following non-response.
I thought of that as well. And that’s not relevant to this case.
Americans must start paying attention. Those that are accusing others of infringing on their freedoms are projecting. It is they who are attempting to infringe on the freedom of the masses. The various anti-women bills that are being fought against in Texas and other states are probative. Law enforcement methods that infringe on women’s person are probative. The denial by Governor Rick Perry of Texans ability to get healthcare that their tax dollars are paying for already via the expansion of Medicaid afforded by the Affordable Care Act is probative.
American citizens will eventually understand that there is a concerted effort to use smoke and mirrors to slowly erode their freedom, independence, and worth. This is the only way the Plutocracy continues as the working middle class gets less and less. These erosions of freedom enslave the mind that allows the acceptance of one’s own demise.
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“Messiah is a title which only one person has earned, Jesus Christ”- THIS IS FALSE; ALL THE KINGS OF ISRAEL WERE MESSIAHS- the word means the anointed one; there have been many anointed ones throughout the last 5 thousand years. This so called judge is enforcing religious beliefs as law in a secular nation.
Yup. She needs to get her definitions right and her religions out of the law.
What would you do if its a PAGAN involved, oh wait, Wiccans are terrible parents, let’s take the child away….geez, its up to the parent, not the judge to name the child….the case was over the last name, not the first. hmph, leave it to the Christians make all these screwy rules. I’m a Proud Pagan….glad I don’t live in THEIR state
Woah. Does this judge not know how many kids are named Jesus in Hispanic families? Is he going to try and make THEM all change their names? Oye.
Or Joshua in Christian and Jewish families, which is derived from the same name as Jesus? She’s also a bit confused about the history and evolving meaning of the term messiah. As far as the descendents of the people who invented the term are concerned, Jesus of Nazareth was not their messiah, and the people who believe he is are no longer Jewish. Always seemed a bit paradoxical to me.
the judge was practicing a separation of brain and common sense
I just love your comment
“The word Messiah is a title. And it’s a title that only has been earned by one person.”
In her opinion. In the opinion of the guy who wanders my subway train, he has earned that title. Who is the judge to say this child ISN’T the messiah. Hey?
Tennessee Taliban. Jesus would be happy. Christian is the Process, but does not mean that one is Anointed simply by some emotional declaration. But Tennessee should be aware that it takes a Taliban to make a Taliban. And the Death of Democracy is shown by her actions if nothing is done to correct this abuse of power.
Ridiculous. I’m not religious but I think it’s no one’s business this child is named Messiah. How many children are called Mohammed? That judge has no idea there is a separation of church and state. Get her off the bench.
I sure hope this is overturned in a higher court.
I can guarantee that it will be. Some lower court rulings are unbelievable.
What if someone had tried that with Mary?
What? WHAT??
The modern religious right = ignorance + stupidity.
IGNORANCE of the meaning of the Hebrew word “mashiach” and the concept behind it.
STUPIDITY of putting that ignorance into action
Everyone should take a breath. Just because someone does something stupid and it is posted on the Internet, does NOT mean that this will happen to everyone. There are appellate courts, and though this is a massive waste of resources, this is going to be overturned, hopefully with a rebuke of the judge for making a clearly unconstitutional decision.
Why put parents through the trauma and possible court expense for this idiocy?
has not this Tejas judge (sic) seen the many Hispanic youths who are named “Jesus?
I’ve had students from India who were named “Sri” I was told, by students, that Sri means “Mr.” So?
The world is larger than the few feet isolationist tribesmen like the judge inhabit.
And what if he is??
A friend of mine used to work for a juvenile court judge who told a young person before the court for a crime that he needed to change his first name b/c ‘no good would come of it’. However, I DO believe that he let the young man choose it’s replacement. Of course, THAT child’s first name was “Murder”.