Mother Faces Possible Jail Time For Baptizing Children

Submitted by Matt on Sun, 2012-04-01 16:31

Article here. Interesting case. My own commentary is in the Comments section. Excerpt:

'NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Shelby County mother is facing contempt-of-court charges and possible jail time for baptizing her two children without the knowledge or consent of her ex-husband.

This week the Tennessee Court of Appeals said Lauren Jarrell must face a criminal contempt hearing for violating a court order that said major decisions regarding the religious upbringing of her two children should be made jointly with her-ex-husband.

The mother and her ex-husband, Blake Jarrell, are both Christian — he’s a Methodist and she’s a Presbyterian.

Court records say the father thought the children should be baptized once they are older. He has asked that his ex-wife be found in criminal contempt for baptizing the children without his knowledge or permission.'

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Comments

To me, this isn't about the baptism as such. It's about the father's right to make decisions regarding his children that are respected under the law; not that his rights should be exclusive to the mother, but that both parents ought to carry veto power over the other regarding decisions that are not fundamental to the child's life and well-being. I know, this is a religious ritual that like other such rituals some believe is indispensable to the child's well being. That's fine to believe that, I have no objection there, especially as this particular one does not involve inflicting injury onto the child (such as with circumcision). Be that as it may, in this and other decisions that are not mandatory to maintain the child's life and relative happiness and security, what I object to is the lack of consideration for the father's wishes. Religious rituals fall into that category along with such things as where o send the kid to school, etc. Most times now in cases like this, mom's desires trump dad's every time.

And sociologists lean back and scratch their heads, wondering why so many men aren't marrying or seeking to have kids nearly as much as they used to!

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Submitted by Matt on Sun, 2012-04-01 16:33