Seriously, how do you do this?

[conuly]

How do you introduce yourself as Mr. Jesus Christ while keeping a straight face? How do you deal with the comments that are sure to follow? How the hell do you get a judge to agree to this when I know for a fact you can't get your name legally changed to, for example, Empress of the Universe? I'd really like to know.

Comments

[ladyshrew.livejournal.com]

How did you find out you can't get it changed to Empress of the Universe?

[conuly]

Nothing interesting - I read it in the NYTimes. There's guidelines to "why a name change can be refused" and one of them is "no titles".

[ladyshrew.livejournal.com]

I see. They need to revise it so you can't be God or the son of God either. :-P

[theshiversbaby.livejournal.com]

I didn't know that! It's odd that they didn't recognize "Christ" as a title. Newsflash, American legal system - "Christ" was Jesus' title (according to Christians), not his last name...

[precia.livejournal.com]

"Christ" is allowable because it is a name. Jesus is also a name. Christ was a certain Jesus's title, but if you're not that particular Jesus, it's not a title, it's a name.

A rarely used (in America), Greek name, but still a name.

[theshiversbaby.livejournal.com]

Ah, makes sense. I didn't consider it from that angle. There are lots of names in English which mean something like "fair one" or "strong one" or "God's little princess" or what have you, but they're obviously not titles, either. I had just never heard of the name "Christ" (Kristos? Christos?) before. Thanks!

[conuly]

I did not know that! My apologies.

[precia.livejournal.com]

The more you know. *little shooting star dealie*

But I'm sure there are still plenty of ways to argue that while technically it's just two names, there's certainly a different intent. I don't think they'd stand up in court, though.