The facts of the case could make either the mother or father's point of view accurate - although the custodial parent should have deferrence on this vital question. Those facts we may never know.

My daughter lives primarily with her mother and is being raised Baptist. I am a devout Catholic. Because she primarily lives with her mother I try to focus on the similarities of our two belief systems (which are many). To put a child in the middle of a religious dispute will probably push the child away from religion altogether (both now and when they are older). My daughter (who is 17) has turned out remarkably well and she debates me on religion quite a bit (in a respectful manner). I am not afraid of her falling astray and becoming a Brittney Spears knot head. Of course, I would love to see her develop her faith more deeply and will probably talk to her more once she is away at college and at a higher maturity level.

Also of note, if I was adamant about her being Catholic maybe I would have conducted my life a bit better when I was younger and would be married to her mother and not have a child in a split family situation. Hopefully, my daugher will learn from mistakes. I certainly point them out to her. Unfortunately, my life is a good example for her of what not to do. I like to think that at least it has a happy ending.

Seemingly, the point being expressed here by either parent is not a case of the child's welfare, bui rather using her as a "pawn", in their dispute with one another.

this story is funny in sooo many ways. however, for a citizen to enact legal channels to impose religion on a child is ridiculously funny.

no matter though - both religions are on their way out ...this will be a story to remind us of why.

The social contract he had with his wife was broken. It is a shame that the parents sought to bring the state into their family's affairs, especially since both religions teach that the family trumps the state. Once the mother has to deal with a few social workers, she will rue this move.All the same, he should have honored HIS promise to raise the child Jewish in so far as she was taken to temple etc. That being said, he is within his rights to teach his child about the Jewish roots of Christianity

Let the child be raised in both faiths. Both are good faiths and the child will have a more balanced view on life. The parents should tell their child that she is lucky. She is both Jewish and Catholic. When she becomes an adult she can make up her own mind.
Finally, on the last comment, be assured both faiths will be alive and well until the end of human history.

Why go to court for something like this. All the parents have to do is go back to the scriptures and read the story of the two mothers fighting over a child. Each mother claimed the child to be hers. And what did Salomon say when the case was presented to him, "Split the child in two ,so that the two mothers could have their share ." And what did the real mother say in horror. "No, let her have the baby so he can be safe!" And what did Salomon say, "She is the true mother!"
Such wisdom can be applied here. Stop fighting over religion and do what's right for the child. And.......LOVE-LOVE-LOVE!!!
Thank you

Why not raise the child unencumbered by delusional superstitions, so that when she reaches an age where such decisions could be made from a more rational perspective, she will be able to make this critical choice without having ridiculous programming, as a child, cluttering up the thought process? We are all born Atheists, which is the natural state from which to begin the search for truth.

To add to the kookyness factor...What do you want to bet the judge is a Christian?.
This world is truly out of wack. They put all sorts of indecent images in front of children and then try to keep a child from Church. Truly kooky.

I see no evidence in the story linked to that such an order was ever issued. The mother has requested one and the father has disputed it.

If this couple were married in the Catholic Church, the non-Catholic party should have been notified that the child would be baptized and brought up Catholic. The Catholic party had to promise that he would rise this child, whom God has entrusted to his care, in the faith revealed by that same Lord and God, Jesus Christ. If all this was talked about before hand, then why is it an issue now? Let the child be Catholic, it's simply Judaism with the Messiah. Oh yeah, and if the child was baptized, then she is Catholic already. No court can prevent her from practicing her faith. Shalom Yeshua.

Aren't the wonders of a multicultural society just amazing to behold? I bask in the enrichment that diversity has brought us!

In a sane community, people share heritage, culture and religion, and grow up with a familiarity which allows them to choose a mate they will be compatible with on a personal level, while the shared culture guarantees their compatibility on a societal level. The wreck that is this relationship mirrors the wreck that is American society. If you want to solve these problems, ignite a few brain cells and don't allow them to occur in the first place. Marry among your own.

Robert Little brains, we are all born Gods children. As parents it is our responsibility to teach our children about God. Grow a brain would you, and while you're at it, change your heart and save your soul.. God is reality, a good working definition of insanity, is to be out of touch with reality!

William - The second you produce this god creature of yours, and PROVE that its nature is exactly as you perceive (and seemingly want to force on all of us), the sooner I will take your position seriously. Until such time, it is nothing but superstitiously derived drivel.

Pascal said it is far better to believe in God, and there be no God. Then to not believe in God, and there is a God.

If the girl lives with her father then he should make the ultimate decision. This just Big Brother overstepping its bounds yet again to force 'diversity' down our throats. I bet the judge is a Jew.

"We are all born Atheists" Robert do you have some proof for that or is that simply part of your dogma?

ravensfan - We are born with no beliefs at all, including your god beliefs. Atheism is the freedom from delusionalism, which we don't get until it is shoved down our throats after we are born, so yes, we are all born Atheists, until we are corrupted. You keep asking for proof of things which cannot be denied, which seems to be your pattern about everything except your stinking superstitious beliefs, which you swallow unchewed and unexamined, with no proof at all.

Actually, the judge in this case, Edward Jordan, is Jewish and the former president of the Jewish Bar (the Decalogue Society).

Gunther,
So you have made your great discovery and you want us all to have our "ha, ha" moment. And we have had it. What next? It is the child who will go to pot with her parents at each other's throat over what god she should worship, when, where and how. The father of this kid should have known that in Judaism children are automatically raised in the mother's faith. The man ceded his religion away when he married a woman of the Jewish faith-- the same with Islam--in fact most Muslims insist on conversion of the other party to their faith before marriage. That is why religion--man made and no more--is divisive and incendiary. Have no god, enslave yourself to none, call no man a god or an avatar of one, subscribe to no myths about being saved or an after life you can only guess at, savor the moment folks, dump these god concepts in garbage cans, let your children run free and don't waste a moment fighting over whose faith is superior to whose or whose faith should win out in a game of chicken--all faiths are the same--cause for heart burns--restrictive, primitive, meaningless and utterly redundant to
the scheme of things--Where was I? No where before this. Where am I going? Nowhere after this. Where am I? In the here and now am I, alone, joyful, unencumbered by fears of gods or demons-- the figments of the terror of men about extinction, their preoccupation and their obsession with death, gods are rude intrusions--give your children the gift of disbelief, freedom from the shackles of faith--both these parents are asses--if there were no religion this child would not be a bone of contention, in the mouths of the god believers and faith submitters.
Ravensfan Anon

The judge is a Jew, see http://www.crimefilenews.com/2009/12/chicago-judge-steals-christmas-from.html

Robert – I only ask for proof when you make statements you claim to be factual. You made the statement we are born atheists. How do you know this? I haven’t seen any scientific study that supports what you said. How do you know that just as someone is born homosexual or heterosexual that they aren’t born with a feeling or lack of feeling of God’s presence? They may not know how to express it or what it means. Why is it I need to prove what I say, but your statements of fact require none. If you want to state something as a fact support it otherwise it’s nothing more than your own opinion. Your pattern seems to be holding your own narrow viewpoints as established facts and then challenging those who oppose you to prove it or question why your facts require support. You seriously need to open your mind. You have no monopoly on truth in religion or social issues.

ravensfan - In as much as god concepts are just a made-up pile of crap, there is no reason to believe we are hard-wired to believe in such crap from, or before the moment of birth. If that was the case, wouldn't we all be born with an inborn, or divinely placed belief in the one true god. You are now officially spouting nonsense and defending it with inanity.

Robert – That’s your opinion not a fact. I’m spouting anything simply questioning the validity of the nonsense you spout as fact. I didn’t state what I said as factual like you did. I simply suggested another possibility. Your view on God is also nothing more than an opinion not a fact. Say it as many times as you like, insult me as many times as you like and it still doesn’t change the reality that unless you can provide factual evidence for what you say it’s nothing more than your opinion. Only a fool would suggest their views are factual without something to support it with. Since everyone isn’t born heterosexual why would you think everyone would be born an atheist? You are real piece of work you attack others for not supporting their beliefs then make up your own and lecture us on them as though they are established facts. Anyone daring to question them is then subjected to having to prove you wrong. They should put your picture next to the word hypocrite.

There is a good deal of evidence that the tendency to be a homosexual is hard-wired into the individual during their prenatal development, and NONE to suggest that a propensity towards god belief is any more preordained than the sports team one ends up supporting. The argument you are using against me could be used by anyone, to attempt to discredit anyone, and anything that is uttered anywhere by anybody. It is circular, it defies the rules of logic and because you assert so much that is unfounded regarding religious beliefs, that your side are trying to make the rest of us treat with a level of respect they clearly do not merit, I can only resort to telling you flat out that you are full of you know what. You are a set in stone delusionalist with Right-wing (and clearly unChristian) political and social beliefs, who will defend institutionalized superstitionist intrusion into the lives of people who don't share those beliefs. Keep your damn god out of our lives, out of our bedrooms and while your at it, get it off our money because we are getting sick of being preached to every time we reach into our pockets.

Robert – I’m not questioning the evidence being hard wired for homosexual tendencies. I’m questioning your statement that we are born atheist. Logic isn’t one of your strengths. A circular argument is where the consequence of the phenomenon is claimed to be its root cause. I actually don’t know if belief is hard wired or acquired. You are the one claiming it’s the latter as a matter of fact. Robert take my advice and stick to what you do best personal attacks. You have no evidence form any studies to support your position. Every person regardless of their beliefs or lack of them deserves to be treated with respect. It’s only your rage and blind arrogance and bigotry that keep you from comprehending that. You are the model of a left wing extremist who thinks he knows better than anyone else. That’s why you don’t discuss, or debate but insult and attack when questioned or challenged. If you want In God we Trust off your money do something about it I had nothing to do with it being there. If you weren’t such a thick headed bigot you’d remember I’ve agreed with you many times on separation of church and state. Your problem is you stereotype people, which causes you to accuse me of things I never said or supporting positions I don’t. I don’t need to defend anything to anyone least of all to you again that’s your arrogance and ignorance showing.

Ravensfan,
We are not hard wired to be atheists or the other way around, believers. But most of us are hardwired to fear the unknown, few of us are not hardwired to fear death, and most of us are born with an immense need to belong with others, to join a group, to gain acceptance from our fellow human beings-- we are also hardwired to seek masters-- the god concept fulfills a lot of these needs--an almighty to worship, someone to assuage our fears and care for us, the promise of an after life that ameliorates our revulsion for obliteration and belonging with so many others in houses of worship--those who reject the god concept are hard wired differently, they are unafraid of vacuums--coming from one or going to one-- they don't care if they don't belong with large groups, they shrug off the rejection of the majority and they don't like masters--even divine ones. The way we are hardwired determines our character and how we cope with the vicissitudes of life--some can only cope with a crutch, others choose to slog at it alone. The latter call god a myth and the former will perish without god.
Ravensfan Anon

Anon – There is some truth in what you say, there is also wrong error as well. Some who believe fall into your assessments others don’t. Some are atheist for other reasons as well. I believe the need to belong is something we all are born with. That’s why through much our existence we have lived in groups be it cities, empires, towns, villages or whatever other names have been used throughout history. Hardwiring doesn’t completely explain us or how we cope as you put it with “the vicissitudes of life”. Our experiences and surroundings play a significant part in that as well. Hardwiring is just the starting point not the sole determining point in what we believe, what choices we make and how we cope with life.

Why isn't this miserable judge named? Why don't we know the identity of this black-robed idiot?

Quite possibly to protect him from wack jobs RegularGuy.

Rino following around is a load of laughs! Regular guy is quite irregular at the edges and jagged in his brain.
Ravensfan Anon