Applicant Emile Ratelband recently petitioned a Dutch court to change his official date of birth. Ratelband, a motivational speaker and hedonist, wanted his official documentation to match his state of mental and physical fitness, in which he claims to feel 20 years younger than he is.

Initially, he was motivated by online dating apps. “I feel much younger than my age, I am a young god, I can have all the girls I want but not after I tell them that I am 69,” Ratelband told French press agency AFP. “I feel young, I am in great shape and I want this to be legally recognized because I feel abused, aggrieved and discriminated against because of my age.” He added, “I am my identity.”

Alas, the court did not see it his way. Its published ruling read in part:

Amending his date of birth would cause 20 years of records to vanish from the register of births, deaths, marriages and registered partnerships. This would have a variety of undesirable legal and societal implications … there are other alternatives available for challenging age discrimination, rather than amending a person’s date of birth.

Potential Preaching Angles:

We cannot change objective reality just by declaring it so. And we don't need to be afraid of aging, for as we walk with God we gain wisdom and maturity.

Source:

Natalie Musumeci, “Man loses bid to change his birth certificate so he can pick up women on Tinder,” New York Post (12-03-18)