"Devilish" battle with social security

While searching through a box of old stuff I found this humerous newspaper clipping from a few years ago. I thought I'd post it here for your amusement.

A couples 1-year old daughter finally got rid of the mark of the beast-- the 666 part of her Social Security number.

The Orange County, Calif. couple have been warring for months with the Social Security Administration to get a new number for religious reasons.

"Christians are supposed to refuse the mark of the beast,"

said the mother, 30, a pharmaceutical company representative. The 666 reference is found in Revelation 13:18. It's a common theme in santanic movies such as The Omen.

However at the Social Security Administration, a 1994 policy prohibits changes sought for religious, cultural or superstitious reasons. Numbers 666 and 13 prompt most requests for changes.

"When we saw the couples case was even being discussed in the Ann Landers advice column, we knew it was a big-time headache,"

said the regional Social Security spokesman in San Francisco.

"The commissioner said to give the couple's baby a new card and we'd worry about the rules later,"

said the spokesman. The agency sent the new card. In light of this case, the commissioner has called for a policy review.

The couple felt so strongly about the 666 number that they did not claim their daughter on income tax forms. They will file an amended return with the new number.

Later,
Kenaz