" A bastard is a child born out of wedlock, so the term is appropriate."

Thank you Pogue Mahone. That is all I meant by bastard - its true simple meaning. I guess the concept of being a bastard has carried so much stigma for so long that the word has become an (often inaccurate) insult and people (including most on this forum) have imbued it with extra meaning. I, of course, meant in this simple factual context with no baggage or implied insult.