Mormons don't want you calling them Mormons anymore

[JimLes]

https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/17/us/mormon-church-name-trnd/index.html

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is embarking on a rebranding effort of sorts.

The church, commonly referred to as the Mormons, really wants people to stop using that word. It also wants people to stop using LDS as an abbreviation. From now on, it prefers that people use the church's full name, and when a shortened reference is needed, to just use "the Church" or "Church of Jesus Christ."

Now, I was thinking before I read this that I actually do avoid saying Mormon and generally try to say LDS, but apparently, that's not cool either. I generally avoid using the word Mormon around LDS members, but have been force to use it around others because around here, most people don't know what that stands for.

The avoidance of the abbreviation sounds odd. It's like when I was at university, and my frat had this crazy thing about how our letters couldn't just go anywhere and we had to spell out the name of the frat on "regular" things.

Also, the idea of saying "the Church" is confusing. Among all the Christian denominations, there's only one I ever think as an infidel when I hear "the Church." And it's headed by this guy:

Anyway, do any of our LDS members on here care if people say Mormon? Does it matter much?

 

[DutchJazzer]

geez pepole ar eos sensitvie these days!

what do they wanna be called then!

 

[DutchJazzer]

come to think about it dont call me dutch or a jew. cal me one of the chosen people! and my fellow jews should be called the chosen people or TCP

disclaimer: this is a joke. hope nobody attacks me for having lowest iq here. like that guy did for making a joke in another thread. and now he is afraid to put his money where his mouth is

 

[Gameface]

This, in my opinion, is an attempt to more closely link the LDS church with the marketing power of Christ. They want people to always mention Christ when they mention the LDS church. That's what this is. It was revelation.

 

[Siro]

Ya, not calling it the church. How silly.

 

[jope]

So what happens to Mormon.org? Or the Mormon tabernacle choir? Or “meet the Mormons”? Or the “I am Mormon” movement?



How often is this going to happen?

“Oh sorry, I can’t drink that, it’s against my religion”

“Oh really, what religion?”

“The church of Jesus Christ”

“Oh phew, for a second I thought you were a Mormon”

 

[Siro]

So what happens to Mormon.org? Or the Mormon tabernacle choir? Or “meet the Mormons”? Or the “I am Mormon” movement?



How often is this going to happen?

“Oh sorry, I can’t drink that, it’s against my religion”

“Oh really, what religion?”

“The church of Jesus Christ”

“Oh phew, for a second I thought you were a Mormon”

Nope, just a church of Jesus Christ-er. Never shorten it. Very hurtful.

 

[Stoked]

https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/17/us/mormon-church-name-trnd/index.html



Now, I was thinking before I read this that I actually do avoid saying Mormon and generally try to say LDS, but apparently, that's not cool either. I generally avoid using the word Mormon around LDS members, but have been force to use it around others because around here, most people don't know what that stands for.

The avoidance of the abbreviation sounds odd. It's like when I was at university, and my frat had this crazy thing about how our letters couldn't just go anywhere and we had to spell out the name of the frat on "regular" things.

Also, the idea of saying "the Church" is confusing. Among all the Christian denominations, there's only one I ever think as an infidel when I hear "the Church." And it's headed by this guy:

Anyway, do any of our LDS members on here care if people say Mormon? Does it matter much?

I was raised Mormon but do not participate at all. My entire extended family is active Mormon. Not a single one has ever said anything about being called Mormon. Many of them self describe that way.

 

[colton]

For what it's worth, this isn't the first time this has happened. I remember maybe 10-15 years ago there was an effort to have members and others stop using the word Mormon. At that time I think it was because of a bunch of "Mormon fundamentalists" in the news, i.e. polygamists like Warren Jeffs. While it makes sense to disassociate ourselves from people like that, it always seemed somewhat silly to me. As others pointed out above, they didn't change the name of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. And they didn't stop using the website mormon.org. So the efforts back then didn't really do much. This current announcement seems much the same to me. As my college English teacher liked to frequently point out, language usage is a democracy and the majority is always going to win.

 

[Jack Strop]

Referring to the organization as "the Church" seems odd. But I do understand the attempt - again - to bring "Christ" into the equation. So many people, especially outside Utah, do not believe Mormons/Latter Day Saints believe in Christ. And the slang terms have done nothing to dispel that confusion. It may as well be called the Church of Joseph Smith or the Church of Mormon.

I used to live in an area in CA that was predominantly Baptist. Most thought of Mormons as non-Christian. And whether you believe in "the Church" or not - and I won't disclose where I am at on that spectrum - Mormons definitely believe in Christ. The tenets may be slightly or greatly different from other Christian faiths, but it is definitely a religion founded upon a belief in the Holy Trinity. Unfortunately, so many people, whether through ignorance or the teachings of their religious leaders, have misconceptions about Mormons' belief in Christ. Hence the effort, yet again, to re-emphasize the correct name of "The Church of Jesus Christ..."

I don't think "Mormon" or "LDS" isn't cool anymore, I just think the leaders want people to think of the Church as being Christian, first, followed by the natural question of why are members also called Mormons or LDS?

 

[Gameface]

Many people don't consider LDS people to be Christian. I think this is an attempt to more closely link the LDS church with Christianity outside the LDS community.

And as much as I say antagonistic things about the LDS church I have made a habit of referring to it and it's members as LDS because I felt that was more respectful, but this mouthful, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints"? Sorry, but no. And to say the "Church of Jesus Christ"? Again, sorry, but no. I want people to know what I'm talking about.

I mean I could shorten it to CJC, but I don't think that's going to catch on.

 

[JFFR]

For what it's worth, this isn't the first time this has happened. I remember maybe 10-15 years ago there was an effort to have members and others stop using the word Mormon. At that time I think it was because of a bunch of "Mormon fundamentalists" in the news, i.e. polygamists like Warren Jeffs. While it makes sense to disassociate ourselves from people like that, it always seemed somewhat silly to me. As others pointed out above, they didn't change the name of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. And they didn't stop using the website mormon.org. So the efforts back then didn't really do much. This current announcement seems much the same to me. As my college English teacher liked to frequently point out, language usage is a democracy and the majority is always going to win.

I’m Mormon and don’t mind being called Mormon.

I remember when they said something similar, it was around 2000 or 2001. I went on a church activity to a corn maze in Reno. There were about 20-30 of us and while we were waiting in line there was a small group of people behind us who asked us if we were a church group. Usually I would have said, “Ya, we’re Mormon” but we’d been told to stop going by Mormon, so I said “Ya, we’re members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.” I remember their blank stares... so I just said, “people know us as Mormons.” And they were like “Oh! Okay!”

Personally, I’m fine with being called Mormon. I can’t imagine anyone getting offended by it. I think the reason they want to move away from the name is because polling has shown people don’t know what Mormons believe and aren’t even sure if we are Christian. This is a bigger deal in countries where there is a bigger missionary effort and less familiarity with the church. People not familiar with us might think we worship Mormon instead of Christ.

So it’s kind of a marketing move, but it’s to show our faith is centralized in Christ.

Whether or not I’ll do a good job of it... well, it’ll be tough.

 

[Jack Strop]

...so I said “Ya, we’re members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.” I remember their blank stares... so I just said, “people know us as Mormons.” And they were like “Oh! Okay!”

Personally, I’m fine with being called Mormon. I can’t imagine anyone getting offended by it. I think the reason they want to move away from the name is because polling has shown people don’t know what Mormons believe and aren’t even sure if we are Christian. This is a bigger deal in countries where there is a bigger missionary effort and less familiarity with the church. People not familiar with us might think we worship Mormon instead of Christ.

So it’s kind of a marketing move, but it’s to show our faith is centralized in Christ.

Whether or not I’ll do a good job of it... well, it’ll be tough.

Exactly what I think the Mormon leaders are after. And I wouldn't just say it's a bigger deal in other countries. It's an issue right here in 'Merica. I'll bet Donald himself doesn't know if Mormons are Christians.

 

[JimLes]

Most thought of Mormons as non-Christian. And whether you believe in "the Church" or not - and I won't disclose where I am at on that spectrum - Mormons definitely believe in Christ. The tenets may be slightly or greatly different from other Christian faiths, but it is definitely a religion founded upon a belief in the Holy Trinity. Unfortunately, so many people, whether through ignorance or the teachings of their religious leaders, have misconceptions about Mormons' belief in Christ.

I don't think people are ignorant of whether or not Mormons believe in Jesus, so much as they have a narrower view of what Christianity is. Many evangelicals don't consider Catholics to be Christian, and Eastern Orthodoxy is as foreign to some as Islam is.

And I mean, I can see the point, too. The tenets of LDS differ greatly from the tenets of mainstream Christianity. This isn't like how the Orthodox and the Catholics argue over whether the Pope is the boss of the Patriarch of Constantinople or whether the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone or from the Father and the Son. There's a whole extra book in play here and a whole host of other major theological differences. I mean, I would compare that to the difference between Judaism and mainstream Christianity or mainstream Islam and the Druze. There's no doubt the latter developed from the former, much like the Latter Day Saints developed out of mainstream Christianity, but I get upset when those Jews for Jesus people call themselves Jews. They're just Christians who don't like bacon for some reason. Sure, they still believe in the Jewish god, but I don't think that alone makes them Jews. I think same goes for the belief in Jesus.

 

[candrew]

"The Church" sounds creepy.

A little Kool-Aidish...

 

[Gameface]

"The Church" sounds creepy.

A little Kool-Aidish...

There are a few different places in the U.S. where you can say "the Church" and it's widely understood which church you're talking about.

 

[colton]

Referring to the organization as "the Church" seems odd.

In my opinion that would be for subsequent referrals in a news article where the church has already been identified by the long name. It would make sense to call it more simply "the Church" after that.

 

[colton]

Many people don't consider LDS people to be Christian. I think this is an attempt to more closely link the LDS church with Christianity outside the LDS community.

And as much as I say antagonistic things about the LDS church I have made a habit of referring to it and it's members as LDS because I felt that was more respectful, but this mouthful, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints"? Sorry, but no. And to say the "Church of Jesus Christ"? Again, sorry, but no. I want people to know what I'm talking about.

I mean I could shorten it to CJC, but I don't think that's going to catch on.

Speaking for myself, you're still welcome to refer to me as LDS.

And for what it's worth, I do prefer "LDS" to "Mormon" when talking about me personally, although I certainly wouldn't take offense at being called a Mormon. I guess I view Mormon more as an adjective than a noun, for whatever reason.

 

[JimLes]

In my opinion that would be for subsequent referrals in a news article where the church has already been identified by the long name. It would make sense to call it more simply "the Church" after that.

I would also think that if you say "the Church" in Utah, and especially rural Utah, there'd be no confusion as to which church you're talking about. Obviously different in other places.

 

[The Thriller]

Will they change the name of that movie that came out a few years ago, “Meet the Mormons”?

Will it now be, “Meet the Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints”?

Doesn’t have the same ring to it...