It Is Okay To Call Ourselves Mormon

[MaidservantX]

http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menu..._&hideNav=1

Also, the church uses the name often enough, as in www.mormon.org.

Also, that anecdote of some past ancestor, who when asked if he was a Mormon, he replied something to the effect that, "Yes, true blue, tried and true, through and through." (I butchered this, somebody help me!)

I do when writing and speaking, especially with those who may not know, find all occasion possible to make sure what I consider my church to be: The Church of Jesus Christ (of Latter-day Saints). I say the name properly and it gives me great joy. You'll notice even on my profile I wrote out the name because I did not want to say Mormon or even LDS.

Still -- I am a Mormon. I always will be. I'm glad of it. I am even glad to culturally be a Mormon, if there even is such a thing anymore.

I know that President Benson sang the song joyfully (when he was the prophet?) "I am a Mormon boy!" I think there might even be a video of that.

[Guest Yediyd]

I don't find it offensive...I correct people when it is approprieate...and don't worry about it most of the time. I am a Christian, a daughter of Zion, a Mormon, an Lds, a redneck, and a Billery!!!!

[Guest Emma Hale Smith]

http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menu..._&hideNav=1

I'm no longer a member, but I still very much think of myself as a cultural Mormon, and I read President Hinckley's talk and loved the idea of a Mormon meaning "More Good." It is something Mormon I can apply to me.

I'm not all that bad, really.

Emma

[cchrissys1]

Ensign- may 1990 "Thus shall my church be called"

Ensign_dec 1983 "questions of general gospel interest"

ensign- april 1998 "the peaceable followers of Christ"

Gospel lesson 42 teachers manual, "book of Mormon Gospel"

Ensign Dec. 1983 "I have a question" Dean B. Cleverly states " when refering to members it is generaly better to say later day saints or members of the church rather than "Mormons.""

All say please don't refer to the church as "mormon". Try to limit using the nick name Mormon. www.mormon.org is set up for the world as an explanation and testimony. that's what a lot of them know us as for some wierd reason. They may need to be explained to that we are actually the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter day saints. I don't get offended to be known as a mormon i am proud of it just as anyone of the church should be. But that is not the point. they ( the people of the world) are much less likely to except the gospel of Jesus Christ with the word Mormon hiding it's beautifull light. They may want to join Jesus' Church, but not the mormon church. Members of the church don't count. it's the rest of the world we are responsible for that matters when using the word mormons, ect.

[CrimsonKairos]

I don't particularly care what I'm called, as long as the Church's beliefs aren't misrepresented by non-members.

[Guest Emma Hale Smith]

I don't particularly care what I'm called, as long as the Church's beliefs aren't misrepresented by non-members.

Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about you, CK.

Emma

[CrimsonKairos]

Much obliged. B)

[nvrslowdown]

So many people know what a Mormon is so I find myself telling my peers that I am 'LDS.. many call us Mormons.' I bet that is why we have mormons.org. I wonder though if the name is the reason we constantly get asked if we are Christian. I understand many consider Christians only those who believe in the Godhead as only one being and thus say we are not Christian because of it, but I bet we aren't doing ourselves any favors when calling ourselves Mormons.

I don't get offended by it, I just think we are not giving true credit to Christ by calling ourselves Mormons.

[prisonchaplain]

I try to call people whatever they want. For example, I'm "pro-life," and do not appreciate being called "anti-choice." By the same token, I will respectuflly call those on the other side "pro-choice."

Within a religious context, it gets difficult. Baptists (especially Southern) insist their churches are not "Protestant." They never "protested" the Catholic church, and tie their roots back to John the Baptist. It's an interesting distinction, and may have historic merit. However, most people understand "Protestants" to be "Non-Catholic Christians." Indeed, within many corrections systems, they are conflated under the Protestant category.

Likewise, most non-LDS understand that your church does not worship Mormon. We know you share with the rest of Christianity the same characters and Scripture, but have some unique understandings--and that Mormon played a role in those distinctives.

I will use the "LDS" tag, since I am aware of the preference. However, once again, corrections systems will still use "Mormon," and the general public will indeed more easily find mormon.org than lds.org.

It's taken me about 20 years, but "African-American" now rolls off my tongue more easily than "Black." So, there's hope.

[the_jason]

I know the Church uses the term "Mormon", but I've never been comfortable with it. When asked my religion I do not say "Mormon" just because that's what the world knows us by. I say I'm a Latter-day Saint. After I see the confused looks on people's faces I say, "We're commonly referred to as 'Mormons'."

My humble opinion.

[Palerider]

I have been called alot of things in association with this church....and you can call me alot of things....but don't tell me i belong to a cult....GGGGGrrrrrrrr

[Guest Yediyd]

I know the Church uses the term "Mormon", but I've never been comfortable with it. When asked my religion I do not say "Mormon" just because that's what the world knows us by. I say I'm a Latter-day Saint. After I see the confused looks on people's faces I say, "We're commonly referred to as 'Mormons'."

My humble opinion.

The_Jason, that's exactly what I do!!! I love the confused expression!!! I think I would miss it if I moved to Utah...

I have been called alot of things in association with this church....and you can call me alot of things....but don't tell me i belong to a cult....GGGGGrrrrrrrr

My mother STILL insist's that I'm in a cult....Gerrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!

[prisonchaplain]

I have been called alot of things in association with this church....and you can call me alot of things....but don't tell me i belong to a cult....GGGGGrrrrrrrr

For an interesting and informative look at the usage of this four-letter word, see the following:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/cults.htm

[miztrniceguy]

I have been called alot of things in association with this church....and you can call me alot of things....but don't tell me i belong to a cult....GGGGGrrrrrrrr

don't you know what the green jello is for?...we're gonna all eat that instead of drink grape kool-aid!

[Guest Yediyd]

[prisonchaplain]

<div class='quotemain'>

I have been called alot of things in association with this church....and you can call me alot of things....but don't tell me i belong to a cult....GGGGGrrrrrrrr

don't you know what the green jello is for?...we're gonna all eat that instead of drink grape kool-aid!

BTW, here's an actual script for one of Jim Jones sermons, prior to them leaving California:

Jones: I want you to be gods as I am god. I tell you, I'm God Almighty God!"

Lady in the audience: Amen! Praise Jesus!

When I first heard this clip, in the early 1980s, I was more dismayed by the lady than Jones. Most of these people came out of Bible-believiing churches. Apparently a growing, diverse, 'happening' church, with a charismatic leader, who had the ear of the city council, was more important that something as mundane as doctrinal orthodoxy.

Yeah, the People's Temple--now that was a cult.

[FrankJL]

Speaking of nutty cults...

Lets not forget Heaven's Gate

Mass suicide with poisoned applesauce, all perfectly lined up on beds in black with clean new identical nike shoes..

All for what?

They were going to meet the "spaceship" behind comet halley-bopp...

Now those people are true nut cases...

[Guest bizabra]

When I was a young mormon grasshopper, I was taught to proudly consider myself a MORMON. There was none of this meally mouthed LDS stuff back then. We were MORMONS and that was that!

Why would it be a bad thing to be called a mormon? It is the name of a very important person to tTHE CHURCH. He is represented on the tops of all the temples! He was a very righteous dude!

I believe that this push to replace MORMON with LDS is part of THE CHURCH'S PR plan to represent itself as more mainstream christian. The idea being that mormon is somehow too reminiscent of the "olden days" of THE CHURCH, and the current leadership is trying to distance itself from those days.

If it could, I think the leadership would send the whole CHURCH history down the ol' "memory tube" and forget about Brigham Young, the Danites, Porter Rockwell, polygamy, The Mountain Meadows Massacre, etc.

Just my opinion, I know. . . . . . . .

[seagan]

When I was a young mormon grasshopper, I was taught to proudly consider myself a MORMON. There was none of this meally mouthed LDS stuff back then. We were MORMONS and that was that!

Why would it be a bad thing to be called a mormon? It is the name of a very important person to tTHE CHURCH. He is represented on the tops of all the temples! He was a very righteous dude!

I believe that this push to replace MORMON with LDS is part of THE CHURCH'S PR plan to represent itself as more mainstream christian. The idea being that mormon is somehow too reminiscent of the "olden days" of THE CHURCH, and the current leadership is trying to distance itself from those days.

If it could, I think the leadership would send the whole CHURCH history down the ol' "memory tube" and forget about Brigham Young, the Danites, Porter Rockwell, polygamy, The Mountain Meadows Massacre, etc.

Just my opinion, I know. . . . . . . .

Actually, the push is to use Jesus Christ not LDS. The idea is to emphasize the cornerstone and leader of this church not the person that edited and wrote part of one of our scriptures. Granted, the Book of Mormon is great scripture, that scripture as all of our scripture centers on Christ. The leadership is trying to get us as a people and the world to see that we are followers of Christ and to put Christ as the center of the church. We have always been known as a church of Christ in all our names; however, the world gave us the name Mormons. Christ gave us his name. Which would you prefer to be known by?

[MaidservantX]

:)

Here's the memory tube for the Mountain Meadows Massacre:

www.lds.org

(front page)

I have NOT read the entire article it links to -- so I can't say whether I personally think it has what some (or even myself) might consider "spin".

[pushka]

<div class='quotemain'>

<div class='quotemain'>

I have been called alot of things in association with this church....and you can call me alot of things....but don't tell me i belong to a cult....GGGGGrrrrrrrr

don't you know what the green jello is for?...we're gonna all eat that instead of drink grape kool-aid!

BTW, here's an actual script for one of Jim Jones sermons, prior to them leaving California:

Jones: I want you to be gods as I am god. I tell you, I'm God Almighty God!"

Lady in the audience: Amen! Praise Jesus!

When I first heard this clip, in the early 1980s, I was more dismayed by the lady than Jones. Most of these people came out of Bible-believiing churches. Apparently a growing, diverse, 'happening' church, with a charismatic leader, who had the ear of the city council, was more important that something as mundane as doctrinal orthodoxy.

Yeah, the People's Temple--now that was a cult.

I saw a documentary not long ago, about Jim Jones and the People's Temple. At the start, he didn't seem to be too bad a person, did a lot of community work, and included lots of african americans in his congregations, when other churches generally would not accept them. His commune style community also seemed to be very productive. Unfortunately, the documentary showed how his mind degenerated into some kind of psychosis where he believed he was the God, and started to add lots of morally corrupt rules for his congregation to follow...it is a shame that people didn't notice what was happening to him sooner, as by the time it became apparent to lots of his followers, they had given up their homes and incomes to live in his commune, and had no means by which to live if they chose to leave...also they were being intimidated into not leaving too. So sad.

[Guest Yediyd]

Yeah, near the end ...some tried to escape and were shot. He was led by Satan, and that is how Satan works....Sin looks cool, "at first".

[Jason]

He was led by Satan, and that is how Satan works....

Or he was just mentally deranged and his followers were too stupid to notice.

[Iggy]

Why would it be a bad thing to be called a mormon? It is the name of a very important person to tTHE CHURCH. He is represented on the tops of all the temples! He was a very righteous dude!

It is the Angel Moroni that sits atop nearly all of the Temples, not Mormon.

[Guest Yediyd]

<div class='quotemain'>

He was led by Satan, and that is how Satan works....

Or he was just mentally deranged and his followers were too stupid to notice.

That too.