The Name of the Church

[Sky]

New development coming from President Russell M. Nelson and the Mormon Newsroom regarding the name of the Church, including the following:  

• When referring to the Church, The full name of the Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is encouraged and preferred.  

• Please refer to members of the Church as Latter-day Saints.  Please avoid the term “Mormons.”

• Please avoid the term “Mormonism.”  It is inaccurate.  When a shortened version is needed, please use “The Church of Jesus Christ” or the “restored Church of Jesus Christ”.  Please avoid the terms “The Mormon Church” and “The LDS Church.”

It will be interesting to see how this goes.  If I recall correctly, it has been tried before, but didn’t last very long.  The terms “Mormons” and “Mormonism” are deeply ingrained and hard to get rid of.  It is part of our identity.  

See: 

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mormonnewsroom.org%2Farticle%2Fname-of-the-church&h=AT3psjcZ7YewKU-Kd0tUF4HZH0V7YLlToxHxgwtImQp2OUYYUQKplEQezQg-fINiBacO4l8gKUfvtnwFl-dM-_aHm-ThDc2bMZpxHhkDjWJTVQcVgINL30Nv-8YOH_XbD3JdRK4UmNY&s=1

[SouthernMo]

Yes - controlling others’ language is very hard, especially when those terms seem to have been promoted in recent years: the ‘I’m a Mormon’ campaign, the movie ‘Meet the Mormons.’  Maybe there’s more...

[Storm Rider]

Is this really new? It seems like that has been the recommendation for some time.

[cinepro]

Quote

The Lord has impressed upon my mind the importance of the name He has revealed for His Church, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We have work before us to bring ourselves in harmony with His will. In recent weeks, various Church leaders and departments have initiated the necessary steps to do so. Additional information about this important matter will be made available in the coming months.

Hate to be the guy to say it, but with everything that's going on with the Church and the world, it's good to see God focusing on the big things.

[cinepro]

5 minutes ago, Storm Rider said:

Is this really new? It seems like that has been the recommendation for some time.

It was until it wasn't.

I can understand the good intentions behind what President Nelson is trying to achieve, but someone who has a background in branding needs to talk with him.  The only rational reason to try and move away from the "Mormon" branding for the Church is if it's become toxic over the past decade.

[ksfisher]

2 minutes ago, cinepro said:

Hate to be the guy to say it, but with everything that's going on with the Church and the world, it's good to see God focusing on the big things.

So are you saying President Nelson is wrong to say this?

[rpn]

Everything he is doing is to bring us to Christ.   Referring to us as Mormons doesn't do that.   This isn't about branding.  It is about claiming divine heritage.

[JAHS]

LDS can stand for many things in the world.

Liberal Democratic Party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
League Division Series
Leak Detection System
Layered Defense System
Lethal Defense System
Logistics Data System

Among many others. That first one might be a major concern in some parts of the world. 

 

[Scott Lloyd]

6 hours ago, Sky said:

New development coming from President Russell M. Nelson and the Mormon Newsroom regarding the name of the Church, including the following:  

• When referring to the Church, The full name of the Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is encouraged and preferred.  

• Please refer to members of the Church as Latter-day Saints.  Please avoid the term “Mormons.”

• Please avoid the term “Mormonism.”  It is inaccurate.  When a shortened version is needed, please use “The Church of Jesus Christ” or the “restored Church of Jesus Christ”.  Please avoid the terms “The Mormon Church” and “The LDS Church.”

It will be interesting to see how this goes.  If I recall correctly, it has been tried before, but didn’t last very long.  The terms “Mormons” and “Mormonism” are deeply ingrained and hard to get rid of.  It is part of our identity.  

See: 

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mormonnewsroom.org%2Farticle%2Fname-of-the-church&h=AT3psjcZ7YewKU-Kd0tUF4HZH0V7YLlToxHxgwtImQp2OUYYUQKplEQezQg-fINiBacO4l8gKUfvtnwFl-dM-_aHm-ThDc2bMZpxHhkDjWJTVQcVgINL30Nv-8YOH_XbD3JdRK4UmNY&s=1

 

5 hours ago, Storm Rider said:

Is this really new? It seems like that has been the recommendation for some time.

It has only changed to the extent that it is even more stringent now than it was before.

Up to now, it was OK to refer to "Mormonism" or "the Mormon faith" or to members of the Church as "Mormons." Apparently, even that is now frowned upon.

And it is incorrect to say that "it has been tried before but didn't last very long." For many years now, it has been the expressed desire by the Church leaders that the proper name of the Church be used instead of "Mormon Church." The fact that some people ignored or violated that guideline does not mean that it was ever rescinded. On the contrary, it has been re-emphasized from time to time, particularly by Elder (now President) M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

One thing I found especially noteworthy is that President Nelson said, "The Lord has impressed upon my mind the importance of the name He has revealed for His Church, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." I don't recall the Brethren ever having been that explicit in tying the guideline to the will of the Lord (though it does have scriptural support from the words of Christ recorded in 3 Nephi). I think this especially significant and intend as  a personal matter to recommit myself to following it.

Edited August 17, 2018 by Scott Lloyd

[Scott Lloyd]

16 minutes ago, cinepro said:

It was until it wasn't.

I can understand the good intentions behind what President Nelson is trying to achieve, but someone who has a background in branding needs to talk with him.  The only rational reason to try and move away from the "Mormon" branding for the Church is if it's become toxic over the past decade.

Seems unwise to quibble about "branding" when "the Lord has impressed" a thing on one's mind.

 

[Scott Lloyd]

I don't know which one came first, but do we really need two threads on this topic?

 

[theplains]

10 minutes ago, rpn said:

Everything he is doing is to bring us to Christ.   Referring to us as Mormons doesn't do that.   This isn't about branding.  It is about claiming divine heritage.

By the time you say, "We are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" someone may have already
cut you off mid-sentence with "They're Mormons".  Using the shorter term is not demeaning nor does it take away from
your spiritual identity, but its just convenient for some.

Thanks,
Jim

[JAHS]

1 minute ago, Scott Lloyd said:

I don't know which one came first, but do we really need two threads on this topic?

 

They both got started at the same time.

 

[Scott Lloyd]

32 minutes ago, SouthernMo said:

Yes - controlling others’ language is very hard, especially when those terms seem to have been promoted in recent years: the ‘I’m a Mormon’ campaign, the movie ‘Meet the Mormons.’  Maybe there’s more...

From the official statement:

Quote

We have work before us to bring ourselves in harmony with His will. In recent weeks, various Church leaders and departments have initiated the necessary steps to do so. Additional information about this important matter will be made available in the coming months.

We may be seeing some changes in some things such as those you point out.

 

[Scott Lloyd]

2 minutes ago, theplains said:

By the time you say, "We are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" someone may have already
cut you off mid-sentence with "They're Mormons".  Using the shorter term is not demeaning nor does it take away from
your spiritual identity, but its just convenient for some.

Thanks,
Jim

According to the guideline, you can shorten it to "the Church of Jesus Christ."

[jkwilliams]

Just now, Scott Lloyd said:

From the official statement:

We may be seeing some changes in some things such as those you point out.

I think this will affect publications within the the restored Church of Jesus Christ but will have little impact outside it. 

[Scott Lloyd]

4 minutes ago, JAHS said:

They both got started at the same time.

 

Be that as it may, I think as a practical matter they should be merged.

 

 

Edited August 16, 2018 by Scott Lloyd

[Scott Lloyd]

17 minutes ago, jkwilliams said:

I think this will affect publications within the the restored Church of Jesus Christ but will have little impact outside it. 

Well, one thing is certain: If there is never a request made, there will be zero impact -- except for whatever consequences could come from a prophet of God ignoring what "the Lord has impressed upon [his] mind."

 

Edited August 16, 2018 by Scott Lloyd

[jkwilliams]

1 minute ago, Scott Lloyd said:

Well, one thing is certain: If there is never a request made, there will be zero impact.

True. I'm just saying this is probably more for "internal consumption" than anything else. Just a guess. 

[Sky]

Why don’t we also get rid of the “I’m a Mormon” campaign and Mormon.org?  At least it would be consistent.  

When it’s inconsistently applied, it just confuses people.  

 

[cinepro]

12 minutes ago, Scott Lloyd said:

Seems unwise to quibble about "branding" when "the Lord has impressed" a thing on one's mind.

 

CFR that I have ever claimed to be "wise."

[Scott Lloyd]

32 minutes ago, cinepro said:

Hate to be the guy to say it, but with everything that's going on with the Church and the world, it's good to see God focusing on the big things.

Seems a tad arrogant to second-guess God on what are "the big things."

 

[cinepro]

7 minutes ago, Scott Lloyd said:

According to the guideline, you can shorten it to "the Church of Jesus Christ."

 

These guys will be thrilled.

[Scott Lloyd]

3 minutes ago, jkwilliams said:

True. I'm just saying this is probably more for "internal consumption" than anything else. Just a guess. 

The fact that it is published on the updated Newsroom style guide (and that the earlier iteration has been there for years) would indicate that it is earnestly intended for external consumption as well.

 

[jkwilliams]

For some reason I'm reminded of the old Radio From Hell bit "Space Elders," where the one elder enthusiastically says, "We represent The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" and the other dejectedly says, "You know ... the Mormons."