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Is It Mormons Or Latter-day Saints? - Page 2

Nighthawk, no offense was given. That is how it was explained to me and I passed on. For me, I have never liked being called a Mormon, I don't know why, I just find it an insult, and a degrading one at that. I think that if we were to start calling ourselves what we are, then maybe it would sink in that we are Saints not only in name but in thought, in action, in all that we do.

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Although, you can use any name: Mormon or Latter-Day Saint, I actually like to say I am "Christian". It helps everyone know to whom I worship. I also add the full name of the Church afterwards. However, if someone says, "Oh, you're a Mormon" it does not offend me in the least.

Is It Mormons Or Latter-day Saints? Studies Doctrine Mormon

One of the reasons that I am pleased to refer to myself as a Mormon is that if it was good enough for my grandfather, it is good enough for me.

I don't remember, in any of the talks by Brigham Young, Joseph Smith, John Taylor, or Wilford Woodruff, them even hinting that the Saints shouldn't refer to themselves as Mormons. In fact, I remember MANY talks by all of them where they freely interchange references to the "Saints" and "Mormons".

My grandfather would always talk about a song he learned in Primary, in the very early 1900s. It was titled "I am a Mormon boy".

I see the dislike for the term "Mormon" to be going along with all the other attempts to hide much of our Nineteenth Century heritage - such as polygamy. If someone notices a Book of Mormon on my desk, they are likely to ask me if I am a Mormon, then ask about my beliefs. Likewise if I tell someone that I attended BYU or lived in Utah. I am rarely asked if I am a Latter-day Saint.

Finally, since I DO believe in the peculiar doctrines that define "Mormonism" and "Mormons", many of which are currently out of favor in the Church, I am pleased to be known as a Mormon.

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Zelph said:

Who said such a thing? In my humble opinion, this is a very unfair and ignorant statement since there is no basis for such definition.

An insult? Why? I have never heard any Church leader said that they find insulting that other people refer to us as Mormons. In my personal view, I do not see anything wrong with the term at all. I do not get offended if someone calls me a "Mormon"...but to put things into perspective, let's read what Pres. Hinckley had to say about it:

(Sunday morning session of General Conference, October 7, 1990.)

An excellent view about it. If the Prophet himself can see the positive effect of the word, why should I feel ashamed of being called a Mormon?

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Here in Utah, LDS or Latter-day Saint is used more often, I think, than in other places, both by Mormons and non-members. I've just called myself a Mormon, as I do quite often, so I guess I don't mind being called Mormon. For me, it's easier because it clarifies right away which Church I belong to. LDS or Latter-day Saint is sometimes met with confusion or a blank stare. Once someone asked, "Do you mean Mormon?" When I answered that I did they said, "Why didn't you say that in the first place?"

Is It Mormons Or Latter-day Saints?

"Latter-day Saint" is the official designation for a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (note the capitalization). "Mormon" is a nickname, first applied to members by their antagonists, rather like "Christian" in the I and II. It ("Mormon") has become, again like "Christian", more or less accepted.

I, however, dislike the name when applied to anyone other than the prophet Mormon because it implies that we worship a being with the name. We do not. We worship Jesus Christ and His Father--not Mormon, not Joseph Smith, not today's prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley.

The word "saint" usually calls to mind a person of a certain character. We Saints try to achieve those kinds of traits in our lives. It is a call to live the higher laws of the Savior, and I believe that it helps us focus in that direction.

The Bible, as I hinted earlier, does not unambiguously positively use the word "Christian" to refer to members of Christ's meridian church. In fact, it only uses the word thrice. In at least two of those instances, it is fairly clear that the term was derogatory: Paul before Agrippa, Peter's admonition to show the non-followers what being a "Christian" was really about. The third is simply a historical note recognizing the the Saints were first called "Christians" in Antioch. It does not say they called themselves "Christians" in any biblical passage.

The term "Christian" could easily have been a taunt. "Christ", as you know, means "anointed one", and is a political title equivalent to crown prince. By calling the early saint "Christians" their enemies could have been saying, "You are followers of the crown prince who couldn't even claim his kingdom." In other words, "the failed prince", rather like the Roman soldiers "crowning" Him, kneeling before Him, hailing Him, and giving Him a "scepter" (and then beating Him with it).

The terms regularly used in the Bible to describe those members are "saints", "brethren (brothers)", "disciples", "followers", etc. In the modern church (I.e., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), we use the terms "saints", "brothers", "sisters", "members", etc. I will not say that we "follow the Bible" in this, since this arose from our modern scriptures. I will say that our practice is in line with biblical usage, quite unlike that of most modern Christian churches.

Mormon, while a great prophet and leader of his people, was a man. So, to call us "Mormons" is not a grave insult, but it does imply something quite at odds with our fundamental beliefs, e.g., that He, Jesus Christ, is the Creator and Savior of the world. It would be much as if people called Christians, "Paulines", since he, Paul, was such a great meridian Apostle and author of such a huge fraction of the New Testament.

Edited: Lehi on 23rd Apr, 2007 - 1:17am

Is Mormons Latter-day Saints - Page 2

Lehi, interesting information. Are you aware of the statement of Pres. Hinckley concerning the word "Mormon".

I know of a few members who think the same way you do but let's not forget that the word "Mormon" does not come from the Prophet itself but from a place. We do not know how the place got its name by the Prophet Mormon got it from it.

I personally rather Latter-Day Saint but I am not at all against the use of the word "Mormon", I can even think in Spanish and most people would refer themselves as "Mormones" since the term "Santo de los Ultimos Dias" (LDS) sounds extremely odd and may get people confused as to what exactly we are.

Is Mormons Latter-day Saints Mormon Doctrine Studies - Page 2

Oh, yes.

Joseph, jokingly (since English was not a language in 600, or even 150, bc, and therefore could not have been the source for "mor--") gave the etymology of "Mormon" as English "more" and Egyptian "mon" (good).

But this does nothing to counter my argument (this word is an over statement) that "Mormon" implies that we worship some being named Mormon, as "Christian" (whatever its origins) leads one to believe that the so-named worships Christ.

True enough. I am not advocating we rise in moral indignation and storm the news rooms and campuses of USmerica, demanding that they start using "LDS" and "Saint(s)" exclusively, but I am suggesting that we Saints start being better models of correct usage.

I believe this is the policy the Brethren counsel.

It's roughly the same in French (Saint des Derniers Jours) and Italian (Santo degli Ultimi Giorni). All Romance languages are preposition rich, and case poor. Spanish, French, and Italian speakers are used to "wasting" words as they speak, irrespective of the subject. Even were that not the case, however, cumbersome syntax is not, ispso facto, a reason to encourage inaccurate usage, usage that promotes a misunderstanding of who we really are.

Of all people who claim Christ as their Savior, we Saints ought to be most vocal about His place in our lives, and His primacy in our religion. If a few extra words is the price required to advance that agenda, so be it.