Close Topic Options

Being Mormon But Not Lds - Page 3

Do you think actually think the LDS church is stopping other churches from using the Term Mormon? I don't know of a case where that happens.

What happens is other churches by the Media get labeled as Mormon and the church tries to show that isn't the right use of the word.

I agree Society thinks that about Mormons, but they also think we are located in Salt Lake City Utah, that we don't drink Coffee and tea and believe in the Book of Mormon.

Here is a good test. When I was typing up the word Mormon in my previous post where you actually think about all the other off Offshoots or where you think about the Mormon church located in Salt Lake City with President Monson. Or did you also include Polygamy groups in TX and Sothern Utah?

If you did, then you do think outside of society, if not, then you fall with it, and so far that thinking hasn't changed, by the media, or even by Mormons themselves. Its not something you can just stand up and change because you want to.

Lds Not Mormon Being

The church is strongly discouraging the term applied to other churches.

I say....since when do we OWN the term you know what am I saying? Thats the point. The church doesnt own the term therefore have no right whatsoever to try to correct how others would like to be called.

What difference does it make? I know how society in general sees the term but the point I was trying to make is that just as the term is used to describe other churches, it is also applied to us and with great errors about our beliefs. I say, let them be! If they wanna be called mormons so it be what is the problem? Are we somewhat so embarrassed about our past of polygamy that we try our best to let the world know that we have nothing to do with it you know what am I saying? Geez let the folks be called as they wish and if they believe in the BOM, JS, etc then they're mormons as well.

Being Mormon But Not Lds Studies Doctrine Mormon

I like to consider a few similar terms.

Mormon
Christian
Hindu
Muslim
Catholic
Baptist

Starting at the bottom, is a Baptist someone who is part of a belief system, or a member of a specific church? Actually, this term may be the hardest to actually identify, as there is very little actual structure in Baptist churches.

Is a Catholic a member of a church, or someone who participates in a belief system? It is possible to say that a person must be a member of a specific church to be a Catholic, but that is not actually completely true. There are several different types of Catholic churches, all with very similar structures and all looking to the Pope for their spiritual guidance. There is the Roman church, an Ethiopian church, and an Eastern church with slightly different structures and philosophies (and no, I am not discussing the Orthodox churches here, but actual Catholic churches and belief systems).

Is a Muslim someone who is a member of a specific church, or someone who participates in a belief system? How about a Hindu? A Christian?

Perhaps it is obvious what I am getting at. We have all sorts of Christians telling us that we are not Christians, since our belief system is different than theirs. We frequently object to them excluding us, yet it is obvious that a lot of us think nothing of excluding others based on the same type of arrogance. Mormonism is a belief system. As much as the LDS church wants to "own" the name (and bury it if possible) it just doesn't fit. There are quite a few different groups, as well as independent people, who can make excellent defense that their belief systems fit at least as well as the LDS church's with the specific teachings of Joseph Smith. When we argue that they should be excluded based on their small differences, we sound just like the bigoted Christians that we so hate to hear.

Page 3 Lds Not Mormon Being

If you can find a CHURCH that is labeling themselves Mormons (and just that title) then your argument might be valid. But when its the Media Labeling a Church as Mormon then the argument doesn't hold up. I don't know of any other church that is TRYING to use the name Mormon, Correct me if I'm wrong. The Church is trying to correct the Miss interpretation that Mormon = LDS means we still practice Polygamy. When the Media labels a church practicing Polygamy gets the title of Mormon, the church is trying to correct that Mormon as in Salt Lake City Church does not Practice Polygamy. I don't see the church trying to claim the name as theirs, as trying to set the record straight. This is more to correct any miss interpretation that 1. Our Church are actually called Mormon, and 2 that we don't practice polygamy any more. If there is some church out there that is trying to use the title of Mormon, then Go ahead, but I haven't seen that.
Its more by a Media not understanding the difference between Mormons in SLC and so called Mormons FLDS or RLDS that is practicing something the Old Mormon (SLC) church use to do. I think we all agree most of the time this is what is happening when the term Mormon is being used right? This is what the church is trying to correct and rightfully so. I don't see the church trying to stop another church from using the term. The Church is trying to get the Media to use the correct name of the LDS church when referring to the LDS church. That's the correction the LDS is doing isn't it?

Lds Not Mormon Being

Not all Mormons are LDS. That's a fact. LDS say they are the only mormons, but it's not true. Historically, the church "ended" with Joseph and a bunch of groups claimed to be the "one church" Joseph founded. Obviously not all can be right. And just because of our beliefs we assume that the LDS is the right one, and therefore deny the others that they are mormon because they belief different.

Mormonism includes about 156 different churches. It's not right to claim only the LDS can be "Mormon." In fact, theologians worldwide can tell you that many a fundamentalist mormon group is closer to the doctrines Joseph Smith preached than the modern LDS church. That's a fact regardless of how you interpret/explain it. And about the modern society definition, a) it's irrelevant, and society does think of Mormons as fundamentalists, not mainstream LDS.

And if you want to know churches that want to be called Mormon: Kingston Clan, FLDS and AUB come to mind.

Being Mormon But Not Lds

The problem with this thread is that we really haven't established what the definition of Mormon is?

What is the definition of Mormon?

For me the Definition of Mormon is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

From Dictionary.com and from Websters make this connection in there definition.

IF we are going to go by some different definition of Mormon's then that would need to be stated so we are clear on the meaning your talking about.

Edited: tubaloth on 4th Oct, 2009 - 6:06am

Being Mormon Not Lds - Page 3

That is probably the whole problem. You define the word 'Mormon' to refer to the Church. However, the Church spent a couple of decades telling its members, and the world, that it was NOT the Mormon Church, and it tried very hard to completely disassociate itself from the word.

A lot of us look at the long view, and see a whole culture and philosophy that is based upon the Book of Mormon and the teachings and actions of Joseph Smith. We see that the Church is significantly different in teachings, theology, and practice from the time of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young.

Here is the definition from Wikipedia.

Is this definitive? No. However, it doesn't take much research to find that Dictionary.com and other sources are not definitive either.

Being Mormon Not Lds Mormon Doctrine Studies - Page 3

I think the Wiki article did a good job.

I don't know of other churches that are trying to use the term Mormon by its self. Yes there might be other churches that claim Mormon fundamentalist (Honestly I'm not sure if they actually try to use that title or not). But the key is there is a difference from the title of Mormon and the Title of Mormon fundamentalist.

I don't recall the church everything trying to say we aren't Mormon, but that we tried to push the real name of the church so people would realize that we believe in Jesus Christ. I remember a talked by Pres Hinckley about teaching how the word Mormon means "more good" (that came from Joseph Smith). That we should be proud we are a Mormon.
The bad side is you can't get away from the title of Mormon when you have a world fames Choir called the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I think there was a couple of times they tried to call it just the Tabernacle Choir, but that never worked. Even to this day it's still called the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and the term Mormon is always going to be there.

As far as I know there is not a Mormon fundamentalist Tabernacle Choir.

But the case in point is simple, when the term Mormon Church is brought up the top definition on the list is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints.
There are other types of Mormons that actually do go by different names like Mormon fundamentalist.

So back to the original Question, can you be a Mormon and not LDS. My Answer is still the same. (You can't)
But if the question is can you be a Mormon fundamentalist and Not LDS, then I say sure you can. It comes down to which definition of the term Mormon is being used in the first question. For me, I'm using the definition of the Term Mormon (that we all think of).