Are members of the LDS Church offended by being called "Mormons"?

Question

If LDS church members are offended by the term "Mormon", then my question is "why?"
Why not embrace the name "Mormon" wholeheartedly and with pride?

Answer 1

I love being called a Mormon, I hate that people get LDS mixed up with FLDS and other sects our the LDS church, they think we are all "mormons" and think we all live in Utah and practice polygamy.

Answer 2

I don't think anyone who is LDS is offended by the term Mormon. I think that other religions use the term Mormon in the wrong way. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we should use LDS, Latter Day Saint or even say I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, more often than we use the term Mormon to describe ourselves.

We a person looks up the word Mormon on the Internet he or she will find a lot of information, both good and bad. When someone looks up The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints he or she will find the official website of the church.

gw

Answer 3

I've seen commercials by the church which goes something like this:

"Brought to you by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The Mormons."

Historically, I think the term was meant to be derogatory (called this by other and based on the Book of Mormon) back closer towards the time of Joseph Smith, Jr. I don't know if they took it that way then or not; but I don't think they do now.

Answer 4

Most mormons don't care about the moniker, but the General Authorities did when Salt Lake was chosen to host the Olympics. "Mormon" at that time was still too synonymous with the practice of polygamy, and 'mormons' were all over the city. Emphasis was on the return to "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" as the official name to be used. "mormon" still rolls of the tongue quicker, and the mandate/manifesto/revelation is largely discarded.

However, church members *are* offended at any mention of their history as practiced by their early cult leaders, and will call you names and think unholy thoughts about you if you bring that up to them. Most "anti' mormon literature is in their own books, so their argument is lost on me.

Answer 5

i think he has the right to freedom of speech. even if he not an american. one thing i know, there has been many LDS elders who say they have more authority in their small finger than the pope has with God. and im sure there are converts who are convinced of old beliefs where the catholic church is the church of the devil. so, it goes both ways. the catholic church is a greater cult by its worship of the pope, who is not jesus. however, though people think this, i still consider the catholics as individual members of faith in the body of christ. i also believe mormons are not cultic, we never worship our prophets, so far, but we do give due praise to those that served in the office of prophet and special and peculiar men of God. it i my opinion that the Mormon church, LDS, is the only "restored" church of christianity on earth. i believe that all other churches are "wrong" and they are all in apostacy. and i think many mormons know what i mean and believe also.

Answer 6

Not offended. I don't mind being called "Mormon". But I do mind being told I belong to "The Mormon Church". There is no such animal.

I belong to the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints. The LDS church. But not "The Mormon Church".

Answer 7

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). By being called a "Mormon" is to say that we do not believe in God or Jesus Christ. We read the Book of Mormon and believe it is another testament of Christ. I do not like to be called Mormon because it reminds me of how we downgrade people to make them less human. When some is less human then it is okay to kill them. Prejudice still exist and people still hate members of the church.

Answer 8

We are LDS or Mormons. It's all good.The Mormon nickname comes from our belief in the Book of Mormon. But we refer to our name The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to show that we DO believe in Jesus Christ (yes we do, yes we do yes we do!) and that we are a restoration of things which Jesus instituted originally. But sure. Call me LDS, call me Mormon, either is fine.

Answer 9

Not offended. I think people often get misled by it. We worship God and Christ. We are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I just refer to myself as LDS, to avoid the confusion of people thinking I believe in the Book of Mormon over Christ.

Answer 10

I'm LDS/Mormon and I'm not offended by it.

Most members do prefer to be known as "LDS" simply because we are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Latter-Day Saints = LDS. The name of our church expresses our belief in Jesus Christ.