# Mormons aren't Mormons anymore **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 18, 2018, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormons-arent-mormons-anymore/819822 "2018-08-18T06:11:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormons-arent-mormons-anymore/819822/1 "2018-08-18T06:11:01Z")
In another case of history repeating itself, the LDS Church [no longer wants to be known as “Mormon.”](https://www.sltrib.com/news/2018/08/16/lds-church-wants-everyone/) > [@](#): > > The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints really, truly, absolutely wants to be known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. > > Not the LDS Church. Not the Mormon church. > > It made that clear Thursday — even though the last attempt to eradicate those nicknames for the Utah-based faith flopped. They tried this back in 2001, just before the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics. It was hard for my [del]Mormon[/del] LDS mother, but she managed to reduce it from her vocabulary. Then suddenly in 2010 or so, the church reversed course and started an “I am a Mormon” TV commercial campaign. My mother enjoying being able to say she’s a Mormon again. Now, 18 years later, it’s back to not being a Mormon. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormons-arent-mormons-anymore/819822/2 "2018-08-18T06:42:34Z")
I’d go for dropping the second _m_. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormons-arent-mormons-anymore/819822/3 "2018-08-18T06:48:55Z")
How about cult? The Cult of Latter day Saints. Sounds right to me. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormons-arent-mormons-anymore/819822/4 "2018-08-18T07:08:05Z")
They should rebrand themselves as The Church of Jesus Christ of Ladder Day Saints, each of them required to always carry a ladder in anticipation of Ladder Day, when the trap doors of Heaven will open and everyone with a ladder can climb up. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormons-arent-mormons-anymore/819822/5 "2018-08-18T08:21:20Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > They should rebrand themselves as The Church of Jesus Christ of Ladder Day Saints, each of them required to always carry a ladder in anticipation of Ladder Day, when the trap doors of Heaven will open and everyone with a ladder can climb up. Heey, what about us acrophobics who can’t scale more than two rungs up a ladder? Won’t somebody think of the acrophobics? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormons-arent-mormons-anymore/819822/6 "2018-08-18T12:08:13Z")
What do you call former Mormons? Formons! ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormons-arent-mormons-anymore/819822/7 "2018-08-18T15:45:44Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > What do you call former Mormons? Formons! You call them An Obvious Improvement. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormons-arent-mormons-anymore/819822/8 "2018-08-18T16:22:04Z")
What exactly do they think they are accomplishing with this? It would be one thing if “Mormon” was used primarily as a pejorative, but it’s not. And telling people not to abbreviate their long name? Don’t have a long name. And do they really think claiming God told them this insignificant tripe makes them seem like they’re more in touch with God? God doesn’t change his mind, and you can’t keep pushing the “God allowed it in the past” angle. And the excuse used for polygamy barely worked back then. Sure, maybe any Mormon will go along with it, since they go along with a lot already. But Mormonism is very much about prosthelytizing. Do you really think they’ll agree to follow this God that’s into petty, unimportant things like semantics? ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormons-arent-mormons-anymore/819822/9 "2018-08-18T16:24:55Z")
My thing is, I didn’t know Mormons couldn’t send flowers. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormons-arent-mormons-anymore/819822/10 "2018-08-18T16:28:51Z")
It’s going to take divine intervention to get people to start using Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in general conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormons-arent-mormons-anymore/819822/11 "2018-08-18T16:30:27Z")
I suppose the musical will now be called “Book of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” Doesn’t have the same ring to it. ---
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormons-arent-mormons-anymore/819822/12 "2018-08-18T16:39:39Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > My thing is, I didn’t know Mormons couldn’t send flowers. I know they can’t dance. Wait, that’s the Amish! ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormons-arent-mormons-anymore/819822/13 "2018-08-18T16:41:44Z")
> [@skdo23](#): > > I know they can’t dance. Wait, that’s the Amish! Some people, ya just can’t discuss religion. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormons-arent-mormons-anymore/819822/14 "2018-08-18T17:03:49Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > You call them An Obvious Improvement. Thanks! > [@BigT](#): > > And do they really think claiming God told them this insignificant tripe makes them seem like they’re more in touch with God? We have always been at war with Eastasia. I may have to head over to some Mormon boards to see the reaction. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormons-arent-mormons-anymore/819822/15 "2018-08-18T17:29:25Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > (snip) It would be one thing if “Mormon” was used primarily as a pejorative, but it’s not. (snip) I always got the impression that some detractors did use “Mormon” pejoratively, and for that reason “LDS” was preferable. Was this ever true? ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormons-arent-mormons-anymore/819822/16 "2018-08-18T17:49:56Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I suppose the musical will now be called “Book of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” > > Doesn’t have the same ring to it. The lines in the song “I Believe” will have to be changed to, “I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints just believes.” That doesn’t really scan. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormons-arent-mormons-anymore/819822/17 "2018-08-18T17:51:48Z")
Will the choir now be known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Tabernacle Choir? ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormons-arent-mormons-anymore/819822/18 "2018-08-18T18:03:33Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > What exactly do they think they are accomplishing with this? It would be one thing if “Mormon” was used primarily as a pejorative, but it’s not. And telling people not to abbreviate their long name? Don’t have a long name. > > And do they really think claiming God told them this insignificant tripe makes them seem like they’re more in touch with God? God doesn’t change his mind, and you can’t keep pushing the “God allowed it in the past” angle. And the excuse used for polygamy barely worked back then. > > Sure, maybe any Mormon will go along with it, since they go along with a lot already. But Mormonism is very much about prosthelytizing. Do you really think they’ll agree to follow this God that’s into petty, unimportant things like semantics? AIUI, they think too many people don’t consider them a real Christian church, so they want to get the jesus christ part of the name out in front. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormons-arent-mormons-anymore/819822/19 "2018-08-18T18:07:03Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > What exactly do they think they are accomplishing with this? It would be one thing if “Mormon” was used primarily as a pejorative, but it’s not. And telling people not to abbreviate their long name? Don’t have a long name. > > And do they really think claiming God told them this insignificant tripe makes them seem like they’re more in touch with God? God doesn’t change his mind, and you can’t keep pushing the “God allowed it in the past” angle. And the excuse used for polygamy barely worked back then. > > Sure, maybe any Mormon will go along with it, since they go along with a lot already. But Mormonism is very much about prosthelytizing. Do you really think they’ll agree to follow this God that’s into petty, unimportant things like semantics? Whichever title ends up being actually used will become pejorative over time anyway, if it isn’t already. The long name sounds euphemistic (because it is), and any group that insists on being referred to only by euphemism is embarrassed to exist. Which, in this particular case, is unfortunately quite justifiable. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormons-arent-mormons-anymore/819822/20 "2018-08-18T18:36:11Z")
Maybe they think they can fool dyslexics into believing that attending church is a trip. Maybe they can rewrite the song as “Lucy in the Diamond Sky?” And do they need to recall and rename the book? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mormons-arent-mormons-anymore/819822.md?page=2)