I need to confess a sin. I used to disrespect myself by allowing others to refer to me by a name that was rooted in hate. It's a word that was used by people who would rape, murder, and otherwise torment my people. It rarely slips through anyone's lips with any bit of respect. It's a word that heads the extermination order that allowed our enemies to freely murder us (which stood until 1976). The word is "Mormon"(a note: The term "mormon" being a derogatory term, I'll be censoring it when not referring to the prophet, Mormon or The Book of Mormon).
It always bothered me. As a very young child, I remember trying to correct people and tell them I didn't like being called a "M*rmon". I was very aware of everything that came with that word. Furthermore, it was a vague descriptor! There are three main branches of "M*rmonism"; The LDS church (mine), The Community of Christ (formerly known as RLDS or Re-organized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), and the FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). The media loves to group us all together. I could never tell if this constant grouping was insidious or done out of ignorance, but it did cause a lot of problems for us.
Despite my protests, I was told by others in my circle that I needed to tolerate it because other people didn't know better and there was no point in getting "uppity" about it. This was a popular attitude amongst Saints. Being older now, I understand that allowing people to use a disrespectful name felt like compassion and kindness towards the ignorant. I also acknowledge that there are many members (mostly converts or even lifelong members who don't belong to pioneer families) who don't know at all about the history of the term "M*rmon". It never sat well with my heart, but I eventually adapted, and putting up with the discomfort became second-nature for me.
In 2018, young Elisabeth finally received the support she needed when our prophet, a representative of God and leader of our church, President Russell M. Nelson counseled us to no longer use that word or allow others to use it. Instead, we were to use the full name of our church, the name that Christ had told us to use, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints". Names are important. When we use the full name of the church, we acknowledge that we are followers of Christ. We are dedicating ourselves to doing our best (never perfect, but always striving) to be like him. Our real name allows us to tell people whose team we're really on. More important than that though, I feel that referring to ourselves as "members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" forces us to act with more integrity. We're taking his name upon us, and we can't hide it anymore. We become representatives of Christ. Our behavior, our rhetoric, it all becomes a reflection on Christ. If we're cruel, disrespectful, arrogant, or otherwise unChristlike, especially in the name of our religious beliefs, onlookers can only assume that the rest of our church is like that, that we're taught to be awful, and it'll be just one more reason for them to turn away from their savior. It's a big responsibility, and we need to respect and honor it.
The Great and Spacious Building Sounds Off
Critics of the church immediately jumped at the opportunity to drag the church for its decision to no longer allow space for the disrespectful term. They claimed that we were trying to "re-brand" and "distance ourselves from our reputation". After all, hadn't we just been all over the "I'm a M*rmon" campaign? The Peanut Gallery had a heyday with all of their criticism and disrespect. It's safe to assume now with all of the media coverage of the church, that when someone refers to me as "M*rmon", they're being intentionally disrespectful. So, how should Christlike members handle being intentionally mislabeled? Boldly and kindly and compassionately, if you ask me.
Firstly, allow this to soften your heart to others who are facing similar plights. When someone else wants to be referred to as something other than the name you've known them as, for any reason (and I do mean any), I'd hope that members would respect that, rather than try to be the authority on who gets to be called what (are you thinking right now about the relationship between Trans/Genderqueer individuals and members of the church? That blog post is coming up soon!). If we want respect, we have to give it.
Secondly, correct them. Have grace for them, but correct them. Remember that we are going to be held responsible for what we understood in this life and what we did about it. So educate them! Tell them that it's important to you that you and your church family are referred to correctly and respectfully. Don't be shy about it. Do tell them kindly, though. James 1:5 says "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him". That "upbraideth not" part is often skipped over, but it is so important to understand. God will not scold, criticize, or otherwise feel negatively towards someone for not knowing something. Even if the person in question knows that you or the church leadership won't tolerate that term, I can promise that they don't understand why we feel that way. They couldn't without also having a testimony that Jesus is the Christ, that God still uses prophets today as he did in ancient times, and that The Book of Mormon was scripture set aside for this day to turn our hearts to Christ in this final dispensation. Christ loved and prayed for those who did not understand who he was and what role he played in our eternal existence. We should be doing the same.
Third, remember truth. "If this is inspired counsel, then why did leaders use the term up until now"? I don't know. Maybe because they ignored urges to counsel others about the whole name thing for the same reasons I was told to accept it-because it felt like they were being patient and compassionate with those who didn't know any better. Our leaders are not magically imperfect and just like Jonah, some have their own ideas that they're committed to. Or maybe it just wasn't the time to correct it. Maybe the utility, the power of deciding as one church body that we were now going to make a change was best applied for this specific time. Regardless, we don't need to know why. We can understand that later. Our duty is to receive the counsel, take it to the Lord to confirm that it is of Him, and then act in faith.
"For Thus Shall My Church Be Called"
In Doctrine and Covenants 115:4 it says, "For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints". I think that word choice of "called" rather than "named" is huge (and after a bit of light research, I found that President Nelson also picked up on the same thing back in 1990!). To be simply named is one thing. But to be called is a whole other thing. It's how we're referred to, how we're known. We aren't "The Church of Christ Restored by Joseph Smith". We are not "The Church of Joseph Smith" or "Of Nephi" or "Of Abraham" or "of Mormon".
Perhaps endowed members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints know best the power of a name. In the book, "Your Endowment" written by Mark A. Shields (the 2018 revised and expanded edition), we're taught about the purpose of a name. "A name was intended to teach great lessons of a child's true identity and promise" (Shields 164). We see this displayed all throughout scripture and it is absolutely carried into our modern day. I've often credited my own name as having been a source of motivation and inspiration in hard times.
Knowing that a name carries so much weight, that it serves such a purpose, we should take the name of the church and the counsel that's been sent to us by the Lord seriously. As I mentioned previously, respecting the church's full title puts members in a position to take upon them the name of Christ. Missionaries aren't just inviting investigators to join themselves to "the m*rmon church". They're inviting them to take upon themselves the name of Christ. We aren't just m*rmons. We're saints in these latter days. We believe in Christ. We aim to refine ourselves to be more Christlike. We have faith and hope in Christ. We frequently access Christ's atonement in our own lives. We invite others to know Christ. It's all about Christ!
I hope that going forward, we all take this counsel to respect our church's full name to heart. I hope we try to do a little better. And I hope it extends beyond just how we refer to the church, too. I hope that as we remember our church's name, we remember Christ, his example, his teachings, and are motivated to live them more. I hope we are contemplating Christ more. I know that listening to the prophet about this has the potential to lead us to honor our baptismal covenants that much more.
I'm so grateful for President Nelson. I'm grateful for the knowledge of a living church, which has the capacity to meet my needs and strengthen me in these difficult times. I'm grateful for our savior, who's enabled all of our progress. I'm grateful for The Book of Mormon and for the prophets who were obedient enough to lend their lives to our learning. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is led by God the Father through living prophets. And I hope that I can always be wise enough to allow this testimony to determine my actions and words and to access the atonement and seek forgiveness when I fail.
Further Learning:
President Nelson's Oct. 2018 address concerning the name policy.
President Nelson's official letter to members
Taking Upon Ourselves the Name of Christ by Elder Robert C. Gray
The Rock of Our Redeemer by Elder Wilford W. Andersen
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