Your Monday poll #3
September 24, 2007 by
By Common Consent, a Mormon Blog
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By Common Consent, a Mormon Blog 
Sorry, but I still feel like if I tell people I’m a “Latter Day Saint” they may think I’m being pretentious. Darn semantics!
Agreed. I can’t imagine saying “I’m a Latter-day Saint.” Well, actually, I can imagine it, but I can also imagine the response: “Ooooooh. Well aren’t you special! I have a high opinion of myself too, but not that high!”
This “Latter-day Saint” lingo just won’t take. Probably never will.
Aaron B
I actually say, “I’m LDS.”
Then I wait for the quizzical look, then say, “Mormon.”
What’s wrong with saying “I am a Christian. I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ”? Gets that whole Christian thing out of the way right off the bat and if they ask further you can clarify that “most people call it the Mormon, or LDS Church” etc. Might just generate some discussion with those that have never heard the term “Mormon” connected with Christianity or Christ…just a random thought…
Would rather reply- “I’m a Christian trying to secure a place in the Church of the Firstborn…and you?”
*g*
It depends on who is asking me the question, and what context it is. If a non-Christian asks me the question, I’ll say that I’m a Christian. If a fellow Christian asks me, my answer will depend on the tone of the conversation.
I don’t say “I’m a christian” because in many ways christian has become a bit of a dirty word and the difference between christians and mormons are ones that I like to highlight.
I usually answer “Mormon,” especially around Mormon Country (“Latter Day Saint is hopeless IMO”), but I wonder: if we fail to self-identify as “Christians” are we failing to “take upon ourselves the name of Christ”? Just asking.
I’m a Mormon. It’s the easiest response.
I usually forget to say that I’m _a_ Mormon and just say instead, “I’m Mormon”, which is of course a lie, because I’m Melanie.
Ronito –
Sorry to say that I’ve got to agree with you about how the phrase “I’m a Christian” carries alot of baggage for the world in general. I am always a bit sickened when I see an athlete pray in the endzone or a tv reality star ask God to help them win the game.
ronito-
Can you define what you meant by…”the word Christian become a dirty word?”
LOL Melanie
MCQ-that there’s the quandary. We aren’t “Mormons” because Mormon wasn’t a church/religion and the church authorities would have us move away from the term. We DO follow the teachings of Christ (=Christians) but the proper term might be viewed as “I’m a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints’ian” and that’s just too far out there.
There HAS to be a better way……
My sense of humor usually tries to convince me to sing, “I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.”
Abish,
I still think your second answer is the best!
Aren’t we all….*sigh*
In Texas, if you aren’t Baptist or Methodist, you might as well be pagan.
I usually say “I’m LDS”, quickily follwed by, “Mormon”.
I tried the “Latter-day Saints” thing once, and the whole thing got stuck in my mouth and came out a big knot. Won’t do that again.
I’m a Mormon.
The world understands that. Heck, even my family gets that one.
I’m a blogger.
That’s great, Kaimi! Did you have Ray Stevens in mind?
I always say I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and then follow it with “Mormon.” I want people to know the name of our church.
“I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints.”
Last year someone asked me what religion I was , before I could answer he stated “Well you can’t be Mormon because you’re Black.” I took offence to that. . . I like to be called African American.
Jamie Trwth
Latter-day saint and LDS don’t translate well.
I can’t recall anybody asking me what my religion is, but people do ask me what church I go to. My answer the last few times was “I go to the LDS Church,” and then, “usually called the Mormon Church.” They usually then tell me what Church they go to, and sometimes I know about it and sometimes I don’t, if I don’t, that part of the conversation comes to a close rather quickly.
I don’t get asked very often, but the answer depends a bit on who’s asking and the context.
My preferred answer and the one I’m most likely to give is simply “Christian,” because my goal is to follow Jesus Christ and his teachings. If I’m asked which denomination or what type of Christian (or if the context of the conversation suggests a more complete answer is desirable), the answer is “Latter-day Saint” (“LDS” if I’m writing). I don’t find that hard to say, and I’m not sure why others do. I don’t recall ever running into someone who didn’t know what that is. The response typically is “Oh, Mormon?”
Reminds me of the old TV ads that ended “From the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The Mormons.”
Blain
Here in Utah when people ask the question “Which church do you go to?” they are usually seeking information about the ward/stake boundaries and the response usually involves an address. *grin*
I either say “I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” or “Mormon” depending on the context. If it is an American I am talking to, I say the former. If it is a European, I usually just say “Mormon”.
I used to say LDS but it always requires further explanation – I find it’s actually pretty rare that someone knows what that means. It’s much more simple to just say “I’m mormon”. Everyone knows what that means. I’ve also found that in general people react more warmly to that label.
I say LDS because it requires further explanation. :) That is how my wife and I got to give a discussion on Tithing and Fast Offerings to a group on the steps of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul!
Abish,
Brewhaha already did a pretty fine job of summing it up. To me (and many others) many parts of Christianity have taken turns for the worst.
A lot of christianity out there is about seclusion and exclusion (oh noes! teh world is EVIL!!) and not about inclusion. It’s about judging (how often do you hear “Well they’re not a true christian”?) and prejudice instead of acceptance. About hate instead of love (bring up the whole concept of praying for your enemies in some congregations you’ll get driven out). Ignorance instead of knowledge. Privilege instead of humility.
In short I feel that much of American Christianity has very little to do with Christ and more with superstition and a “I got mine” ideal. So much so that I don’t feel I am alone in saying that when someone says “Christian” around me the first impression I get is not a favorable one.
I’m not sure why we think more people “understand”-“I’m a Mormon”. I know a lot of people recognize the word, but what they understand it to mean is different entirely. I’ve heard people say Mormon is another word for polygamist (not necessarily a religion that practices/d polygamy). I’ve also heard people say Mormon is the same thing as Amish. That is why I always say Latter-Day Saint. Most people up here in NY don’t know what that means and it always begs for a follow up question and/or discussion. I’ve had conversations with people wanting me to further explain what it means to be a LDS and being fascinated by the prospects of modern revelation, eternal families and a restoration of the primitive church – then being tipped off and realizing LDS is the same as Mormon and reverting back to the same tired old stereotypes.
Also, I’m not sure why “Latter Day Saint” is any more presumptuous than saying “Christian” (disciple of Christ) with all of our daily sins and personal flaws.
Ray – I usually think of it in “The Single’s Ward” soundtrack context. But yes, I think of it everytime I’m asked.
Kaimi – love that response, except then everyone looks at you (or more correctly, me) like I’m a huge dork! (Of course, there’s probably more than one reason for that thought!) :)
I started the semester at Cal State Long Beach a couple of weeks ago, and some of my classes are religious studies, so I had to respond to this question a lot. My response was, “Well, it’s a little complicated, because I’m a Christian, even though other Christians might claim that I’m not, because I’m LDS, or Mormon.” Yeah, I know! Very convoluted, but I think accurate response.
It really depends who I’m talking to.
Generally it’s “I’m a Mormon” but sometimes it’s “I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints”.
If you tell someone you’re a “Latter Day Saint,” they may think you’re a Strangite, rather than a “Latter-day Saint.” ;-)
C.J.,
I went on my mission to NYC so I know exactly what you’re talking about. When we’d say we were “the Mormons”, they’d almost always say, “Oh, that’s the Amish, right?” No idea. Or we’d get “Oh, y’all are the guys with all the wives!” So I think the best response to the question depends largely on understanding the geographical and religious context of the one asking.
Nick, once again you brought a smile to my face. Mostly because, if someone doesn’t know what a Latter-Day Saint is (ie. Mormon), they probably ain’t gonna know who the heck the Stangites were, either.
And for the record, I have never said, “I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.” I’ve said, “I’m a missionary of the Church, etc.”, but that was only because we kind of had to say that while on the mish. I remember being with the Espanol missionaries, and what they had to say was even more ridiculously long!
How about “I try to follow Christ’s teachings” as a response?
ed42, you give that response and you’d better get ready to turn the other cheek, as the one is gonna get smacked.
Tracy, I’m with you. Whenever I say Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I either jumble the words or squish them together (I’m a fast talker). So then I always have to say “you know, Mormon.”
Here in Egypt no one knows the Mormons so I just say Christian and elaborate if they ask. Usually they don’t though. Which is good because I don’t want to get arrested for prosletizing.
I’ve taken to telling people I’m a fundamentalist Mormon with 52 wives.
“Christian” to non-Christians
“Mormon” to Christians (or in response to further query from non-Christians)
One might well re-ask the question in the OP to state: “How have you heard your brothers and sisters in the faith refer to themselves?” Outside of church itself or talking with missionaries, I’ve only ever heard two people refer to themselves as LDS or “Latter-Day Saints.” (One was a really hot girl whom I would have flirted with or asked out, but that was before I converted, and I was terrified that dating LDS girls would lead to me getting tied up, carted away to the temple, and forced to baptize dead people and give up Coke and liquor.)
#37 Jacob:
I’m glad I brought a smile to your face, Jacob. That was the intent! :-)
I guess it’s sort of a personal crusade of mine, to get members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to note the hyphen and lower-case “d,” which actually does distinguish them from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which is the Strangite church. It’s kind of like trying to get a lot of LDS to include the “c” in Hinckley. I swear, that has to be the most often misspelled church president name in the history of the LDS church. ;-)
There’s a C in his name??!!!! Dang it!! Nick, keep pointing it out! It’s really ironic that for a church that stresses education that most of the members can’t spell the prophet’s name right (or the name of the church, evidently)!
Whenever anyone asks me what my religion is I always say, “Mormon.” Saying “LSD” is just too confusion.
Deep Thoughts by Jack
…confusing
I prefer to say that I am Christian because I try to live a Christlike example. In Utah, there is a certain amount of prejudiced against non-Mormons by Mormons (perceived or actual) and I prefer to stay out of that fray.
I think “Mormon” has a nice ring to it, and people recognize it.