The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is making a huge official push to get people — inside and outside of the church — to stop using "Mormon" and "LDS" as convenient shortcuts for the lengthy denomination's name. The idea seems to be to make sure there's a focus on the "Jesus Christ" part. It's gone so far as to rebrand the Mormon Tabernacle Choir as the (also lengthier) "Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square."
In general, I tend to favor letting people call themselves what they want, in terms of names or general terms, and being sensitive to that preference as long as it's not intentionally misleading. I do have to say that writing out that name in full is a PitA, though, especially after first reference, and while the refocusing of the brand on Christ makes sense for them, they're going about it in a very clumsy and, I suspect, long-term unsustainable manner.
Mormons fight to be called by their full name – Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Once he's gone, a more practical enlightenment may be revealed to his successor.
That fight's been going on for decades 😛
+Cindy Brown I know that's been the preference for quite some time, but not so, um, diligently enforced.
Still haven't forgiven the mormon church for their illegal political interference with CA's prop 8.
Not the only religious group commonly called something other than their proper name. Quakers are members of a historically Christian group of religious movements formally known as the Religious Society of Friends, Society of Friends or Friends Church. I've know a few Mormons and Quakers, and regardless of what one hears in the news, the ones I've met seemed decent (and practical) folk.
You can read more about their fight to rid themselves of these disrespectful shortcuts at mormon.org or lds.org.
+Doyce Testerman Yup. 🙂
+Doyce Testerman It's possible the 94yo Prophet isn't up on that Intertubes thing.
That said, if I were a Devout-but-Intertubes-Savvy Religious Leader, I would keep those domains and simply redirect them to churchofjesuschristoflatterdaysaints.org … because, damn, nobody's going to type that out by hand if they can avoid it.
The fact they don't redirect – either of them – is honestly kind of odd.
Church of Jesus Christo Flatter Day Saints.
From the people who brought you the popular game Zooty Coon.
+Doyce Testerman For a moment I thought I had misspelled it. 🙂
Pretty sure it's just a re-branding move to avoid the negative connotation Mormon has gotten over the years.