Are the FLDS Mormons...?

[_subgenius]

You want me to answer the question I posed you before you will answer the question I posed you. Got it.

no, you don't "got it"..... i simply wanted you to clarify your question, which you dodged, and still dodged for the obvious reasons.....obviously what you define as being "Mormon" may differ from another....the term can be as ambiguous as the term Christian.
That being said, are the FLDS Mormons?....in the broad sense...yes they are...but in the more specific and perhaps colloquial use....no they are not.

Obviously, the Temple Lot, CoJCoLDS, RLDS, and FLDS can reference themselves as "Mormons", if the only qualifier for that reference is that the Book of Mormon is recognized as official scripture.

Much like many churches are "Christian" through their use of the Old Testament and the New Testament, but there are clear distinctions between being Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, or Presbyterian.
So, while we all sit back and watch your jester-like, but all to feeble, promotions of what "Mormon" really means - understand that you have no real point that you are able to make on this topic......as usual

[_Drifting]

That being said, are the FLDS Mormons?....in the broad sense...yes they are...but in the more specific and perhaps colloquial use....no they are not.

Finally...oh wait...you answered 'yes' AND 'no'....

President newsroom says they are not.
But that seems hollow given they sprang from the same source as the Salt Lake division of Joseph Smith's religion.

In fact the Church with Monson at the helm is probably the furthest removed from Joseph's church and so probably has the least valid claim on the term 'Mormon'.

So, LDS is not valid as Mormons, not valid as Christians, could we go with 'other'?

[_gdemetz]

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia defines "Mormon" as:"Member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints or of a sect closely related to it..."

[_Tobin]

Really, the FLDS represent true Brighamite Mormonism. They even believe in the Adam God doctrine. The RLDS, for a time, represented early Josephite Mormonism.
The mainstream LDS church's doctrine is really more influenced by thinkers like Talmage and McConkie, or at least was until recently.

As much as I hate to agree with Buffalo, this is a fair representation. FLDS, RLDS, and so on are Mormons. Each break-off represents some peculiar doctrine that their followers adhere to. Even main-stream Mormonism could be considered a branch of Mormonism too in its much more conservative themes than early Mormonism had.

[_Drifting]

Really, the FLDS represent true Brighamite Mormonism. They even believe in the Adam God doctrine. The RLDS, for a time, represented early Josephite Mormonism.
The mainstream LDS church's doctrine is really more influenced by thinkers like Talmage and McConkie, or at least was until recently.

As much as I hate to agree with Buffalo, this is a fair representation. FLDS, RLDS, and so on are Mormons. Each break-off represents some peculiar doctrine that their followers adhere to. Even main-stream Mormonism could be considered a branch of Mormonism too in its much more conservative themes than early Mormonism had.

The current Latter Day Saint sect based in Salt Lake is the one that least resembles the Church Joseph set up. Now if that is a sign of evolving doctrine in Gods true Church, then the Catholic Church has an equal claim for the same reason, to being Gods true Church. If the Catholic Church's evolution of doctrines and practice is a sign of apostasy, well then....you get the point.

[_Themis]

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia defines "Mormon" as:"Member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints or of a sect closely related to it..."

The most common usage of Mormon is in relation to the LDS church and to a lesser extent the FLDS when polygamy is being talked about these days. It is not surprising that they would define it this way, but does that mean FLDS or RLDS cannot be legitimately called Mormons. Like I said to sub, Mormon is not owned by the LDS church regardless of what claims they have over it.

[_Fence Sitter]

The current Latter Day Saint sect based in Salt Lake is the one that least resembles the Church Joseph set up. Now if that is a sign of evolving doctrine in Gods true Church, then the Catholic Church has an equal claim for the same reason, to being Gods true Church. If the Catholic Church's evolution of doctrines and practice is a sign of apostasy, well then....you get the point.

Actually I think the RLDS-Community of Christ is further away than the Brigham branch and always has been since they reject most of what Joseph Jr did in Nauvoo.

My .02 on the OP is you can call yourself what ever you want when it comes to religion and politics. You're looking for consistency in a world view dominated by contradictions.

[_Darth J]

amateur

“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” “Liahona,” “Book of Mormon,” and “Mormon” are trademarks of Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
http://www.LDS.org/legal/terms?lang=eng

The LDS Church can falsely assert to its heart's content that "Mormon" is a trademark owned by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. But it isn't. IRI's application to trademark "Mormon" was denied.

http://tdr.uspto.gov/jsp/DocumentViewPa ... /false#p=1

[_Darth J]

Well, we could pose the question from the OP to our resident expert in constitutional law, subgenius.

OR, we could pose the question to Richard L. Bushman, a faithful member of the LDS Church who is the Howard W. Hunter Visiting Professor in Mormon Studies at Claremont Graduate University.

Mormonism: A Very Short Introduction, Pages 13-14

Varieties of Mormonism

Mormonism now consists of scores of independent factions that have emerged over the years. The church bearing the name of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, headquartered in Salt Lake City, is only the largest entity in a broad movement. A number of separate groups sprang up in the decades after Joseph Smith's death in 1844 when there was a contest to succeed him as president of the church. After Brigham Young led the largest contingent west to the Great Basin in 1847, a substantial number of Mormons who stayed behind formed the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints under Joseph Smith's son. Known since 2001 as the Community of Christ, this branch of Mormonism is headquartered in Independence, Missouri.

In the early twentieth century, another major split took place following the abandonment of plural marriage in 1890. So-called fundamentalist groups held on to polygamy and claimed to continue authentic Mormonism. They believed that the main body of the church had strayed. The fundamentalists are the groups now notorious in the press for their practice of plural marriage in opposition to anti-bigamy laws.

These divergent wings of the Mormon movement exemplify the complex forces operating within Mormonism to this day.

[_subgenius]

amateur

“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” “Liahona,” “Book of Mormon,” and “Mormon” are trademarks of Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
http://www.LDS.org/legal/terms?lang=eng

The LDS Church can falsely assert to its heart's content that "Mormon" is a trademark owned by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. But it isn't. IRI's application to trademark "Mormon" was denied.

http://tdr.uspto.gov/jsp/DocumentViewPa ... /false#p=1

expand you mind and your geographic knowledge....

In some countries, Mormon and some phrases including the term are registered trademarks owned by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. ....
the United States Patent and Trademark Office rejected the application, stating that the term "Mormon" was too generic, and is popularly understood as referring to a particular kind of church, similar to "Presbyterian" or "Methodist", rather than a service mark. The application was abandoned as of August 22, 2007. In all, the Intellectual Reserve, Inc. owns more than 60 trademarks related to the term Mormon.