CONFUSION BETWEEN POLYGAMOUS SECTS AND MORMONS
The following information was compiled from recent news releases on the Newsroom Web site at www.lds.org
The Church reiterated on 6 April that it has no affiliation whatever with the Texas-based sect that has been subject to investigation by state law enforcement officers and child protective services in recent days, and whose leader, Warren Jeffs, was jailed in 2006.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints discontinued polygamy officially in 1890. Some people left the Church to continue the practice of polygamy, or were excommunicated because they refused to give up the practice. Some of their descendants are found in polygamous communities today in various parts of the United States and Canada, but especially in the West. They are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Church President Gordon B. Hinckley stated the following about polygamy in the Church's October 1998 general conference: “I wish to state categorically that this Church has nothing whatever to do with those practicing polygamy. They are not members of this Church. Most of them have never been members … If any of our members are found to be practicing plural marriage, they are excommunicated, the most serious penalty the Church can impose. Not only are those so involved in direct violation of the civil law, they are in violation of the law of this Church.”
Some news reports, especially those outside the U.S., still fail to draw clear distinctions between Mormons and polygamous sects whenever stories arise about polygamy in the Intermountain West.
The term “Mormon” is correctly used to apply ONLY to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “Mormon” should never be used to describe polygamous sects.
Latter-day Saints are offended when elementary mistakes are made in the news media or when printed or posted photographs fail to make the distinction between the Church and polygamous groups.
Elder Ballard stated: “You would think that after over 100 years, media organizations would understand the difference. You can’t blame the public for being confused when some of those reporting on these stories keep getting them wrong.”
There could not be two groups of people more different. Mormons do not look like members of the polygamous group in Texas -- they do not dress like them, worship like them, or believe the same things.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a global faith with 13 million members worldwide. We teach the gospel in 90 languages. There are members of our faith in every country. We are the 4th largest denomination in the U.S. We have donated over $1 billion in humanitarian aid worldwide. We operate Brigham Young University. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints could not be more different than these small, secretive, polygamous societies.
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REPORTING ADDS TO CONFUSION BETWEEN MORMONS AND POLYGAMOUS SECTS
HOUSTON – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continues to appeal to the news media to make a clear distinction in their reports between the Church, whose members are sometimes referred to as Mormons, and the polygamist sect in Texas that has made headlines throughout the world.
“Some news reports, both inside and outside the U.S., are still failing to draw clear distinctions between Mormons and polygamous sects,” said Stirling D. Pack Jr., an ecclesiastical leader of the Church in northwest Houston.
The Associated Press Stylebook notes that the term Mormon “is not properly applied to the other churches… that resulted from the split after [Joseph] Smith's death.” It should be obvious why the AP has adopted this policy. It is widely understood that the word Mormon refers to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which sends out “Mormon missionaries,” sponsors the “Mormon Tabernacle Choir” and builds “Mormon temples.” Associating the term Mormon with polygamists blurs what should be a crystal-clear distinction between organizations that are entirely separate.
“Mormons haven’t practiced polygamy for more than a century, so it disturbs me when I hear news reports referring to polygamists as Mormons,” Pack said. “It creates a great deal of confusion. The Church actually received a telephone call from a major news organization asking permission to allow them to film in a polygamous sect’s temple. We have absolutely no connection with such groups whatsoever.”
“These inaccurate associations do not allow readers and viewers to understand the distinction,” said Pack, “and it is leading to a number of misunderstandings that I discover in my everyday conversations with people.”
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints discontinued its practice of polygamy in 1890, and for 117 years Mormons have followed a monogamous lifestyle. Yet careless headline writing or sloppy reporting still causes millions of Mormons to have to answer questions from their coworkers, friends and neighbors: "Are you a polygamist?" "Is that your church I read about in the newspaper?" or "How many wives do you have?"
In addition to not practicing polygamy, Pack is quick to point out other striking differences between Mormons and polygamist sects.
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a global faith with 13 million members worldwide and is the fourth largest denomination in the United States,” Pack said. “Our members are actively engaged in their communities. The Church has donated over $1 billion in humanitarian aid worldwide. We are mainstream, not isolated.”
He noted that 60 percent of Mormons have some college education, in comparison to 50 percent for the total U.S. population, and that their occupations are spread across the typical range for the countries in which they reside.
Pack explained that Mormons do not have arranged marriages, and they go through a normal process of choosing their spouses. The average age for marriage is about 23.
“There could not be two groups of people more different,” said Pack. “Mormons do not look like members of the polygamous group in Texas. They do not dress like them, worship like them, or believe the same things. We appeal to the media to help clear up these misconceptions by discontinuing the use of the term Mormon to describe these sects.”
Patte Comstock
