The church's statement said "there is no such thing as a 'Mormon fundamentalist,' nor are there 'Mormon sects,' " and says "the inclusion of the word 'Mormon' is misleading and inaccurate."

Some members of polygamist communities refer to themselves as "Mormon fundamentalists," insisting it was the mainstream LDS Church and not their groups that strayed from LDS Church founder Joseph Smith's original teachings.

The statement also noted that The Associated Press Stylebook, which is followed by news organizations, says, "The term Mormon is not properly applied to the other Latter Day Saints churches that resulted from the split after (Joseph) Smith's death."

The confusion comes on the heels of another media headache for the church just weeks ago with the premiere of the HBO TV series, "Big Love," about a fictional modern polygamist family living in Salt Lake City.

The church fielded myriad inquiries and sent a letter to local church leaders across the country warning of the potential confusion and asking for help in clarifying its position.

Church Public Affairs officials also worked tirelessly to distance the church from confusion with polygamist groups in the months preceding the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.

The LDS Church has dealt with lingering perceptions about its views and doctrine on the subject since 1890, when it formally disavowed the practice of polygamy begun in the mid-19th century.

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E-mail: carrie@desnews.com