'Mormon' term often misused

It seems like just when the mainstream LDS Church gets some accurate media attention, another "Mormon" story blasts onto the scene, spawning a flurry of sound bites that often confuse those who live outside Utah.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for years has waged a vigorous public relations battle to gets its message across with award-winning TV commercials and well-received interviews of President Gordon B. Hinckley by such television personalities as Mike Wallace, Tom Brokaw and Larry King.

Then comes something like this week's arrest of Warren Jeffs, the leader of a secretive polygamist sect that in no way is connected to the LDS Church but considers itself the true standard bearer for the beliefs set forth by LDS Church founder Joseph Smith.

Jeffs, who has been on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list, faces criminal charges in Utah and Arizona that center largely around his alleged insistence on presiding over "marriages" between underage girls and older men who practice polygamy. The LDS Church renounced polygamy in 1890 and excommunicates members who practice it.

But to hear some TV and radio news, one might think the two religions are the same. And the inaccuracies have spread worldwide with wire service reports reaching across the globe.

ABC-TV referred to the Jeffs arrest this way: "Excommunicated Mormon polygamist leader Warren Jeffs is behind bars.... "

Other ABC newscasts describe him as "the fugitive leader of a polygamist Mormon sect."

Jeffs has never been a member of the LDS Church nor has he ever been excommunicated from it or any religious organization.

With 12 million members, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, headquartered in Salt Lake City, issued a statement Tuesday evening attempting to clarify some of the terminology and information now in the headlines.

"Quite simply, calling Warren Jeffs a Mormon is misleading and confusing to the vast majority of audiences who rightfully associate the term 'Mormon' with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," the statement said.

Among other things, the LDS Church's press release states that its members do not practice polygamy, that "Mormon" is a nickname referring to members of its church, and insists that there is no such thing as a "Mormon fundamentalist" or "Mormon sect." Instead, such groups should be termed "polygamist sects," the press release said.

"The inclusion of the word 'Mormon' is misleading and inaccurate," the release said.