LDS News Watch

NY Times Op-Ed Piece Describes the LDS Church

An op-ed piece in the New York Times today discussed Mitt Romney’s religion in the context of his bid for presidential nomination. While the article focused mainly on political strategy, it did highlight some of the differences between Mormonism and the rest of Christianity. The article, by op-ed contributor Kenneth Woodward, was respectful and accurate. Some of the points Woodward made about the Church include:

. . . Mormons speak of God, but they refer to a being who was once a man of “flesh and bone,” like us. They speak of salvation, but to them that means admittance to a “celestial kingdom” where a worthy couple can eventually become “gods” themselves. The Heavenly Father of whom they speak is married to a Heavenly Mother. And when they emphasize the importance of the family, they may be referring to their belief that marriage in a Mormon temple binds families together for all eternity.

This was generally a well-researched piece of good journalism. The only improvements that we would wish to see would be more precise use of the Church’s name. Woodward first referred to the Church as the “Mormon Church,” using the full name of the Church in a later paragraph. Additionally, towards the end of the piece, he used the title “Church of Latter-day Saints.” The style guide of the Church gives this guidance as to how to use its name:

• In the first reference, the full name of the Church is preferred: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
• Please avoid the use of “Mormon Church,” “LDS Church” or “the Church of the Latter-day Saints.”
• When a shortened reference is needed, the terms “the Church” or “the Church of Jesus Christ” are encouraged.

In the op-ed piece, the author also mentioned that some people “still confuse the Latter-day Saints with fundamentalist Mormon sects that continue to practice polygamy and child marriage . . ..” While we appreciate that Woodward articulated the difference between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other sects, the use of the term “fundamentalist Mormon” or “Mormon fundamentalists” can contribute to that confusion. The Church’s style guide provides additional guidance in this respect:

When referring to people or organizations that practice polygamy, the terms “Mormons,” “Mormon fundamentalist,” “Mormon dissidents,” etc. are incorrect. The Associated Press Stylebook notes: “The term Mormon is not properly applied to the other … churches that resulted from the split after [Joseph] Smith’s death.”

The op-ed piece can be read here.