Is this disrespectful to Mormons?

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Mormons are making a big deal out of their name. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is now called The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. Their president, Russel M. Nelson says that they don’t want to be called Mormons anymore, but members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I predict that this will be a significant part of this weekend’s general conference messages.

I’m thinking that they will drop all, or most of the references to Mormon, such as “I’m a Mormon” and mormon.org and such. They will probably keep Book of Mormon.

They have always been “Mormons” to me and always will be. I believe that in ten years from now, the world will still be calling them Mormons. I won’t call them by their official name because it invokes the name of Jesus Christ and they do not worship the same Jesus Christ that I know. Is it disrespectful if I continue to call them Mormons?
 
Calling them what they want to be called is akin to being compelled to sign a document refuting transubstantiation (a religious test).

Don’t violate your own beliefs to be “nice” to someone else. If you have to keep peace, just ignore them and don’t call them anything.
 
Many of them are my friends and family. I can’t exactly ignore them. And they are constantly telling me about the Church.
 
If they tell you what you don’t want to hear, maybe tell them the truth. God knows they don’t want to hear that. But, you did your part to spread the Gospel.
 
Lemuel said:
Mormons are making a big deal out of their name. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is now called The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. Their president, Russel M. Nelson says that they don’t want to be called Mormons anymore,
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I guess they can do what they want, but they’ve been pretty successful in referencing themselves as Mormons over the years, growing at decent rate when other new religions have stagnated or out-and-out failed.

I just don’t see how this will help them , and may well hinder them by confusing the rest of the people.

Further, it sounds like they are trying to force use of language on non-members, people just don’t go for that PC stuff, especially now in the Age of Trump.
 
PC is on the out and out. It started with the departure of Obama and the raking of Hillary over the coals.
 
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I can understand your hesitancy to call them by their preferred name. That said, I must disagree that it’s as serious as @Bon_Croix made it out to be, and I would consider it not only disrespectful but rude and potentially offensive to insist on calling someone a name they have clearly asked not to be called. (Offensive as in uncharitable, the opposite of what Jesus taught us to be; not the offensive that some people tend to think of these days as more of a dare to push each others’ buttons.)
 
not only disrespectful but rude and potentially offensive to insist on calling someone a name they have clearly asked not to be called.
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I do think there is a place, however, for calling people what they really are if they insist on masquerading as something else. This passage of Scripture comes to mind:
They said therefore to him: We are not born of fornication: we have one Father, even God. … Jesus therefore said to them: If God were your Father, you would indeed love me. … You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you will do. (John 8:41-44)
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You already know it’s disrespectful to call people by a name they don’t wish to be called. The question is what you hope to gain by it.

If you simply want to let friends or relatives know you disapprove of their religious faith, chances are you’ve already accomplished that. But go ahead and call them what you wish.

On the other hand, if you’re hoping ever to share your faith with them, you need to start from a basis of respect. A conversation that starts out with, “You call yourselves the church of Jesus Christ? You don’t have the first clue who Jesus Christ is. Now let me tell you what I know about him and share my Catholic faith with you.” Yeah…that’s not going to go well.
 
What they really are is our fellow man. “Mormon” is a manmade label, and if they don’t want to be called that, doing so is spiteful and hateful. Sure; we can say they aren’t Christian in our definition, we can call a spade a spade, but there’s a line.
 
Offense is taken, not given (in the human sense). I’m still going to refer to them as Mormons.
 
Cor_ad_Cor said:
What they really are is our fellow man. “Mormon” is a manmade label, and if they don’t want to be called that, doing so is spiteful and hateful.
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I would say this, however. They called themselves “mormons” for many, many years. And now to suddenly change their label after all this time is confusing. And if they are going to be offended by people using their former label, that’s just annoying.
 
On a practical level, nobody calls other people by an 11-word label (“member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints”), so I can’t imagine anyone is going to say “Church of Jesus Christ” even if they do stop saying Mormon.

I went through this about 15 years ago when I gathered from somewhere (I can’t remember where) that they didn’t prefer Mormon, but rather LDS. I used LDS for awhile, but when I asked my Mormon roommate at the time, he said Mormon was completely fine, so I switched back to that.

Maybe I’ll ask the Mormon friend I’m seeing tomorrow…
 
I remember a kid in the neighborhood who had kind of a problem with gas. He came to be known as Putt. He certainly was called that all through elementary school.and it may have followed him beyond that. He grew up, became an attorney, is married and has children of his own. How do you suppose he would react today if someone called him Putt? Could someone do that without intentionally causing offense?
 
@lilypadrees
That’s kind of like, “I don’t care what they want to be called, they’re still papist idolators who worship Mary.”
 
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I’ll give you that it’s awkward, and I’d venture that many themselves won’t mind the continued usage. If that’s the case amongst friends, fine. I think we Americans would take exception if Europe starts referring to us as the Colonies again. My wife was known by a different last name before we married; she doesn’t get offended if people call her by the maiden name - unless they know better, in which case, they’re actively insulting her (or me).
 
What if it truly hurts your conscience as a Catholic to call them the Church of Jesus Christ. It might be easy (hope not) to just say well get over your conscience then, but if you politely say “I’m sorry I hope you’re not offended, but I know you wouldn’t ask anyone else who loves the Lord their own way to violate their conscience. I think my church is the church of Jesus Christ and so I’m sure you understand I just feel a little uncomfortable saying it”
If this is said genuinely (some people may really have a hard time just jumping on the name change) and they get upset, I find it unkind that they would expect someone to go against their conscience, especially if they are trying to honor God themselves. (Just like those changing their name)
Is it a battle of two consciences, which takes precedence assuming both are sincere.
I should humbly give in to what I believe is falsehood in order to risk offense?
That’s my faith? I could not.
 
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