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During the year that I was a member of the LDS Church, the members refered to themselves as "Mormons" from time to time, and I refered to the Church as the "Mormon Church" without incident. Even when I was a member of the LDS Church I didn't find it offensive to refer to it as "Mormonism". I'm a Valentinian Gnostic Christian, and I don't find it the least bit offensive when it is refered to as "Gnosticism".

Well, I'm guilty of that myself. Not "Mormonism", but I have said "mormon(s)." I never knew that bugged members of the Church of Latter Day Saints, so sorry. sweatdrop

I get annoyed when people say "Baha'ism", so I know how you feel.

Heh.. I'm guilty of that. That's how I hear my Mormon friends refer to it, so I just naturally picked it up. Or..would they be Latter Day Saints? sweatdrop sweatdrop Sorry, I'm really not trying to be offensive here.

I know it's not very common anymore but before people used to call the followers of Islam: Mohammadenism.

I mean, we Muslims may love our Prophet (pbuh), we will give our life for him but we don't worship the prophet.

If there was such a fool who worshipped Muhammad (pbuh) then he's definately in error and he wouldn't be considered following Islam.

The followers of Islam are called Muslims.

I'm very glad it's known now, moreso than before. smile

Well, birth control is not condoned by the church. But, the sexism thing. The teaching is in the church that males are made priesthood holders because women are the mothers. AKA, the mothers of the church actually have alot of power because they raise the children, therefore being able to shape their views early. If the women also were priesthood holders, the balance of power would be heavy towards females. ((It actually makes sense if you think about it.))

Thank you for correcting me. Even the intelligent need to be informed of being incorrect.

Actually, that's true today, and I also correct people when they say "Wicca" instead of "Wiccan" but words change over time, and in the case of this word, just twenty years ago Wicca DID mean a practitioner of the religion. The term was even used by such notable figures in the history of Neo-Paganism as Raymond Buckland and Margot Addler. Another interesting thing to note, Gerald Gardner, the man responsible for bringing Paganism out into the open in the 1950s used to refer to *any* practitioner of witchcraft as a wicca.

And while I'm on the subject, Wicca is a word that originated with a misplaced meaning. The word originated from "wica" which is a male practitioner of the old ways. The female term was "wice". They both meant what today's word "witch" means. And in fact, the word witch originated from "wice". Those three words themselves, in the very beginning literally meant wise.

Another example is the word Pagan. In pre-Christian and early Christian times, the word pagan was used to describe someone who lived far off in the country, or "backwood" if you will. The word pagan was comparable to today's word "hick", meant as a minor insult. During the rise of Christianity in Europe, people living in the distant country areas. Custom already refered to these people as pagans, and because of that, it came true that these "pagans" were witches. This meaning stuck and a thousand years later, during the Neo-Pagan movement, people continue to use this word. While I understand that the word was an insult a long time ago in the first place, I feel perfectly comfortable using it to describe myself.

The word "heathen" has a nearly identical origin. Many Asatru today refer to themselves as Heathens in the same way Wiccans call themselves Pagans.

One word that I can't stand though it the word "warlock". I believe it's a gaelic word (not sure on this). It means "arrogant one" or "rude one". How the term came to mean male witch, I will never know, but you will never find me calling myself a warlock. xp

So, (to Tora Hikari) I definatley see what you're saying with the LDS/Mormon subject, but keep in mind, words change over time, whether it's from positive to negative or vice versa.