Avoiding Too Frequent Repetition of the Name of Diety

Two Mormon ideas reflect contrasting approaches to using sacred names. The Church President states that out of respect for the Lord, we should call his church by his name. Also, in the D&C, out of respect for the Lord, we don’t call his priesthood by his name.

President Russell M. Nelson in 2018 (and 1990) asserts that using the Mormon nickname for the church offends God and aligns with Satan, underscoring the importance of reverence for the Lord’s name by using it precisely. Joseph Smith in the Doctrine and Covenants 107:1–4 provides a different perspective, clearly stating that anciently the people of God intentionally avoided too frequent repetition of God’s name, also out of respect, opting to name the priesthood after Melchizedek instead of using the longer ‘Holy Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God’.

Church Name

"If we allow nicknames to be used or adopt or even sponsor those nicknames ourselves, He is offended... To remove the Lord’s name from the Lord’s Church is a major victory for Satan." - President Russell M. Nelson 2018 | wasmormon.org — “If we allow nicknames to be used or adopt or even sponsor those nicknames ourselves, He is offended… To remove the Lord’s name from the Lord’s Church is a major victory for Satan.” – President Russell M. Nelson, 2018

Russell M. Nelson says using the nickname of the church removes the name of Jesus Christ from the church, is offensive to God, and thus a major victory for Satan. In Nelson’s view, precise naming shows devotion and avoids offending God by not repeating his name every time the church is mentioned, while in early LDS scripture, restraint in frequent repetition of the sacred name was seen as respectful. How can we not see the contradiction? How can we not see this as an evolution of LDS views?

He may have different motives for this emphasis, but one can only guess what they are. Perhaps it is a petty feud that he’s still holding on to, even though he only won by outliving his predecessors, Gordon B> Hinckley and Thomas S. Monson who embraced the Mormon term for the church after Nelson called for leaving it behind. Or perhaps in an attempt to make the church more palatable to the greater Christian community, there’s a drive to remove the Mormon history from the church, and accepting the nickname Mormon made the church look less Christian? Perhaps, despite his statement to the contrary, this is branding.

Melchizedek Priesthood Name

There is precedent for the opposite mindset in recent church history and modern-day revelation from Joseph Smith. Is Russell M. Nelson aware that we have another instance where a nickname is used in place of God’s name? This didn’t hurt God’s feelings and He was not offended because he taught Joseph Smith about it and explained the reasoning.

The Melchizedek Priesthood has not always been called so. The actual name of the priesthood is “the Holy Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God”; but as explained in the Doctrine and Covenants, to avoid the too-frequent repetition of the name of deity, it is called the Melchizedek Priesthood.

"1) There are, in the church, two priesthoods, namely, the Melchizedek and Aaronic, including the Levitical Priesthood. 2) Why the first is called the Melchizedek Priesthood is because Melchizedek was such a great high priest. 3) Before his day it was called the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God. 4) But out of respect or reverence to the name of the Supreme Being, to avoid the too frequent repetition of his name, they, the church, in ancient days, called that priesthood after Melchizedek, or the Melchizedek Priesthood." - Doctrine and Covenants 107:1–4
Priesthood called Melchizedek out of respect of God, to avoid too frequent repetition. | wasmormon.org — “1) There are, in the church, two priesthoods, namely, the Melchizedek and Aaronic, including the Levitical Priesthood. 2) Why the first is called the Melchizedek Priesthood is because Melchizedek was such a great high priest. 3) Before his day it was called the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God. 4) But out of respect or reverence to the name of the Supreme Being, to avoid the too frequent repetition of his name, they, the church, in ancient days, called that priesthood after Melchizedek, or the Melchizedek Priesthood.” – Doctrine and Covenants 107:1–4
Priesthood called Melchizedek out of respect for God, to avoid too frequent repetition.

1 There are, in the church, two priesthoods, namely, the Melchizedek and Aaronic, including the Levitical Priesthood.
2 Why the first is called the Melchizedek Priesthood is because Melchizedek was such a great high priest.
3 Before his day it was called the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God.
4 But out of respect or reverence to the name of the Supreme Being, to avoid the too frequent repetition of his name, they, the church, in ancient days, called that priesthood after Melchizedek, or the Melchizedek Priesthood.
Doctrine and Covenants 107:1–4
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/107?lang=eng&id=p1-p4#p1

So the church leaders changed the name of the priesthood to use a nickname to avoid the too-frequent repetition of the name of a deity. But Nelson tells us that God is offended when we don’t use his name as part of the full name of the church, despite the too frequent repetition this requires.

"What’s in a name or, in this case, a nickname? When it comes to nicknames of the Church, such as the “LDS Church,” the “Mormon Church,” or the “Church of the Latter-day Saints,” the most important thing in those names is the absence of the Savior’s name. To remove the Lord’s name from the Lord’s Church is a major victory for Satan." - President Russell M. Nelson 2018 | wasmormon.org — “What’s in a name or, in this case, a nickname? When it comes to nicknames of the Church, such as the “LDS Church,” the “Mormon Church,” or the “Church of the Latter-day Saints,” the most important thing in those names is the absence of the Savior’s name. To remove the Lord’s name from the Lord’s Church is a major victory for Satan.” – President Russell M. Nelson 2018

President Nelson teaches God is offended when the name of the church is shortened or another name is used in its place. And the devil celebrates it. Seems like Russell Nelson is the one who is easily offended, and even projects this onto God because he apparently still does not understand revelation. Nelson is showing his own foolishness and spiritual immaturity or malady when he makes an issue of the church nickname.

There is precedent in the scripture, with the backing of respect for the name of God, to use a substitute name to avoid the too frequent repetition of the name of God. The name of the priesthood, “the Holy Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God” doesn’t even include the full name and it was changed out of respect for the name of God. The church’s name is, since 1851, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and includes Jesus name, as Nelson points out. Does he willfully forget that too frequent repetition of the name of God is not a good thing, and that respectfully it should not be overused?

Should we expect the church to ask us to stop saying Melchizedek? We should refer to the priesthood as the full name from now on as to avoid offending God? Is it a major victory for Satan that his name has been removed from his Holy Priesthood? What are your thoughts on the name of the church and the name of the priesthood? Out of respect for the Lord, we call his church by his name. Also out of respect for the Lord, we don’t call his priesthood by his name. Was/is any of this inconsistency and doublethink and newspeak on your shelf? How do/did you reconcile it? Or were you unable to perform the mental gymnastics required? Consider sharing your full story of deconstruction at wasmormon.org.

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