The name of the Church has always been the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - that is what it was called since it was founded on April 6th, 1830.
The members of the LDS Church were termed "Mormon" by those who hated them.
That term was the only recognizable term for quite a long time - but that was never the name of the LDS Church - and it is only recently that the members of the LDS Church have made a concerted effort to be called by our rightful name.
You don't have to agree with me - you'd be ignoring the facts if you did - but I will report you or anyone who keeps referring to me by the term "Mormon" after I have informed them of the history of that term and my preference.
I'm checking up what you say, from secular sources, and I can see how what you are saying would be true.
en.wikipedia.org
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a restorationist, nontrinitarian Christian denomination that is the largest denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement.
Joseph Smith formally organized the church as the
Church of Christ, on April 6, 1830, in western New York; the church's name was later changed to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. : 627 n. 73 Initial converts were drawn to the church in part because of the newly published
Book of Mormon, a self-described chronicle of indigenous American prophets that Smith said he had translated from golden plates.
en.wikipedia.org
The terminology preferred by the church itself has varied over time. At various points, the church has embraced the term
Mormon and stated that other sects within the shared faith tradition should not be called Mormon.
[8]
The word Mormon was initially coined to describe any person who believes in the Book of Mormon as a scripture volume. Mormonite and Mormon were originally descriptive terms used both by outsiders to the faith, church members, and occasionally church leaders.
[9][
better source needed] The term Mormon later was sometimes used
derogatorily; such use may have developed during the
1838 Mormon War,
[10] although church members and leaders "embraced the term", according to church historian Matthew Bowman, and by the end of the 1800s it was broadly used.
[11]
I think what is happening here, is that persons might not have thoroughly research this, and may be speaking with limited knowledge.
Also, there may be a need to try to understand.
From what is stated here:
After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several groups following different leaders; the majority followed
Brigham Young, while smaller groups followed
Joseph Smith III,
Sidney Rigdon, and
James Strang.
Most of these smaller groups eventually merged into the Community of Christ, and the term Mormon typically refers to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), as today, this branch is far larger than all the others combined. People who identify as Mormons may also be independently religious, secular, and non-practicing or belong to
other denominations. Since 2018, the LDS Church has emphasized a desire for its members be referred to as "members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints", or more simply as "
Latter-day Saints".
[3]
What I understand from this, is, while some sects, or members of Latter Day Saints, or breakaways may have accepted the term Mormon, it was not recognized by the main group, or it's leaders.
I can understand that, because individuals of a group might not have a clear understanding of the religion they belong to, and use terms in a way that is not acceptable to the leaders.
Worst yet, when you have splinter sects, going their own way, it's easy to see how the misunderstanding can expand, where the terminology is used loosely, and viewed as, or even accepted.
I hope I am at least close to understanding.
I accept any correction, from those on the inside, who know better than I do, and better than the secular world that sometimes do not fully grasp what they are considering.
Thanks again.
I can understand how you are feeling at this time.
I experienced something similar, and I know the feeling.
Most people are not reasonable though, so I think, we should expect and try to get used to that.
The Bible did prophecy that in the last days men would be "without natural affection, implacable, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, not lovers of those who are good". 2 timothy 3:3
