As long as we use the Book Of Mormon as scripture, we are going to be known as Mormons. I’m sure Pres Nelson has recognized this, and maybe even pondered renaming the book! If he can rename the historic Mormon Tabernacle Choir to some generic name that I can’t remember, what’s to stop him from putting the final nail in the coffin and getting rid of the name Mormon for good?
So lets help him out, and crowd source a new name for the Book of Mormon. Heck, if all temples patrons can get a “new name”, why shouldn’t the Book?
As I’ve ponderized a new name, I came up with some that might cause as many victories for Satan as the current one. If go with easy ones like “The Book of Nephi” (or any other prophet in the book), we’ll just take on a new name, like Nephites, or Almaites, or any manner of “ites”.
We need a name that puts Satan in his place, and doesn’t upset God. In going with Nelson’s edict, we could use the full name of the Church and call it “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint’s Other Scripture”. While it does not role off the tongue like the current name, it meets all the rules for naming in the Church.
So getting serious here, why don’t we just name it “Another Testament of Jesus Christ”. Heck, it is already on the cover. Or maybe a little shorter but getting the same idea across, “Another Testimony of Christ”.
Do you think the Church could/would ever change the name of the Book of Mormon, or is it too ingrained in our very sole as Mormons to ever change it?
Do you think the subject has ever been broached in a Q15 meeting?
If it was changed, what names would you suggest?
Wheat & Tares 
The Book of Joseph Smith’s daydreams
The Book of the Angel Nephi
The Book that almost was copyrighted in Canada
The Book to justify Racism
The Book that helps you Sleep
The Book that JS never Quoted in a Sermon
The Book that justifies Murder
The Book that denounced Polygamy while being ignored.
The Book created in Hat’s Rock
The Book created in the 19th Century which has nothing to do with the 1st or 20th/21st.
The Book to read to avoid the Bible
The Book of the University of Dartmouth
The Book written by a convicted Money Digger
The Book that created a $200B Empire.
The Book which causes God to weep, wishing that his Children dedicated their time in helping their neighbor, in place of repeating the mistakes of the Pharisees.
I don’t know, The Book of Mormon is already a pretty good name. I love that book of inspired scripture. I know it teaches of Jesus Chist in simplicity and power, and has blessed my life.
Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday.
I would hope that, if Nelson tries to rename the Book of Mormon, the rest of the Q15 would shut him down fast. I don’t believe Nelson has the energy and stamina to pursue another massive and unpopular change right now. He’s getting pretty feeble.
But if we do need suggestions for a name …
The American Bible. Someone could pitch it as a way of insisting that Mormons are Christians, the Q15 would hope it could work, and then of course it would backfire spectacularly and infuriate the mainstream Christians.
You could reverse the wording: put “Another Testament of Jesus Christ” at the top in larger letters and put “Abridged by the Prophet Mormon” in smaller letters underneath. That would clarify who Mormon is and his role with the book.
Covenant of Christ
https://scriptures.info/scriptures/cc
We could always call it the Golden Bible!
I think Nelson would like, “The Book of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.” It sounds comfortingly familiar and corrects people who called it “the Mormon Bible,” by giving them the more proper name and emphasizing that we are Christian.
Chatgpt, please write bada** names for the Book of Mormon:
Sure! Here are some bold and creative alternate names for the Book of Mormon:
Let me know if you need more or a specific style!
You said: More Bada**
ChatGPT said:
Got it! Here’s a more edgy, intense set of alternate names for the Book of Mormon:
Hope these hit the mark! Let me know if you want more!
You said: MORE
ChatGPT said:
Absolutely, let’s dial up the intensity even more:
Let me know if you want even more or specific ideas!
I’m loving all the options! How about:
How to create a 200-billion dollar company… er, that is religion, in under two hundred years for dummies
Harry Potter(aka Joseph Smith) and the Seer Stone
How to win “friends” and coerce people to join your family, travel across the world and found at least two new nations that will constantly fight each other, for which there will be exactly zero credible evidence.
How to turn your dreams and “visions” into a world-wide, albeit minor, religion.
Religious discourse and stories to resolve all the early 19th century religious questions.
The Book of the Savior, or The Church: Another Testament of Russell M Nelson and David A Bednar, with legal disclaimers by Dallin H Oaks
The primary justification that Nelson has given for using the full name of the Church instead of the “Mormon Church” is that he believes that the name of the Church was revealed to Joseph Smith by Christ (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2018/10/the-correct-name-of-the-church?lang=eng). The Book of Mormon’s own title page, which my understanding is that most scholars say was written by Moroni or perhaps by both Mormon and Moroni, already provides a lengthy title for the book: “The Book of Mormon: An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/bofm-title?lang=eng). I guess that one could argue that the name “Book of Mormon” originated with Moroni or Mormon and not necessarily Christ, but given that it is supposed to be the “most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion” it seems like Nelson would be bound to stick with the orginal name of the book just like he is insisting on using the “divinely inspired” name of the Church. That said, I guess the Q15 was comfortable with replacing the original subtitle (“An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi”) with “Another Testament of Jesus Christ” (well, they added a new title page with this new name and retained the old title page with the title from Moroni/Mormon), so maybe they could rename the book after all.
The “Another Testament” language is pretty clearly an attempt by the Church to position the Book of Mormon alongside the Old Testament and New Testament. Going with “Another Testament” instead of “A New World Testament” or “A Testament from the Americas” was probably a good choice since there is still absolutely zero evidence of Book of Mormon civilizations in the Americas. Given the continued lack of archaelogical evidence for the Book of Mormon, we seem to be getting to the point where the Church may need to alter the current subtitle to be something like, “The Book of Mormon: Pick Whichever Works Best for You: Another Historical Testament of Jesus Christ or A Fictional, but Still Theologically Useful, Testament of Jesus Christ” in order to satisfy its conservative members as well as the growing number of members that doubt its historicity. Yeah, it’s a mouthful, but we all know how Nelson loves long, awkward titles, so you never know.
Every time a topic like this comes up, I think of D&C 107:3-4 and how Nelson’s de-legitimizing of “Mormon” runs contrary to what is taught in those verses. Yet it has become fairly well established in LDS culture–you should see that way that a not insignificant number of students at BYU react in horror when I use the term “Mormon” in one of my classes.
I would argue that changing the name would be a bridge too far even for Nelson. I can see a rebranding of the cover, however, to emphasize the subtitle in ridiculously large font.
Mormon is supposed to be a Native American name, so I think any rebrand would need to be based on one of the indigenous authors.
Didn’t the original publication also have Joseph Smith’s name on the cover alongside Mormon’s name? Or am I thinking of the title page?
I like the symmetry of having the following scriptures: Old Testament, New Testament, Another Testament, Modern Testament, and Pearl of Yet More Testaments.
I think that to avoid giving a victory to Satan, we should refer to it as “The Book of He Who Shall Not Be Named.” That should attract converts, right?
The Book of Mormon has been in the public domain for as long as anyone now alive can remember, including President Nelson. They don’t own it. The Church is certainly welcome to change their published version, but history won’t be so easily erased.
Forget the title change. Just redesign the cover featuring a bare-chested, blue-eyed, muscular Nephi with flowing blond hair and wielding a sword. I believe such artwork already exists.
How about some Jane Austin inspired titles.
Sense and Nonsense
Pride and Prophesy
Mormon’s Dilemma
Man’s Field Day
Coercion
Mormon, Anger Daddy
Kudos for the creativity! Fine holiday fun!
On my mission in the Kong the Philippine branch called it the Book of the Mormons instead of the Book of Mormon which I’m sure was simply a language/translation item and not a dig at the book and always amused me. I have a feeling in the Nelson era the leaders have now corrected them.
On a serious note, I would simply flip the script and call it Another Testament of Jesus Christ in big bold letters then in small letters underneath call it a book of scripture compiled by Mormon.
I’m sure a name change has at least been discussed by the bigwigs.
Also on this topic, the church changed it’s Chinese name circa 2000 while I was on my mission. They changed the two Chinese characters for latter days. The previous characters were more of a last days vibe while the new characters were more of a modern day vibe. At the time I put it on my shelf, wondering why those charged with governance missed God’s memo on what seemed such an important topic at the time.
The name of the Church changed while I was on my mission too. The literal translation at the start of my mission was “Saints of the Last Days.” I guess the native speakers finally convinced someone important that the connotation was too wild-eyed apocalyptic. The name was changed to “Saints of the Modern/Current Days.”
As I was lying in bed I realized I missed a great opportunity in my comment.
“They’re going to change it to The Book of He Who Shall Not Be Named.” *Looks both ways, then whispers* “Voldemormon.”
Janey,
What country was that? As I travel, I see that most countries use last days, and apparently don’t have the nuance of latter days.
Oh I thought of this gem this morning: another book that doesn’t mention the words apology or free agency (shout out to Elder Oaks and Elder Bednar).
Chadwick, or what about “Another Book Where God’s Love Cannot Be Described as Unconditional?”
What if we use the subtitle as the main title? Another Testament of Jesus Christ? Then the new subtitle could be For the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
“Another Testament of Jesus Christ: For the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints”
The Bullet-Stopper.
Not calling ourselves Mormon is just rebranding. Something wasn’t working and Pres. Nelson thought a name change would help. Most rebrandings don’t, they just postpone the problems.
Actually, it’s essentially just Nelson’s gospel hobby horse, as McConkie might have said. He’s had a bee in his bonnet on the issue for decades and finally had the power to do something about it.