There is no legitimate way for any organization to claim to have a trademark for the word “Mormon”. And yet the LDS church is making that silly claim. They have even filed a Federal District Court suit against Mormon Stories and John Dehlin to assert their ownership. It has been in common use by many businesses, writers, podcasters, churches and even sports teams. The term is used commonly in such widely diverse places as Mormonism Research Ministry to Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. The Smithsonian Institute even includes a sample of a Pityophthorus Mormon, together with a picture of the little insect on their website. So claiming to own the word as a trademark is, like many of the other LDS church assertions, not justified or common-sensical.
Recently the LDS church issued a press release claiming their only concern is the possibility for someone to be misled into thinking using the term suggests a party is affiliated with their progressively declining organization. However, their effort to reach a settlement for their Federal District Court lawsuit seems to be more motivated by a desire to get John Dehlin to reconfirm the legitimacy of the LDS church’s ownership of the term. If someone wants to avoid addressing the LDS claims and threats, I would recommend podcasters, writers or others using the term considering putting a disclaimer, which accommodates the LDS pretenses, while also refusing to acknowledge the primacy of the LDS assertion over the term. Here is something I believe would accomplish that:
I am an independent researcher and writer examining Mormon history. I am not affiliated with any Mormon church or religious organization and do not speak or write on their behalf, including: Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, The Church of Jesus Christ sometimes called “Bickertonites”, The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints now called “Community of Christ”, Mormonism Research Ministry, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sometimes called “Brighamites”, nor any other one of the over 140 Mormon churches or religious groups generally considered part of “Mormonism”.
And, having said that I want to be clear: I am a Mormon.