Mormon: Who owns the word?

The LDS news room just released the following:

"We have also seen some confusion over use of the term “Mormon.” The fact is, when people hear the word “Mormon,” they think of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Mormon pioneers, and Mormon missionaries—all associated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To identify polygamist groups or individuals like Jeffs as “Mormon” confuses people and leaves the impression that there is a connection between these small groups and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We hope this distinction will always be made clear."

This brings up a paradox, at least in my mind.

If we want to say that the FLDS and the dozens and dozens of other Mormon splinter groups can't be called "Mormon" because of doctrinal differences (even though they use the Book of Mormon) or because we're the largest Mormon church (as was implied in the release), does that mean that we're ok with not being allowed to be called Christians because of our doctrinal differences and being smaller than the "Christian" churches?

"To identify polygamist groups or individuals like Jeffs as “Mormon” confuses people and leaves the impression that there is a connection between these small groups and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."

There is a connection. It's a shared history and an extremely large percentage of shared doctrines.

I am all for journalists noting that these "fundamentalist mormons" are a separate and unique groups distinct from the more commonly known Mormon church (Brighamite mormons, or SLC mormons), but discouraging using the word 'Mormon' to describe any other church which believes in and uses the Book of Mormon seems ironic when we want to be called Christians by those who would exclude us for our doctrinal differences.

Am I wrong?


UPDATE: Some in response to the blog are saying that this is different because everyone perceives "Mormon" to refer to just one church while it's generally accepted that Christian refers to many different churches. Here's how I'd respond:

We should absolutely distinguish the various "sects" of Mormonism, but I don't think we get to say that they can't be called Mormon. In a different country (say India or China) people might equate "Christian" with "Catholic." Does that mean that the Catholic church should discourage media in those countries from calling any other Christian church "Christian?"