Mormon

. In the 2005 NBA Lottery, the Portland overcame long odds and gained the number three pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. Mormon theolgy is often a subject of popular culture, usually in a satirical context, as in the case of South Park and its representation of the religion and its adherants. Kevin Prichard will be taking his place as an interim coach until someone else can be hired. Often their door-to-door missionary work is compared with the Jehovah's Witnesses. Head Coach Maurice Cheeks was fired from his position on March 2, 2005. They are viewed as superstitious and knowledgable about geneology. The Blazers announced Steve Patterson as team president June 18, 2003 and announced that John Nash would become general manager on July 15.

Mormons, when they appear in movies and television shows are often presented as blond, having large families, and very religious. However, he had been the subject of continuous criticism from the team's fans and both the local and national press for team performance on the court, as well as player legal troubles off the court, causing the team to earn moniker, the 'Jail Blazers'. "Amish" was translated incorrectly to "Mormon". After nine years as president and general manager, Bob Whitsitt announced his departure from the Trail Blazers on May 7, 2003, stating that he was retiring to focus his attention on the Seattle Seahawks NFL team. One source of confusion comes from the mistranslation of the movie Witness (starring Harrison Ford) into Spanish, French, and Italian. The Blazers did not beat their first season's record until they drafted Bill Walton from UCLA. For example, both Quakers and Mennonites (which include the Amish) are traditionally strict pacifists (and are both peace churches) whereas Mormons are not. The next year, the Blazers won only 18 games, but rookie Sidney Wicks was named Rookie of the Year of the NBA.

The groups also have numerous doctrinal differences. Their first season the Blazers finished with a 29-53 record, which although generally poor was the best out of the three new teams to the NBA. Mormons originated separately from these groups: Mormons originated in the United States; Quakers and Mennonites originally came from Western Europe. The team was based around Geoff Petrie, a first round draft choice, and the 6'10" (2.08 m) tall LeRoy Ellis, whom they picked up in the expansion draft. Despite some misconceptions over similar nicknames and stereotypes, Mormons are not the same religious group as Quakers (or members of the Religious Society of Friends), Mennonites, or Amish. In that year, the Buffalo Braves and the Cleveland Cavaliers also joined the league. The term "Utah Mormon" is also popularly used today by American members of the LDS Church, to describe perceived cultural differences and/or geographical positioning between members who live in or originated in Utah, as opposed to members elsewhere. On February 6, 1970, the NBA board of governors granted the Blazers franchise, after the Blazers paid $3.7 million to join the league.

These new terms have begun to gain a following among historians today. The Portland Trail Blazers are a National Basketball Association team based in Portland, Oregon. Addressing some of the limitations of the Utah/Missouri designations, historian Jan Shipps has now coined the terms Rocky Mountain Saints and Prairie Saints to rename the "Utah" and "Missouri" branches of the movement. Lenny Wilkens. Both the terms "Utah Mormons" and "Missouri Mormons" are also problematic because the majority of members of each of these branches no longer live in either of these states. The majority of the membership of the LDS church today resides outside of the United States. Jack Ramsay. The Utah Mormon group includes all the organizations descending from those Mormons who followed Brigham Young to what is now Utah, both The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other smaller breakoff organizations, including groups that still practice plural marriage — the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the Kingston clan, the True & Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days and others scattered in usually isolated communities mostly in Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Colorado, British Columbia, Alberta, and Mexico. Dr.

Strang Smith's legitimate successor. Bill Schonely, Announcer. Notable exceptions include the Pennsylvania-based Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite) which considers Sidney Rigdon Joseph Smith's rightful successor and the Wisconsin-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite) which considers James J. Jim Lynam, Assistant Coach. (Not all "Missouri Mormon" groups are based in Missouri, however. Kevin Prichard, Head Coach (interim). In this scheme, Missouri Mormons are those Mormons who did not travel to Utah, and the organizations formed from them — the Community of Christ, Church of Christ (Temple Lot), Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, etc. Viktor Khyrapa.

Some scholars, such as Melton, in his Encyclopedia of American Religion, subdivide the Mormons into "Utah Mormons" and "Missouri Mormons". Travis Outlaw. Mormonism had a number of similarities to Campbellite teachings, and many of Mormonism's first adherents (including Sidney Rigdon) were previously Campbellites. Joel Przybilla. Sometimes "Restorationist" or "Restoration Movement" are used as umbrella terms, for those derived from the Campbellites or Stone-Campbell churches, for example, the Church of Christ and the Disciples of Christ. Richie Frahm. Despite this perspective, the term "Mormon Fundamentalist" is widely used by Latter Day Saints (including members of the LDS church and the fundamentalists themselves) and by people outside the movement. Ruben Patterson.

Claims for exclusivity of usage are primarily to avoid confusion between the LDS Church and "Mormon Fundamentalist" groups. The LDS Church argues "Mormon", "Mormon fundamentalist" and "Mormon dissident" in reference to organizations or groups outside of the LDS Church (especially those that practice plural marriage) is a misunderstanding of Mormon theology, in particular the principle of continuous revelation and Priesthood authority. Sebastian Telfair. In a press release (http://www.lds.org/newsroom/page/0,15606,3899-1---15-168,00.html) from 2001, the LDS Church stated that the word "Mormon" as an adjective in such expressions as "Mormon pioneers", "Mormons" as a noun in reference to church members, and "Mormonism" as a doctrine, culture, and lifestyle were all acceptable. Damon Stoudamire. Although the LDS Church objects to the use of the referrent "Mormon Church", it stops short of rejecting the terms "Mormonism" and "Mormon" and occasionally claims these terms as exclusive references only to itself and its members. Theo Ratliff. This style suggestion is rarely followed because of the ambiguity of the abbreviation and most still use the previous abbreviation, "LDS Church". Zach Randolph.

By the 1970s, because the term had become so common, the LDS church began to use the term "Mormon" in advertising, including well-known television commercials which ended: "A message from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: The Mormons." More recently the organization has asked the media to use the church's complete name and follow any second reference with the name "The Church of Jesus Christ", to recognize Jesus Christ's importance to the faith. Darius Miles. For many years it was common for members to use quotes around the word "Mormon" — to indicate that this is something non-Mormons called Latter-day Saints. Nick Van Exel. The LDS church has changed its position on the term "Mormon" over time. Derek Anderson. These groups often refer to themselves as "Mormon fundamentalists" and call members of the LDS church "mainstream Mormons". Shareef Abdur-Rahim.

This usage is also problematic regarding churches that split from the LDS Church in the 20th Century — some of which continue to refer to themselves as "Mormons". Jack Ramsay (coach; won the team's first and only title in 1977). However, this usage is problematic because if it is employed, members of the early Latter Day Saint movement prior to schisms of the Latter Day Saint succession crisis should likewise not be referred to as "Mormons". 77 Dr. churches that resulted from the split after [Joseph] Smith's death.". 45 Geoff Petrie. The Associated Press Stylebook likewise notes: "The term Mormon is not properly applied to the other .. 36 Lloyd Neal.

Members of the Community of Christ, for example, rarely use the term "Mormon" to describe themselves, and instead apply it to members of the LDS Church. 32 Bill Walton. However, some feel the terms "Mormon" and "Mormonism" should be used exclusively to refer to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the LDS Church). 22 Clyde Drexler. Some scholars feel the terms "Mormon" and "Mormonism" are useful to collectively describe all denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement, who claim to originate from the religion founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. 20 Maurice Lucas. In fact, because many individuals are most familiar with the title "Mormon", the LDS Church maintains an official website presenting its basic beliefs and tenets at www.mormon.org. 15 Larry Steele.

The official name of the church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 13 David Twardzik. When speaking of the church itself rather than the members, the term "Mormon Church" is colloquial. 1 Larry Weinberg (founding owner). Some members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints prefer to be called "Latter-day Saints" or "LDS" rather than "Mormons", while others generally use the term "LDS" when speaking to fellow church members and "Mormon" when speaking to others. Rasheed Wallace. It originated as a derogatory term, but the name soon lost most of its negative connotation, and is generally not considered offensive today. Lloyd Neal.

had been called as a prophet of God, and who accepted "The Book of Mormon" as scripture translated by Smith. Cliff Robinson. The name "Mormon" (also "Mormonite") was first used in the 1830s for those who believed that Joseph Smith, Jr. Kevin Duckworth. The term Mormon is a colloquial name most often used to refer to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Arvydas Sabonis. Dave Twardzik.

Ramon Ramos. Terry Porter. Jerome Kersey. Bill Schonely.

Buck Williams. Maurice Lucas. Clyde Drexler. Lenny Wilkens.

Bill Walton. Dražen Petrović.