Starting with general conference talks and LDS literature, there is a trickle-down linguistic phrase-mania, eventually settling in as the commonplace vocabulary of the members. In particular, 3 of them drive me nuts:

"THE SAVIOUR" This term is SO commonly used, instead of saying the name of Jesus. Mormons, partially to avoid sounding like born again Christians, avoid the use of the name Jesus, by itself. Instead, it's always "the Saviour. In Bible/Christian doctrinal teaching, the name of Jesus is something very special, meaningful....a lot could be said about this .

"AGENCY" or "free agency". This is a Mormon-specific term, at least the emphasis of it. "Will" or "free will" is a more common term in Protestant faiths; and "volition" is probably the best, most accurate word.

"GRATEFUL" Wow, have you noticed that EVERY public prayer in Mormonism, after saying the requisite "we thank thee for this day", is largely comprised of grateful this and grateful that? Sure, we all should be grateful for our blessings....but mix in other words like "thankful" and "blessed",etc. Geezers....

1) thee, thou and thy, especially when used incorrectly.
2) in the name of JC, amen, particularly when used in written "testimonies", like someone writing in a BOM

Mormons love having their own lingo, because in order to be "right", they have to have their own lingo to make them stand out. To be honest, it still sounds very strange to me when someone (non-mormon) says a prayer and addressing it to "Jesus".

Remember the primary lesson about how Jesus is like the "telephone line" between us and God (or Elowhoever is the real guy in charge)? Now that I think of it it sounds suspiciously similar to the idea of praying to the Virgin Mary that Mormons revile so much ...

1. praying for the cookies and punch to "nourish and strengthen our bodies."
2. praying for everyone "to arrive home safely." I've never heard a story where this was omitted and someone got in an accident.
3. The word "even" - "the saviour, even Jesus Christ,"
4. "The Church" or "The Gospel" I always ask which gospel? Matthew, Mark Luke, or John? Or are you referring to one of the gnostic gospels - Thomas, Peter. Mary Magdalene?

I'm sure I can come up with more ...

5. How can I forget the women who speak in the Disney princess voice to sound spiritual and the men who act effeminate to seem spiritual. If they've got the fulness of God restored to the earth, yadda yadda yadda, why do they sound so damn wishy-washy and apologetic about it???



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2013 07:09PM by bezoar.

Hahaha! Use of the word "even" is one of mine too!

Also Heavenly Father.

I am a Nevermo but I have never heard a church speak so much of a prophet.

Boy they just love that term.

I would be remiss... I can say I have never heard that expression out side of a F&T meeting

Every opening prayer I ever heard mentioned "This beautiful building" Ward houses are not beautiful buildings.

I never got why people would say "Welcome you out to Sacrament Meeting" it seems like an odd turn of phrase to me. I never hear co-workers welcome me "out to the office"

Mine is "We are taught..." as in "I don't hate gays; we are taught to love everyone." As if they have no moral compass of their own.

Or, "The church teaches us..." As if they can't figure out anything for themselves.

The flip side here is that I use these phrases as a non-believer when I'm teaching so that I can get out of saying that I actually believe those things. Instead of saying "Joseph Smith sealed his testimony of the church with his blood," I can say "We're taught that Joseph Smith..." It makes it easier to pass on information with out claiming it as my own thoughts.

Hastening
Supplication
Supernal
Choice blessings
Lord's hand
Blessings from on high
Manifest by the raising of the right hand
Receive instruction
Thee, thou, thine
Priesthood keys
Efffective ward council
Pass-along card
Preach my gospel
Young single adult
Brethren, brother, sister

One of the sure signs of a cult is a set of unique terms and phrases.

Clever. I see what thou hast been doing there...

I cringe when I hear the word 'obedient' come out of a mormons mouth. It's always attached to a criticism of someone.

"Blessings from on High" WTF?
"Truly blessed"
"Be not as..."

I got so damn frustrated with the nodding of heads every time the word "blessed" was mentioned. Can you be specific? I would think. Nooooo. It was always in that vague way, "You'll receive blessings."

"Boys and girls, what will happen if you keep the commandments and go to church?"

"We'll be blessed." GAH!

Taking out your endowments.

Ignert. My grandma says this all the time. I haven't heard it since I left Utah!

"I was born in the church" Whaaaaaaaattt? I was born in a hospital, tyvm.
"In the name of thy son JC, Amen" to end a testimony. Wait a sec, I don't have a son named JC..

My pet peeve in Mormonspeak is the recent incessant pretense of being all about Christ, contrived to make TSCC appear Christian.

And here is a great new example. A new bishop was called, and the typical LDS media release machine pumped out this story:

http://www.monett-times.com/story/2018064.html

Embedded in it was this quote from the new bishop:

"My responsibility is to shepherd the ward of Christ the way he wants me to shepherd it," said Leavitt.

"The ward of Christ."

Gag.

The word FETCH! Oh it makes my skin crawl!

Tender mercies.

I was going to say this same one, probably hate it because Bednar made it popular! Just like OP said, it's to keep Mormons from sounding like Born-again Christians who use the term "grace" or something similar. Drives me crazy.

If you ever hear anyone say, "It is incumbent that. . . " you know that this person is likely a Mormon.

+1 for tender mercies

Heavenly Father - It sounds so infantile, especially from the adults.

Overuse of the word "bitter," and how it is so commonly used as a synonym for hurt, anger, sadness, or questioning.

Referring to their wife as "Sister So and So". Bednar did this as well as one other GA clown. I suppose they all do. It is as if they respect their wives so much that they refer to their wives with the cult title "Sister...".

"Unquote" I never remember hearing "unquote" anywhere but Mormonspeak and since they quote so much, it is very annoying. Don't these self-proclaimed prophets have an original, prophetic statement? They are always quoiting each other.

"The Adversary". It seems to be the Mormonspeak acceptable name for boogeyman Stan.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to ..." Thoughts and prayers? Why don't you do something real, like send money?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2013 10:28PM by No Mo.

"Elder" as a title for missionaries. it strikes me as very odd to refer to some naïve youngster half my age as being an 'elder'.

by their fruits ye shall know them...what?

eternal salvation, eternal families

eternal marriage, celestial marriage..please. like its something more special than stolen masonic rituals with naff clothing and wedding vows that wed the person to the church more than their spouse (correct me if i'm wrong, but is the word love not even included in this so called marriage ordained by God?). Barf.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2013 10:41PM by wideawake.

The way they use the term...."even"

The lord and savior, even jesus christ...

"That will do"

How about "Please watch over the crops" prayed over the pulpit every week at the end of sacrament.

Yes, I grew up in Rexburg, in a farming area.

Were you in the area about 10-12 years ago during the drought when everyone prayed and fasted for "moisture"?

The too frequent if not total use of the phrase "Heavenly Father" instead of "God" (a perfectly good word almost unknown in MormonSpeak).

I second the reference to speakers ending "in the name of Thy Son. . ." Appropriate for ending a prayer to God but not a talk to the audience.

And a primary manual I once taught out of could not just refer to God but instead had to delineate the godhead: "Heavenly Father and Jesus" want you to do this and "Heavenly Father and Jesus" want you to do that. Maddening. The people who wrote those manuals must have had a HF&J macro they could hit to insert that phrase wherever they wanted it.

The abbreviation PPI (personal priesthood interview) still in use by members but not seen in a Church Handbook for at least the last 2 editions (I think). The actual phrase was so unwieldy that people took to using the abbreviation and then even turning it into a verb!: "I was PPI-ed," etc. Gah! It also goes to show that nobody really pays much attention to the handbook.

"Ecclesiastical", I hear this term all of the time when a Mormon is trying to explain a church thing to a non-member. For example, an RM might be listing his mission on a resume and describe it as "Ecclsiastical Service" in order to make it sound non-denominational.

Tender mercies

"It was such a sweet experience (sweet spirit, sweet testimony, sweet witness...)

"Are there any further announcements?" (Because the world will come to an end if there are not a minimum of 20 minutes worth of announcements every hour of church)

"Bishop" (as in Bishop has requested to meet with you, Bishop wants us to have better vt numbers...etc.) Does he not have a name or has he changed it to Bishop??

The only proper way to pray is using 17th century English.

To *fill in the blank*..etc etc
I have only heard this once outside of a mormon church and it made my skin crawl.

Like if I take your challenge and my answer is different I must be some wonder of the satanic world. My answer was always different and I didnt feel bad about it either. So much fun to be forced mormon under duress.

With every fibre of my being - usually spoken during starve and tell as someone grips the pulpit and rocks on the balls of their feet. May also be followed by ... Without a shadow of a doubt