The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has filed a lawsuit against John Dehlin, an excommunicated sixth-generation member, over his podcast's name and branding.
The legal action aims to prevent Dehlin from naming his podcast Mormon Stories and using imagery that allegedly mimics copyrighted church materials.
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The church argues that Dehlin intends to capitalize on and increase public confusion.
This lawsuit continues the church's efforts to move away from the nicknames Mormon and Mormonism.
In 2019, the institution officially halted the use of the term Mormon to describe itself or its followers.
Church leader Russell M. Nelson stated that continuing to use the title would be a major victory for Satan.
“We’re not changing names. We’re correcting a name,” Nelson added.
The directive led to extensive rebranding, including renaming the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.
Copyright Claims and Public Domain Arguments
The current legal dispute targets four separate podcasters, including Dehlin.
The church claims it retains control over the word due to its historic use and long-standing association.
Patrick Mason at Claremont University, who specializes in Latter-day Saint studies, noted the lawsuit is an extension of church policies to emphasize the move away from Mormon nicknames.
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“The church leadership and membership really want to emphasize the church’s Christian bona fides,” Mason explained.
Legal documents accuse Dehlin and his organization of intentionally displaying copyrighted imagery.
