For the past four years this blog has been known as “MormonDoctor.com,” but it is time to move on to a new name. I have decided to rebrand the site with the new name of “Latter-day Doctor.”
Why am I doing this? It is an act of obedience. Last week President Russell M. Nelson issued the following statement (ironically posted on https://mormonnewsroom.org):
“The Lord has impressed upon my mind the importance of the name He has revealed for His Church, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We have work before us to bring ourselves in harmony with His will. In recent weeks, various Church leaders and departments have initiated the necessary steps to do so. Additional information about this important matter will be made available in the coming months.”
Accompanying this statement was a link to an updated style guide for use in news stories. In referring to the Church or its members, the terms “Mormon” and “LDS” are specifically discouraged. I read the announcement and style guide a few hours after my post about Evidence-Based Religion, and I realized that there were multiple style guide violations just in that one post. (I spent some time last night fixing them.)
So I was faced with a choice, and there were a few ways to look at it. I could easily justify keeping my old name and brand, simply because of inertia. Why walk away from my PageRank and whatever mindshare I have? It is hard enough to run a successful blog without having to deal with a disruptive name change. And I could spend some time cleaning up a lot of my non-compliant content, I told myself.
But I believe in obedience to the Lord, and here was a very clear statement from the man whom I sustain as the Lord’s prophet. Can I really encourage other people (including my own children) to follow the prophet if I am not willing to do it myself?
I believe in consecration, and in following counsel. My principal hope and aspiration is to do the Lord’s work. This website is not about me or for me; it is for and about the Lord. Can I really hope to accomplish the Lord’s work here if I do it in a way that he has counseled me against? Will he accept an offering that he has not appointed?
So I will follow the Lord and his prophet, trusting that it is the right thing to do. I felt that I owed my readers an explanation for the change. Thank you for visiting, and please come again!
Medicine and Faith 