Jack Mormon

The term Jack Mormon is a slang term that originated in the nineteenth century. It was originally used to describe somebody who was not a baptized member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or LDS Church), but who was friendly to Church members and Mormonism, sympathized with them, and/or took an active interest in their belief system. Sometime in the early to mid twentieth century, the term changed culturally to refer to someone deemed by LDS adherents to be an inactive or lapsed member of the LDS Church who maintained good relations with and positive feelings toward the LDS church.

Origin of the term

The first recorded use of the term was in 1846 by Thomas C. Sharp, ["Illinois State Register", 1844-11-01; also reproduced in "Nauvoo Neighbor", 1844-11-13.] editor of the "Warsaw Signal", who referred to "A certain Jack-mormon of Hancock county..."(Bagley, Salt Lake Tribune) Sharp also coined the term "Jack-Mason" to refer to those who were sympathetic toward Masons in the Anti-Masonic political movement; however, many LDS historians believe that the term was used prior to Sharp's mention, and has ties to sympathetic Democrats in Jackson County, Missouri.

The traditional belief is that the term originated in Missouri, during the Kirtland period of LDS Church history, circa 1834. When Church members were expelled from Jackson County by a mob, many fled to Clay County, where local citizens, mostly Democrats, were sympathetic and friendly toward the Mormons. These citizens were pejoratively labeled "Jack" Mormons by the citizens of Jackson County.

Political usage

The treatment of the Latter-day Saints by Jack Mormon Democrats in Clay County, and later in Quincy, Illinois, is one reason why LDS Church membership was made up predominantly of liberal-leaning Democrats until the early 1900s, when conservative issues such as prohibition, drug use, family values and the protection of religion from state interference caused large numbers of Latter-day Saints to shift to the Republican Party by the late 1970s. In the late 1970s and early 1980s the LDS church took a stand against the Equal Rights Amendment, and again increased the population's participation in the Republican party. At that time, many members who were registered Democrats were called "Jack Mormons", not as a negative term, but to distinguish them as traditional liberal Democrats. Because of the negative connotation of the term's modern context, this usage was short-lived. An alternative theory and contemporary usage holds that the term refers to a person who is a Mormon in "name only" (as in having a common Mormon Surname) as though the "Mormon" label were nothing but a surname to this individual.

The term was made popular to the public by Heavy Weight Champion William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey (named after the president), was born in Manassa, Colorado, on June 24, 1895. During the 1920s Americans celebrated their material prosperity and made national heroes out of sports figures. The greatest American sports hero was undoubtedly Babe Ruth; his closest rival was Dempsey, a tough heavyweight boxer from the mining West. An LDS missionary converted his parents, Hyrum and Celia Smoot Dempsey, and they moved West, from West Virginia, arriving in the Mormon village of Manassa, Colorado, around 1880. While Hyrum parted ways with the church, Celia remained a devoted member. (Jack would later write, "I'm proud to be a Mormon. And ashamed to be the Jack Mormon that I am.") In 1914 Harry (William Harrison Dempsey) substituted for the ill Bernie Dempsy (Jack's older brother) in a match and for the first time became Jack Dempsey himself, the heavyweight great is known today only as "Jack Dempsey."

Change in terminology

The term is now used to describe a baptized member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who rarely or never practices the religion, but is still friendly toward the church. Alternatively, it can be used for someone that is of Mormon descent but unbaptized or non-religious. Often such members reject the prohibition against tobacco or alcohol. Some Jack Mormons still support the goals and beliefs of the LDS church, but for various reasons choose not to attend services or participate in church activities. They are also colloquially known as "Cultural Mormons", the LDS equivalent of a "Christmas and Easter Christian" or a "Yom Kippur Jew."

Some modern LDS youth today use the term to describe a baptized member who chooses not to follow the ethical, moral and cultural guidelines common to Mormons. These guidelines include refraining from profanity and pre-marital sex. Other common cultural limitations include following the Word of Wisdom by consuming a healthy diet, seeking exercise, and avoiding the use of drugs, tobacco, alcohol, and coffee and tea.

It is unclear how or why the meaning of the term changed to its current usage, which is almost the reverse of its original meaning. Preston Nibley, a mid-twentieth century LDS author who had a large impact on Mormon culture and folklore, mentioned the term in its modern context during the late 1940s and used it extensively in the 1950s.

Use in popular culture

The term "Jack Mormon" was used by author Edward Abbey in his novel "The Monkey Wrench Gang" to describe a character, Seldom Seen Smith, who was a Mormon and had many wives, but was not active in the LDS Church nor its belief system.

ee also

*Cultural Mormon
*Ex-Mormon
*Molly Mormon

Notes

* Bagley, Pat. " 'Jack Mormon' once meant something else" Salt Lake Tribune, January 13, 2008, p. B4