LDS Church Sues Canadian Polygamist

According to the Vancouver Sun, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints filed a lawsuit against Winston Blackmore for using their name.

Blackmore registered the name, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Inc., for his 500- member sect based in Bountiful, British Columbia. The LDS church is asking the B.C. Supreme Court to stop Blackmore from using the name because he “misappropriated the names, identity and reputation” of the mainstream LDS church.

The LDS church found out only after trying to register the name and being blocked. Church Officials make it clear that the practice of Polygamy is not accepted in the LDS faith. In 1998 President Gordon B. Hinckley said,

“I wish to state categorically that this Church has nothing whatever to do with those practicing polygamy. They are not members of this Church…If any of our members are found to be practicing plural marriage, they are excommunicated, the most serious penalty the Church can impose”

The Vancouver Sun states that before Blackmore started his own sect in B.C. he was previously a bishop of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was excommunicated from this church by its leader Warren Jeffs who is serving a life sentence for sex crimes against children.

Lds.net reached out to Church public affairs, but at the time of publication the Church had not responded.