South Park rips into Mormons

[Flaherty]

A new Mormon family moves to South Park and as the kids get to know them, the show features a story on John Smith and his discovery of the Book of Mormon. The producers aren't subtle, either. The story is overlaid with music, and when it has John Smith making a silly claim, the music switches to a lyrical "dum-dum-dum." When a woman in the story expresses skepticism at Smith's claims, the music switches to a lyrical "smart-smart-smart."

At the end of the episode, Stan says point-blank the John Smith story is stupid and can't understand why anyone would buy it. But they also have the Mormon characters admit that they story probably isn't true but they don't care because their religion works for them and makes them happy.

 

[Crossbow]

Making fun of Mormons is as easy as shooting fish in a barrel.

Case in point: Oral Roberts

Visions of giant Jesus figures,
God forcing him to raise money,
Racism supported by religion,
etc.

 

[arcticpenguin]

I presume you mean Joseph Smith.

 

[arcticpenguin]

Did they mention anything about Smith's phony Egyptian heiroglyphics? I would think having your primary prophet caught in an out and out fraud might put a damper on a religion.

 

[geni]

My knowlage of Mormons is limited but is it true that Joseph Smith dictated at lot of the stuff to his wife through his hat?

 

[Hexxenhammer]

Did they mention anything about Smith's phony Egyptian heiroglyphics? I would think having your primary prophet caught in an out and out fraud might put a damper on a religion.

The funny thing was that outside of the "dum dum" music, the story was the exact story of Joseph Smith told matter of factly. They showed how he translated the golden plates by putting his seer stones in a hat and then sticking his face in the hat and reciting what plates said. Dum dum dum dum dum!

 

[sackett]

Those fish in the barrel

Those fish in the barrel aren't as easy to hit as you'd think. A going concern like the latter-day saints isn't about to tip over just because Joseph (I'm A-Tryin' Not To Bust Out Laffin') Smith got caught fibbing. The mormon elders long ago learned to go bleep! right over potentially embarassing elements of their religion. You aren't obliged (J. Smith would have pronounced it "oh-bleejed") to believe everything in The Book or other of the Prophet's effusions. Just tithe; just hand 10 percent of your income to the elders; that's about all that's required.

As a Westerner, I have a very, very special relationship with the morons, excuse me, the mormons.

Fawn Brodie's "No Man Knows My History" is a good read. Just don't walk around Salt Lake City flashing a copy.

 

[Brown]

I enjoyed this episode.

I also expected that 'South Park" would mention a few other, ahem, oddities of Mormonism such as the "sacred underwear," but the episode basically stuck to a retelling of Smith's tale.

I'll bet that Mormon missionaries are going to receive a few questions about whether "South Park" presented an accurate portrayal of the genesis of Mormonism.

 

[Ipecac]

I also enjoyed it. I suppose it's too much to hope for that other Christians will learn a lesson about the origins of their own religions.

 

[bjornart]

So South Park rips into Mormonism, and has already shown that everyone in heaven are Mormons. Which leaves us to conclude... Aaagh, my head hurts!

Here's a picture of God from that other episode by the way:

 

[MRC_Hans]

I enjoyed this episode.

I also expected that 'South Park" would mention a few other, ahem, oddities of Mormonism such as the "sacred underwear," but the episode basically stuck to a retelling of Smith's tale.

I'll bet that Mormon missionaries are going to receive a few questions about whether "South Park" presented an accurate portrayal of the genesis of Mormonism.

Haven't seen it (not much South Park over here), but it sounds like your last sentence points out the geniality of the episode: Just by telling the complete dead-pan, correct story, they delivered the most devastating blow of all. No allegations to challenge, no exaggarations.

"Was that South Park episode telling the right story?"

"Uhh..., well--- yeah, but.. the background music was a bit suggestive... uhhnh.."

Brilliant, simply brilliant !


Hans

 

[Hexxenhammer]

In true South Park fashion however, in the end, the joke was on Stan for confronting the mormons. Through the whole episode it showed how nice and kind this family was to each other and how they never tried to push mormonism on anyone. It was the other characters who kept asking about it. At the end, all the kids are standing at the bus stop and the mormon kid walks up. He tells Stan that even though the stories might not be true, that because of the Book of Mormon he has a family that loves him and is really happy so he says "suck my balls, Stan", and walks away. Then Cartman responds "That kid is so cool."

End of episode.

 

[triadboy]

They showed how he translated the golden plates by putting his seer stones in a hat and then sticking his face in the hat and reciting what plates said.

I haven't delved into this too heavy - but as I understand it, he used the Umin and Thurmin to translate the plates. Which to me sounds weird because I thought the Umin and Thurmin were small OT stones used for prophesizing. But Smith seems to have used them as big, carnival, gold plate-translating glasses.

Hex - can you elaborate on the process used in the translations? I had not heard about the hat. This could be even funnier than I imagined!

 

[Marc]

Did they mention anything about Smith's phony Egyptian heiroglyphics? I would think having your primary prophet caught in an out and out fraud might put a damper on a religion.

Well he was convicted of fraud some time before founding his own religion, which is part of the reason his father-in-law did not like him hanging around his daughter. Smith had a little business of using seeing stones for some time as a treasure hunter.

But such petty little things as the facts don't matter in religion. The two missionaries I met barely acknowledge it when I mentioned it was genetically demonstrated that native americans were of siberian decent, not middle eastern.

 

[Hexxenhammer]

I haven't delved into this too heavy - but as I understand it, he used the Umin and Thurmin to translate the plates. Which to me sounds weird because I thought the Umin and Thurmin were small OT stones used for prophesizing. But Smith seems to have used them as big, carnival, gold plate-translating glasses.

Hex - can you elaborate on the process used in the translations? I had not heard about the hat. This could be even funnier than I imagined!

I don't know that much either. I know that Smith thought himself quite the seer and used seeing stones to dowse water, tell fortunes, etc. His process was to put the stone in a hat and then press his face against the hat so that no light would enter. Then he could see whatever he wanted to through the stone.

I know Marc has read the Book of Mormon and some other books on mormon wackiness. He might know better.

edited to add: Marc's already on it!

 

[A_Feeble_Mind]

What is overlooked by many, and is reflected in the conclusion of this episode, is that it is not neccessary to follow a religion with lies as part of its base to have a happy family. I don't understand why the Book of Mormon was attributed as the cause of his family's happiness.

 

[Hexxenhammer]

What is overlooked by many, and is reflected in the conclusion of this episode, is that it is not neccessary to follow a religion with lies as part of its base to have a happy family. I don't understand why the Book of Mormon was attributed as the cause of his family's happiness.

I suppose because it made them Mormon, and mormon culture made them a happy family.

 

[ceo_esq]

Making fun of Mormons is as easy as shooting fish in a barrel.

Case in point: Oral Roberts

Oral Roberts' ministry isn't technically Mormon, is it?

 

[A_Feeble_Mind]

I suppose because it made them Mormon, and mormon culture made them a happy family.

But, is it the Book of Mormon that caused that? Instead, could it not be attributed to the ideals created apart from the book? If the family is happy because of the behaviors encouraged by the Mormon religion (not the book of Mormon directly), but hold the book to be hogwash, wouldn't it make more sense to be involved in a religion that doesn't include such silliness?

 

[sackett]

You see why I don't watch TV?

So the book of mormon is rubbish but mormonism is a healthy way of life? That's just the old contention that bullscheiss is good for people. Bah. Heard it a hundred times.

Sounds as if South Fark copped out, perhaps under pressure from the latter-day snits or sponsors owned by them. Ai de mi. That's another old story.