South Park (Nov 19)

Loved the John Smith “Dumb dumb dumb dumb” flashbacks/stories. More and more I’m admiring the writing of South Park. Though they made fun of the Mormon’s throughout the episode, they also managed tot point out something positive about them at the very end without compromising the earlier jokes.

Subtle satire. South’ Park’s pilot episode, so many eons ago, had Santa fighting Jesus over the meaning of Christmas.

In tonight’s ep, they were actually very fair to the origins of Mormonism and their (somewhat fantastic) beliefs.

It’s on again now. :slight_smile:

I have a few mormon friends and have studied the religon among countless others but I got to say… IT IS A GIANT CULT THAT SWALLOWED UTAH! lol So much in that religon is based off of unbelievable trite. Yes, you can say that about a lot of religons but arrgg. Mormon people are generally very nice, kind, giving people. So some good comes from mormonism. South Park is once again becoming a great show, this whole season has been great!

It encouraged stereotypes about Mormons, and also made fun of their beliefs.

But it also showed their values of family and helping others.

I don’t know what to think of it. Offensive, but not so much so.

One quick question for anyone knowledgable on the subject. How accurate was their portrayal of Joseph Smith and his story? (I mean, besides the obvious poking fun).

The baby: “HELLO STAN!”

Classic.

Gary (to Stan): “You got a lot of growing up to do, buddy. Suck my balls.”

Cartman: “That kid is cool!”

AFAIK, their portrayal of the Joseph Smith story was completely accurate, as I’ve heard the story before including discussions here at the SDMB. It is pretty outlandish just as its told, the South Park guys didn’t even have to embellish it to make it funny. I think what’s a little more odd about Mormonism’s claims than other religion’s is that the demonstrably untrue beliefs about the history of the continent are actually essential to the religion, and so recent.

I do think they did a pretty good job balancing the attack on Mormonism’s founding by portraying the present practicioners as good people, and that the ones who really made an issue out of religion were Stan’s family. The South Park guys are big on religious tolerance, even though they look at religion through the eyes of common sense skepticism and sometimes ruffle feathers. They’ve attacked atheists too, in a previous episode, so I think they’ve been pretty fair.

Remember, in the South Park universe, only Mormons make it to heaven.

I love Matt and Trey for the simple reason that they are able to make fun of something to no end, but at the end of the episode, they always show the good side to it.
This episode was great, but IMHO, didn’t even touch the true wierdness of the Mormon religion.

Holy crap, that was the funniest episode I’ve seen in a long time. After the first song break, I was trying to will them to get to another as soon as possible. Dum dum dum dum dum.

If anything they left out some of the really juicy stuff regard Smith- especially with regards to Poligamy and why he had to leave several towns in a very big hurry.

Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb!

The ending speech was great, with the “suck my balls” being the cherry on top of the sundae.

That really made me laugh, harder than I’ve laughed for a while. Great episode.

I’ve gotta start watching this show again! I spent a year in Utah, and while the natural beauty of the state is amazing, the LDS church is definitely strange. Mormon kids have a lot to rebel against.

Smart smart smart smart smart.

“It must be true! Why would he make up something like that?”

Classic!


She told me she loved me like a brother. She was from Arkansas, hence the Joy!

The bit about the rich guy’s wife hiding the texts as a test is actually official Mormon doctrine?

In a country of lost souls rebellion comes hard. But in a religiously oppressive city, where half it’s population isn’t even of that religion, it comes like fire. --SLC Punk
sorry, coudln’t resist :smiley:

From a pro-LDS site:

Dum de dum dum dum. :smiley:

Loved the episode—but to be fair, I don’t think there’s any religion whose “origin story” wouldn’t make an hilarious South Park episode. I’m surprised they didn’t take off on Scientology—way crazier, and with so many high-profile adherents.

Like the NAMBLA episode! :smiley: