# South Park (Nov 19) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 20, 2003, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-nov-19/214251 "2003-11-20T04:32:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DaPearl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@DaPearl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaPearl)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-nov-19/214251/1 "2003-11-20T04:32:11Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-nov-19/214251/2 "2003-11-20T04:59:47Z")
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. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Xander\_Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ce73a5/32.png) [@Xander\_Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xander_Cane)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-nov-19/214251/3 "2003-11-20T05:00:04Z")
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! ---
**Author:** ![SuperNova](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SuperNova](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperNova)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-nov-19/214251/4 "2003-11-20T05:00:54Z")
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). ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-nov-19/214251/5 "2003-11-20T05:07:43Z")
The baby: “HELLO STAN!” Classic. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-nov-19/214251/6 "2003-11-20T05:30:11Z")
Gary (to Stan): “You got a lot of growing up to do, buddy. Suck my balls.” Cartman: “That kid is cool!” ---
**Author:** ![RexDart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@RexDart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RexDart)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-nov-19/214251/7 "2003-11-20T05:58:41Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-nov-19/214251/8 "2003-11-20T06:38:35Z")
Remember, in the South Park universe, only Mormons make it to heaven. ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-nov-19/214251/9 "2003-11-20T07:33:37Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Universe_Lashes_Out)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-nov-19/214251/10 "2003-11-20T09:08:56Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![elf6c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-nov-19/214251/11 "2003-11-20T14:18:30Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-nov-19/214251/12 "2003-11-20T14:23:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elf6c \* > \*\*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. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-nov-19/214251/13 "2003-11-20T14:34:36Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-nov-19/214251/14 "2003-11-20T14:38:14Z")
Smart smart smart smart smart. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-nov-19/214251/15 "2003-11-20T18:09:05Z")
“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! ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-nov-19/214251/16 "2003-11-20T18:19:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Corbomite \* > **In tonight’s ep, they were actually very fair to the origins of Mormonism and their (somewhat fantastic) beliefs.** The bit about the rich guy’s wife hiding the texts as a test is actually official Mormon doctrine? ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-nov-19/214251/17 "2003-11-20T19:01:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Baldwin \* > \*\*Mormon kids have a lot to rebel against. \*\* _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 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-nov-19/214251/18 "2003-11-20T19:37:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Revtim \* > \*\*The bit about the rich guy’s wife hiding the texts as a test is actually official Mormon doctrine? \*\* From a pro-LDS [site](http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/basic/bom/116_eom.htm): > [@](#): > > Joseph Smith was forbidden by the Lord to retranslate that part of the record previously translated because those who had stolen the manuscript planned to publish it in an altered form to discredit his ability to translate accurately (D&C 10:9-13). Instead, he was to translate the Small Plates of Nephi (1 Nephi-Omni) down to that which he had translated (D&C 10:41). Those plates covered approximately the same period as had the lost manuscript, or four centuries from Lehi to Benjamin. Dum de dum dum dum. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-nov-19/214251/19 "2003-11-20T19:42:12Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-nov-19/214251/20 "2003-11-20T20:11:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by xgxlx \* > **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.** Like the NAMBLA episode! 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-nov-19/214251.md?page=2)