New Religious Movements in the Town of South Park: Separating the Mainstream from the Marginal

Abstract:Adult animated television shows such as South Park may come across as crude, juvenile humour, but they also reveal mainstream society’s disposition in regards to different social institutions. Building on the understanding that such programs offer viewers a sense of the “cultural climate,” this essay examines two South Park episodes—“712” and 912”— that parodied Mormons and Scientologists, respectively, in order to understand how these religions are depicted and interrogate what separates the marginal from the mainstream. In recognition of Mormonism’s comparatively positive portrayal, this essay suggests that the group may no longer be profitably studied alongside other new religious movements such as Scientology.