Have you ever heard of Joseph Smith? At the age of 14, God and Jesus told him not to join any existing churches. Three years later, an angel told him to go to a hill where golden plates were buried, which he then translated into the Book of Mormon. In the present day, those random words he “translated” are followed by over 6.87 million people just in the United States, with the majority residing in Utah. In fact, Mormonism has swung its way into pop culture through social media and TV.
Youtube
I don’t know about you, but we watched a lot of YouTube family channels growing up. It seemed like they all had the perfect family, house, relationships, and lives, but in reality, it was curated to fit the narrative of a “godly” lifestyle at the expense of their kids. At this point, I think everyone has heard about the infamous Ruby Franke “Eight Passengers” case. If you’ve lived under a rock the past few years, this family vlogger mom went to the extreme and basically abused and starved her children with the justification of religion. This mom, in particular, went too far and is currently in jail.
While not all families have been found to abuse their children, they are still exploiting their lives for money and fame. Other Mormon YouTube families that we watched as kids include Brock and Boston, Brooklyn and Bailey, The Ohana Adventure, The LeRoys, and Not Enough Nelsons. They show their lives living in mansions, going to church, and some being homeschooled. They collaborated with each other while focusing on crushes and relationships, even for their pre-teens. Obviously, when making videos about your kids, it’s helpful to have more than one child; these YouTube families had/adopted anywhere from 3 to 16 kids.
Having a bunch of kids is also a part of Mormon culture, as well as going on a two-year mission trip and getting married soon after. As seen specifically in the long-running collab between the LeRoys and Mikesells (Brock and Boston), after both Brock and Kesley went on their missions, they were married 4 months later. They already have a couple’s channel, and we can expect a family channel in the next couple of years once they have kids. They aren’t the only ones who have gotten married so young. Brooklyn and Bailey, Klailea from the Ohana Adventure, and many kids from Not Enough Nelsons have been married by 22. While watching this “ideal” family life was entertaining when we were younger, looking back on these videos, many things raise red flags.
TikTok
Would you rather spend 5 minutes with Joseph Smith or have 5 million dollars? Would you rather take a sip of alcohol or kill a puppy? You would think the answers to these questions would be obvious, but students at Brigham Young University in Utah have shocking responses. TikToker Robert Carpenter started the trend of interviewing Mormon students around campus, asking them “controversial” questions. These responses, while some might be satire, have taught a lot about Mormon culture and values. We learned about soaking (look it up if curious), NCMO (non-committal make out), and ring by spring (fast engagements).
Another popular Utah TikTok trend is going to the gas station and dancing. Seems like many teenagers have very specific styles they show off while dancing in empty gas stations at night. This includes Utah curls, jorts, straight jeans, and orange spray tans. We honestly don’t know how to explain the fashion, but when you see it, you just know it’s Utah.
A popular scandal within the TikTok world is the great swinging scandal of Momtok. Momtok is a group of moms in Utah who make TikToks dancing and showcasing their parenting/lifestyles as Mormons. This swinging situation made them even more popular because we know everyone loves a scandal. If you want to know the whole story, look it up on TikTok; all parties involved were trying to get their side of the story out. Who would have thought this would lead to a reality TV show?
TV
“The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” was first released in 2024 and already has three seasons, with the fourth coming out on March 12th. This show follows most of the moms from MomTok through their drama-packed lives. Their friendships are constantly changing, and people are constantly fighting, which definitely makes good TV. While some members aren’t Mormon anymore, they still grew up in the Church of Latter-Day Saints and are surrounded by those values and beliefs. This show has grown and has made MomTok, and Mormonism in general, became so highly talked about. One thing that this show definitely made popular is Swig. Because Mormons can’t drink alcohol, coffee, or tea; drinking soda became their vice. Swig is a soda shop that they featured on the show, and many non-Mormons have wanted to try these “dirty sodas.” This show has given many MomTok members new opportunities, including Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt’s appearance on “Dancing with the Stars” and Taylor Frankie Paul’s upcoming “Bachelorette” season.
Speaking of “Dancing with the Stars,” or more like Dancing with the Mormons, many of the featured pros grew up Mormon and came from the same dance studio in Utah. Pros like Lindsay and Rylee Arnold, Witney Carson, Jenna Johnson, Brandon Armstrong, Julianne and Derek Hough, and Ezra Sosa. While some don’t speak up about their current affiliation, some members have left the church. Ballroom dancing is a highly valued activity and prominent in Utah culture. They have ballroom dance programs in schools starting in middle school. They don’t advertise their religion, but if you keep up with them on social media, it’s noticeable.
Another TV show featuring Mormonism in Utah is “The Housewives of Salt Lake City.” Most of the members of the show have complicated ties to the Mormon faith, which was a prominent storyline throughout the earlier seasons. Whether not actually following the rules, leaving the church in general, converting to Judaism, being excommunicated because of an affair, or even sending your son on a mission, Mormon culture continues to be a central theme on the show.
In the future, Taylor Frankie Paul, will be starring as “The Bachelorette.” This will bring even more popularity to Mormonism in mainstream media. For example, when Whitney Leavitt and Jen Affleck appeared on “Dancing with the Stars,” they gained a new demographic of fans. This even led to Whitney Leavitt’s Broadway debut, which expanded the Mormon lifestyle to a new group of people (unless they saw “The Book of Mormon” on Broadway).
We have a feeling that this is only the beginning of Mormonism on our screens.
Disclaimer
This article is for entertainment purposes and is not meant to convince or deter from a certain religion.