When the curtains first went up at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre in 2011, a lot of people expected a holy war. You had the guys who created South Park—Trey Parker and Matt Stone—teaming up with the guy who wrote Avenue Q to make a musical about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). It was vulgar. It was loud. It featured a song literally cursing God in a way that makes most religious folks wince.
So, what do Mormons think of the Book of Mormon musical? Honestly, the answer is a lot more "chill" than you’d expect, but it’s also layered with a fair amount of "please don't actually believe this is how we live."
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The "Turn the Other Cheek" Strategy
The official response from the LDS Church was basically the PR version of a shrug and a smile. Instead of picketing the theaters or calling for boycotts—which usually just makes a show more popular—the Church took a "if you can't beat 'em, advertise in their program" approach.
They famously bought full-page ads in the playbills. You’d be sitting there, having just heard a joke about Joseph Smith and a certain part of the anatomy, and you'd flip the page to see a smiling face and a caption: "You’ve seen the play, now read the book." Another one simply said, "The book is always better." It was a brilliant move. It signaled to the world that Mormons weren't "thinned-skinned" or "scary." By leaning into the joke, they took the wind out of the sails of anyone looking for a fight.
What the average member says
If you ask a regular person at a Sunday service in Salt Lake City or Mesa what they think, you'll get a few different vibes:
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- The "I'm Not Watching That" Group: This is probably the biggest segment. Most active members avoid R-rated movies because of the language and vulgarity. Since the musical is famous for being incredibly "raunchy," many just haven't seen it and don't plan to. They know it exists, they know it's a caricature, and they've moved on with their lives.
- The "It’s Actually Kind of Funny" Group: There is a subset of members—often younger or those living outside the "Mormon Corridor"—who have seen it or listened to the soundtrack. They’ll admit that the "I Believe" song is actually a pretty catchy (if slightly poked-fun-at) summary of their faith. They laugh at the "Mormon Nice" stereotypes because, let's be real, they know they’re like that.
- The "This is Offensive" Group: Some members find the depiction of Africa and the treatment of sacred rituals deeply hurtful. They don't just see it as a joke; they see it as a mockery of things they hold most dear.
The Satire vs. The Reality
One of the biggest things Mormons think of The Book of Mormon musical is that it gets the vibe right but the details wrong—often on purpose.
The musical portrays missionaries as these naive kids who think they’re going to a Disney-fied version of the world and end up in a war-torn village. While it's true that 19-year-olds are often naive, the actual missionary experience is usually a lot more grueling and "boring" than the high-stakes drama on stage.
Where the musical misses the mark
Mormons will often point out that the show implies they believe some pretty wild things that aren't actually in their doctrine. For example, the musical has a whole "Spooky Mormon Hell Dream" sequence. In reality, LDS theology doesn't really focus on a traditional "fire and brimstone" hell. Their version of the afterlife is actually pretty inclusive compared to other Christian denominations.
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Then there's the Uganda setting. Many LDS members—especially those who have served missions in Africa—find the portrayal of the Ugandan villagers as "gullible" or "waiting for a white savior" to be more offensive than the jokes about Joseph Smith.
Why hasn't there been a bigger outcry?
You’ve gotta realize that the LDS community has a long history of being mocked. From 19th-century political cartoons to South Park episodes, they’ve seen it all. There’s a bit of a "persecution complex" in the culture, but it’s also built up a very thick skin.
The Church leaders realized early on that "any publicity is good publicity." If 20 million people are talking about the Book of Mormon because of a Broadway show, that’s 20 million people who might actually look up the real thing.
The "Ex-Mormon" Perspective
We can’t talk about what people think without mentioning those who have left the faith. For many former members, the musical is a "cathartic masterpiece." It highlights the things they found stifling or "weird" about their upbringing.
For them, the song "Turn It Off"—about suppressing "unworthy" thoughts—isn't just a funny dance number. It’s a painfully accurate description of how they felt growing up. This is why the show has such a massive following in Salt Lake City when the touring company rolls through; the audience is packed with people who "get" every single inside joke.
What you should know if you go
If you're heading to the theater and wondering if you're going to be sitting next to a Mormon who’s fuming, don’t sweat it. Most people in the seats are there for the comedy.
If you do happen to meet a member of the Church who has seen it, they’ll probably tell you that while the show is a hilarious piece of fiction, the "real" story is a lot more grounded. They might even try to give you a copy of the actual book.
Key takeaways for the curious:
- The Church doesn't hate it: They chose to use it as a marketing opportunity rather than a battleground.
- It’s not a documentary: The creators took massive liberties with the doctrine to make the jokes land.
- Sensitivity varies: What one person finds "gentle satire," another might find "blasphemous."
- Cultural impact: The show has actually humanized Mormons to a lot of people who previously only saw them as "those guys in white shirts."
If you’re interested in seeing the "other side" of the story, you can actually visit the official LDS website or talk to missionaries in your local area. Just don't expect them to burst into a choreographed tap dance—though, honestly, some of them probably could.
Check out the official Church Newsroom for their archived statements if you want to see the specific wording they used when the show first blew up. It's a masterclass in PR.