This episode of the Sofa King Podcast explores a topic that was voted in by the listeners: Mormons. A prominent religion in the western United States, the Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS) has spread to become an international force. This offshoot of Christianity was founded in the 1800s by Joseph Smith. Smith claimed to have seen god at the age of 14 and by 16 had been shown secret golden tablets that contained a missing chapter of the Bible. In it, people from the holy land settled in America somewhere around 600 BC, and a prophet named Mormon wrote their tale.

It is a strange tale of different races (the dark ones were cursed by Cain, which is why they weren’t white), and it tells of a god who was once a mortal but became divine. Their religion believes the same can be done with humans as well. More interesting than the myth and lore of the religion, however, is the history of the LDS itself. Joseph Smith, for example, was chased out of Missouri after a war between the state and his new religious followers. He was killed my an angry mob in Illinois after he destroyed a printing press, and the church was thrown into disarray.

His successor was Brigham Young, and Young moved the followers out to the Utah Territories, where they could expand and do what they pleased without federal interference. This meant things like polygamy, which the LDS sanctions until 1890 (and some say they only got rid of it to appease the US and become a state).

So, how many Mormons are there, and what countries are they in? How powerful was their militia back in the old west? Was there really a lizard who led Joseph Smith into the wilderness? What happened to the gold tablets, and what about the other supposed ancient texts that Smith translated? Do they really wear magic underwear? What does their official website about gay Mormons say? Listen, laugh, learn.

Stats on Mormons: http://www.pewforum.org/2012/01/12/mormons-in-america-executive-summary/