South Park began in August of 1997, and since then they have pushed the boundaries of what is acceptable for television and audiences. During the beginning, South Park was known for its vulgar humor and profanity. Sometime after that, the show developed and became known for its satire, parody and mockery in order to shine light on popular culture. South Park has focused on virtually every topic and person over the years, and have particularly criticized religion. The show has mocked Jews, Mormons, Christianity and atheism, among other religions. Religion in South Park is bashed and mocked and also mocks the actions of the believers of that faith. It can be said that on the surface, South Park is offensive but there are deeper meanings within the episodes. The deeper meanings within the episodes allow the creators to use offensive context and make its audience reflect on the values of society. Ultimately, South Park does a better job at using religious satire than the Simpsons. .
In the episode "All About the Mormons," a Mormon kid and his family move to South Park and Stan is told that he has to beat him up, but when Stan and his father meet their new neighbors, they are surprised and intrigued by how nice they really are. This episode is interesting because it portrays Mormons as people who are kind and strait-laced and just "perfect". Stan and his father don't just become fascinated with their genuity, but they also become intrigued with Mormonism as a whole. In this episode, Stan and his family learn the core beliefs and values of the Mormon religion. The satire in this episode is especially evident while the family is telling Stan and his family about the story of how Joseph Smith founded the church and received revelations from God. While watching the episode, phrases such as "well yeah, sure, why would he make that up?" come up. The sarcasm and satire is heard in the tone of the voices of those in the town.
