Does Utah seem like a cultural island because of its predominant religion?

Question

That was my first impression upon moving there.

Answer 1

I don't think it's anymore of a cultural island than any other place which has a predominant religion.

Most LDS (Mormon's) I know have TV's, watch the evening news, read newpapers, and are informed of the "outside" world and current events.

Why do people call Mormon's a cult, or frown on them? Are they worse than the Amish? Certainly I would call the Amish way of life a cultural island, with no TV, and as little interaction with the "English" as possible.

If you moved to Utah from a liberal state, things will seem quiet different, because of the different stresses on family values, not swearing, not drinking, and the possitive LDS articles in the media, and newspapers. However is that wrong? After all, the media and newspapers are trying for the biggest numbers of veiwers/subcribers. So of course they cater to the largest "group." It happens to be Mormons.

I dare say if you went deep into the Appalation Mountains you might find entire communities that promoted making your own corn alchohol to "screw the taxman," and worshiped at churches that promoted taking up of serpants (dancing with poisonous snakes). I too would call them a bit of a cultural island, since they want little to do with the outside world.

Utah...not so much. They like being modern and keeping up on current events. They also like keeping the values the LDS church promotes. Nothing wrong with that.

By the way, I live in a part of Idaho which has an even higher LDS population than Utah.

~Garnet
Homesteading/Farming over 20 years

Answer 2

I lived there for nearly 7 years. I became worried about my sense of reality after being there about a year, when the idea of living in the dominant culture stopped bothering me. Since leaving SLC valley, I have learned a lot more about the Mormons than I knew when I lived there. Back then I was mostly concerned with having to join a private club to get a drink and having to buy my wine in a state store. I think some of those rules have changed, but the dominant culture is still the same. Is it a cultural island? Not really. The cult has spread all over the North American continent. They have their temples and ward houses all over. They infect local politics all over. They infect the local school districts. They usurp the local Boy Scouts and turn them into something they were never intended to become. They steal your young and turn them into someone who no longer cares about where he or she came from. They have infected just about everything.

So, NOPE. Utah is not an island any longer. The curse of the Mormon cult is spreading and it is getting near to you too. Be aware!

Answer 3

Their new motto : "resistance is futile - you will be assimilated..."