"Cult" is too strong a word, especially because the Mormons I know are very decent people.

We just watched the show on Hulu, as a buddy had praised the Krakauer book. Homicides are a true story.

Mitt Romney is very typical of the Mormons I have met -- industrious, family oriented, kind, unselfish, bright, law abiding, and easy to like. [They do kick up a good chunk of their quid to their minders ... sort of like the mob, but OK.]

My sense is that the Mormons have evolved into a religion that resembles many other Protestant religions. But, as the TV series presents, the Mormons have seemingly figured out how to march on, notwithstanding that their founder was a fraud/snake oil salesman, who after being killed, was followed by a rapist. How does one attend Brigham Young and turn a blind eye that its founder liked having sex with teenage girls, all in the name of their faith? Weird.

Love the scene where Joseph Smith is called out by his wife for cheating, and Joseph says, "I had a a vision that God wants my to have multiple wives." The wife replies, "Funny ... I had the same vision commanding me to have multiple husbands." She was then told doing so would require blood atonement -- death .... meaning, "Shut your whore mouth!"