Honestly, if you live in the United States, you’ve probably seen them. Two young guys in white shirts and ties, maybe on bikes, looking way too cheerful for a Tuesday afternoon. Or perhaps you’ve just seen the massive, glowing white temples that look like they belong in a sci-fi movie. People call them "Mormons," but if you ask them, they'll tell you they are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
It's a mouthful. I get it.
But who are the mormons, really? Are they a cult? A quirky American subculture? A global powerhouse? Depending on who you ask—or what part of the internet you fall into—you’ll get wildly different answers. Some see them as the "nicest people you’ll ever meet," while others are convinced they’re hiding gold plates and secret handshakes.
Let's cut through the noise. As of 2026, there are over 17.5 million members worldwide. That’s more than the population of many European countries. They aren't just in Utah anymore; in fact, there are more members outside the U.S. than inside it.
The Joseph Smith Story: Where It All Started
You can't understand this group without talking about a teenager named Joseph Smith. Back in 1820, in upstate New York, things were a mess. Every preacher was yelling that their church was the only right one. Smith, who was only 14, got confused and went into the woods to pray.
He claimed God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him. Basically, they told him none of the existing churches were quite right and that he was going to help "restore" the original one.
Then things got weird.
A few years later, Smith said an angel named Moroni led him to a hill where a set of gold plates were buried. He "translated" these plates by the gift and power of God, and the result was the Book of Mormon. It’s not a replacement for the Bible; they view it as a "companion" or a "second witness." It tells a story about ancient prophets in the Americas who also knew about Jesus.
Fast forward through a lot of persecution—like, a lot—and the early members were driven from New York to Ohio, then Missouri, then Illinois. Joseph Smith was eventually killed by a mob in 1844 while in jail. Most of the group then followed a guy named Brigham Young on a brutal trek across the plains to the Salt Lake Valley.
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They wanted to be left alone. Instead, they built a massive religious empire in the desert.
What Do They Actually Believe?
If you walk into a "Mormon" chapel on a Sunday, it’s going to feel pretty familiar if you’ve been to any Christian church. There’s bread and water (they don’t use wine), hymns, and sermons. But under the hood, the theology has some massive departures from traditional Catholicism or Protestantism.
The Godhead vs. The Trinity
Most Christians believe in the Trinity—three persons in one essence. Latter-day Saints don’t. They believe God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are three separate, distinct beings. To them, God and Jesus have physical bodies of "flesh and bones." The Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit.
Eternal Families
This is the big one. This is why they do so much genealogy. Honestly, if you’ve used Ancestry.com or FamilySearch, you’ve used their tech. They believe that marriages and families don't end at death. In their temples (which are different from their regular meetinghouses), they perform "sealings" that they believe bind families together for eternity.
Continuing Revelation
They believe the heavens aren't closed. There is a living Prophet today—currently Russell M. Nelson—who they believe receives guidance from God for the whole world.
The "Mormon" Lifestyle: No Coffee, No Beer, No Problem?
You've probably heard about the "Word of Wisdom." It’s a health code from the 1830s.
Basically, it means:
- No alcohol.
- No tobacco.
- No "hot drinks," which has been interpreted for over a century as coffee and tea.
Wait, can they have caffeine? Yes. You’ll see plenty of members chugging Diet Coke or those "dirty sodas" that are huge in Utah. It’s a bit of a loophole, but hey, everyone has their vice.
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They also live by a strict law of chastity (no sex before marriage) and they tithe. That means they give 10% of their gross income back to the church. This is why the church is incredibly wealthy—estimates suggest they have hundreds of billions in assets, including vast amounts of real estate and a massive investment portfolio.
Breaking the Myths: Polygamy and "Magic" Underwear
Let’s address the elephant in the room.
Polygamy. Yes, they used to do it. No, they don't do it now. The church officially banned plural marriage in 1890. If a member tries to take a second wife today, they get excommunicated. Period. The groups you see on TV like Sister Wives are "Fundamentalist" groups that broke away from the main church over a hundred years ago.
The Underwear. You might have heard of "temple garments." They aren't "magic." Members who have made certain promises in the temple wear these white undergarments as a private reminder of those promises. It’s similar to a priest’s collar or a nun’s habit, just worn under the clothes.
Why Do They Do the Mission Thing?
That 19-year-old kid on the bike? He’s probably paying his own way to be there.
There are about 80,000 missionaries serving right now. They leave their families, their phones, and their dating lives for 18 to 24 months to teach people about their faith. It’s a rite of passage. It’s also why so many former missionaries end up being great at sales or international business—they’ve spent two years getting doors slammed in their faces in a foreign language.
Is the Church Still Growing?
It depends on who you ask. The "official" numbers show steady growth, especially in Africa and the Philippines. However, like every other religion in 2026, they are struggling with retention in the West.
The internet has made it very easy for members to find "anti-Mormon" literature or historical documents that contradict the Sunday school version of church history. This has led to a "faith crisis" for many, particularly among Gen Z and Millennials who want more transparency about things like the translation process of the Book of Mormon or the church’s past policies regarding race.
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Until 1978, Black men of African descent were not allowed to hold the priesthood. The church has since disavowed the theories used to justify that ban, but for many, it remains a painful part of the history.
The Reality of Being a Latter-day Saint
Being a member of this faith is a high-demand lifestyle. It’s not just a Sunday thing. Your social life often revolves around the "ward" (your local congregation). You might be asked to teach a class, lead a youth group, or help someone move their couch on a Saturday morning.
There is a deep sense of community that is hard to find elsewhere. If your house burns down, twenty people from your church will be there the next morning with hammers and boxes.
But that same community can feel suffocating if you don't fit the mold. If you’re LGBTQ+, or if you have doubts, it can be a lonely place to be. The church has made efforts to be more inclusive, but the core doctrine on marriage remains strictly between a man and a woman.
What You Should Do Next
If you're genuinely curious about who are the mormons, don't just rely on Reddit or South Park. Both have their biases.
If you want to see what they’re about without the pressure:
- Check out FamilySearch. It’s the world's largest free genealogy site. It’s run by the church and is a genuinely amazing tool if you want to find your great-grandma’s immigration papers.
- Visit a Temple Grounds. You can’t go inside the temple unless you’re a member in good standing, but the visitor centers and gardens are open to everyone. They are usually meticulously landscaped and very peaceful.
- Read the Gospel Topics Essays. If you want the "hard" history, the church itself published a series of essays on their website addressing things like polygamy, race, and Joseph Smith’s translation methods. It’s the most transparent they’ve ever been.
Ultimately, they are a group of people trying to follow Jesus in a way that feels authentic to them, fueled by a unique history and a very American "can-do" spirit. Whether you think they're right or wrong, there's no denying they've made a permanent mark on the world.
To get the most accurate picture, look at the "I'm a Mormon" campaign archives from years back or the newer "Come Unto Christ" resources. These provide a window into how individual members—from surfers to scientists—actually live their faith in the 21st century. If you ever decide to talk to those guys in the white shirts, just remember they’re usually just kids a long way from home who would probably appreciate a glass of water and a kind word, even if you aren't interested in their book.