Babylon Bee Satire Mocks Mormon Missionaries’ Halloween Outreach, Salt Lake Tribune Reports

The Salt Lake Tribune’s weekly Mormon Land newsletter recently highlighted several stories about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. One concerned The Babylon Bee, which has again taken aim at the church’s missionaries. Its satirical piece, which the newsletter called a “fake news” barb, presents Halloween as a favorite evening for missionaries because it is the one night people open their doors to strangers.

In the spoof, Elder Jon Grant says, “It’s my favorite time of year,” and describes going house to house while eating Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. The piece also quotes apostle Ronald Rasband calling the holiday “our Super Bowl.” The newsletter notes that the story is fictional and parodies Halloween as a day of proselytizing, with young missionaries exchanging Books of Mormon for candy.

Another item concerned Milwaukee Brewers rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt, a Latter-day Saint. The day after the Brewers won the World Series, Pratt posted on the church’s social media about his faith. “Reading the Book of Mormon, paying my tithing, and living the Word of Wisdom are commitments I carry with me,” he said. He added that the foundation his parents helped him build in the gospel had grown stronger through his own experiences.

During the celebration, Pratt sprayed Fanta instead of Champagne. He said he did not want to hold alcohol, “because I didn’t want to give the impression I was drinking it.” In the series, he hit .421, drove in seven runs and hit a go-ahead home run. The newsletter added that Pratt and his teammates are expected to receive six-figure payouts for winning the championship, and it made a lighthearted remark about his tithing on those earnings.

The church is also preparing a new hymnal. According to a news release, the printed volume, titled “Hymns for Home and Church,” will have a green cover similar to the current book and will contain 394 songs, with additional selections available in the Gospel Library app and online. Eight new songs have been released, including the Advent hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” Hymns carry the faith from one generation to the next (Psalm 78:4).

A church music festival is scheduled for Nov. 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the historic Tabernacle on Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City.

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