I'm an ex-Mormon, and I'd be happy to share my experiences within the LDS church. For general information, I recommend:
[
www.think-link.org]
[
www.exmormon.org]
and most definitely:
[
www.lds-mormon.com]
There's a lot of misinformation out there on the church and its practices, but I've found these sites to be accurate.
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It is very hard to find information on this churches " secret" religious observances, because of the fact that they make everyone take a blood oath to never tell even when they are excommunicated from the church.
The sites listed above have info on the secret temple rites. Fortunately, the "blood oath" is not taken literally--more as an affirmation that the member would rather die than share the secrets, not as a "If I tell, you may kill me" thing. Also, the oaths were removed from the ceremony as of 1990.
Do I consider it a cult? Yes, or at least very cult-like. I don't view it as a particularly dangerous one, though its control over members' thinking can have damaging results for some.
Members hate the cult label. I myself defended its non-cult status adamantly at one time. But taking an honest look at how cults are defined, it's impossible to deny that the LDS church is borderline at best.
-There's a living leader who speaks for God.
-Donations (tithes) are mandatory to achieve the 'highest salvation'. This is accomplished by denying non-tithe payers access to the temple.
-There is no disclosure of finances and no accounting of where tithing money goes.
-Declares itself as the "one true church".
-Members frequently shun non-member or apostate family and friends.
Etc., etc...
I'm afraid I can't offer any insight into why Mormonism hasn't taken root in the South. I would guess it's for the same reason that other religions aren't very prominent in Utah.
Good luck with your research, and best wishes! :)