Rev. Ivan Stang (i.stang@metronet.com) wrote:
: This one just kills me. It's from some "Jargon" newsgroup or web site or
: something. I found it in a gopher search. Imagine how I gloated.
It's from The Jargon File, available (hardcopy) as The New Hacker's
Dictionary. Basically, it's a glossary-based history of words, terms,
jargon, slang, etc., that have sprung up from the history of hackerdom.
(In case it's not obvious, I'm a big proponent of this file; it does a
great job of 'capturing' what hackers are...and is the perfect thing to
show some idiot who thinks that a real hacker is "someone who breaks into
a computer system to trash or steal data.")
: ***
: Church of the SubGenius
: ----------------------------------------------------------------------
: n. A mutant offshoot of Discordianism launched in 1981 as a spoof of
: fundamentalist Christianity by the `Reverend' Ivan Stang, a brilliant
: satirist with a gift for promotion. Popular among hackers as a rich
: source of bizarre imagery and references such as "Bob" the divine
: drilling-equipment salesman, the Benevolent Space Xists, and the Stark
: Fist of Removal. Much SubGenius theory is concerned with the acquisition
: of the mystical substance or quality of slack.
: ------------------------------------------------------------------------
: STANG note: This is the kind of thing that I can show my mother-in-law,
: but it's pretty innacurate. Mainly, they leave out Philo and everybody
: else, and act like Dobbs is just some "character." Also, Dobbs' Church is
: certainly no offshoot of Discordianism. I'll admit that RAW's Illuminatus
: trilogy helped in the outreach planning stages, but I for one never saw
: the Principia until 1981 or so. And... "spoof of fundamentalist
: Christianity?" How about, "spoof of all human reality and everything else
: that YOU call SANE"?? I wholeheartedly agree with that bit about
: "brilliant," however. THAT'S the kind of thing that I, for one, can JACK
: OFF TO.
Well (just to play Devil's Advocate, and cuz I don't mind defending one
of my favorite publications), you do have to keep in mind that a Pink or
Bobbie (or at best, a latent SubGenius) was writing this...he's gonna get
some info wrong, and will obviously tell it from the POV of one of the
godzillions out there who think that this whole thing is "just a big
joke". (Maybe it is...but that doesn't mean that it's JUST a big joke...)
It is kinda hard to squeeze the essense of the CoSG into one paragraph.
<BRAIN FLASH> Duh! There's an EDITOR listed at the beginning! ESR is
always looking for mistakes and corrections. Okay guys! We need to boil
the essense of the Church into one nice, neat paragraph that non-Yeti can
(kind of) understand, to send to ESR! Suggestions?
--
Meow!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: Definition of "SubGenius"
From: mtownsend@interramp.com (Michael Townsend)
"Bob," thanks so much for selling me the drilling equipment! I never knew
it could be so much fun (and so LUCRATIVE) to be a dentist!
-Dad-
--
>>>Dad's Frapulous Tape Torture<<<
**Send a tape. Get a tape. It's that sleazy!**
Mail to: Dad's New Slacks - P.O. Box 4272 - Portland, Maine 04101-4272
::::or kill me for more email:::::
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: Definition of "SubGenius"
From: bmyers@ionet.net (TarlaStar)
"Bob," Thanks so much for selling me the (strap-on) drilling
equipment! I never knew it could be so much fun to be a MAN! I'm
telling ALL my girlfriends about it!
--
Reverend Mutha Tarla, Little Sisters of the Perpetually Juicy,
A Proud Jism Schism of the Church of the SubGenius, Worshipping
"Connie" Dobbs and Juicy Retardo since 1986
http://www.ionet.net/~bmyers/homepage.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: Definition of "SubGenius"
From: christuck@aol.com (ChrisTuck)
Hey, hey! I know Eric, and I know TNHD.
Remember, he had to define the undefineable, make known the unknowable,
and GET IT DONE while on deadline.
His only error was not including the Sacred PO box number.
But then, since he wasn't getting PAID to plug the Church, then that's a
very Sub thing to do, after all, a Profit is not without honor!
Besides, it makes the Church look "harmless" to those who might have the
Power of Unemployment over the Pipe-besotted wage slaves under them. By
this subtrefuge, the Moles of "Bob" can contiune to undermine the
Foundations of Normality, and still have cable TV in their nests.
Bravo!, I say to you Eric. Bravo and Job Well Done!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: Definition of "SubGen
From: iceknife@ashram.com (ICEKNIFE)
I@> n. A mutant offshoot of Discordianism launched in 1981 as a spoof of
I@> fundamentalist Christianity by the `Reverend' Ivan Stang, a brilliant
I@> satirist with a gift for promotion. Popular among hackers as a rich
I@> I wholeheartedly agree with that bit about "brilliant," however.
But that part about puting those things around the word Reverend is
DOWNRIGHT BLATANTLY DOBBSDAMNED DISRESPECTFUL TO YOU (who cares), TO "BOB" (again, who gives a flying shit) AND TO THE CHURCH (KILLKILLKILL)
I KILL NOW, PLENTY CHEAP CHEAP!
I@> THAT'S the kind of thing that I, for one, can JACK OFF TO.
try getting out more often... you're mildewing
ICEKNIFE
... ELDER GODS COOKING SECRETS : SASE & $1 to P.O.BOX 140306 DALLAS TX 75214
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