Church of the SubGenius
Church of the SubGenius
"Pull the wool over your own eyes!"
History
The Church of the SubGenius is a parody religion — or perhaps the truest of religions — founded officially in 1979 by Ivan Stang and Philo Drummond. According to church lore, however, it actually began in 1953 when a salesman named J.R. "Bob" Dobbs received a vision from a "Space God" known as JHVH-1. The Church quickly grew into a sprawling satire of organized religion, consumer culture, conspiracy theories, and the general madness of modern life.
Blending absurdist humor, postmodern philosophy, countercultural rebellion, and inspired nonsense, the Church of the SubGenius has become a cult classic among artists, thinkers, pranksters, and seekers of Slack.
Core Beliefs
Slack is the central tenet of the Church. Slack is a mystical state of personal freedom, inner peace, and effortless living that the Conspiracy (yes, *the Conspiracy*) constantly tries to steal from you.
Key doctrines include:
- "Bob" is the ultimate salesman-prophet.
- Slack is your birthright.
- The Conspiracy wants to enslave you with jobs, obligations, and seriousness.
Of course, all of this is meant to both mock and mirror the grand claims of more "serious" belief systems. As the Church itself often reminds people: > "You’d have to be crazy to believe it all... but you’d be even crazier not to!"
The Role of "Bob"
J.R. "Bob" Dobbs is the fictional (or semi-fictional?) founder and figurehead of the Church. A smiling, pipe-smoking 1950s salesman, Bob represents the ideal of effortless success and eternal Slack.
Images of Bob — always smiling, always calm — are iconic symbols of the SubGenius faith, often appearing in propaganda, merchandise, and sacred writings like the Book of the SubGenius.
Philosophy and Outlook
The Church encourages:
- Creative rebellion: Defy conformity with humor, creativity, and absurdity.
- Personal Slack: Find your own path to happiness, not the one society shoves down your throat.
- Suspicion of Authority: Question everything — especially official explanations.
- Sacred Nonsense: Understand that the truth and the absurd are often the same thing.
In many ways, the Church of the SubGenius offers a funhouse mirror version of self-help movements, spiritual awakening programs, and New Age philosophies — exposing their contradictions while offering genuine laughter and liberation.
Recommended Reading
- The Book of the SubGenius (1983) — the sacred text outlining Bob’s vision and the path to Slack.
- Revelation X: The "Bob" Apocryphon — deeper teachings, conspiracies, and prophecies.
- Psychlopaedia of Slack — a guide to the sprawling SubGenius mythology.
Recommended Watching
- Arise!: The SubGenius Video (1992) — a chaotic collage of the Church's teachings.
- J.R. "Bob" Dobbs and the Church of the SubGenius (2019 documentary) — a deep dive into the Church’s history and influence.
- Various sermons, rants, and radio shows from Hour of Slack (the Church’s official broadcast).
External Links
Fun Facts
- The Church once made a serious attempt to buy land in Texas to build a real "SubGenius Retreat."
- Members of the band DEVO were early supporters of the Church.
- The X-Day prophecy (July 5, 1998) predicted the arrival of alien overlords... they’re just running a little late, obviously.
"Act like a dumbass and they’ll treat you like an equal." — Church Proverb