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The Book of the Subgenius: Lunatic Prophecies for the Coming Weird Times
Divine obfuscation has a purpose. This is the classic that ushered in so many imitators, imitators who did not get "it." "It" is slack, the desiderata that cannot be desired and is only attainable through "Bob," the evil god/male model who founded the Church of the SubGenius without bothering to "exist." If you read this holy book properly, you will learn to "pull the wool over your own eyes." While this volume may seem hilarious, it's also an incredibly adept deconstruction of religion in general and the human impulse to believe in and follow anyone who promises to give their lives meaning and structure. Plus, it's the only place to find the information you need to survive when the bad alien gods come out of the sky to kill, enslave, and entertain us. If you don't already have a copy, then hand in your hipness ID card and hang your head in shame.
184 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1983
2 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
J.R. "Bob" Dobbs
5 books18 followersHead of Church of the SubGenius.
According to the church, Bob was a drilling equipment salesman. Who in 1953 saw an image of God on a self-made television.
According to the church he was assassinated in 1984.
Church critics claim that the image is derived from 50s clip art.
According to the church, Bob was a drilling equipment salesman. Who in 1953 saw an image of God on a self-made television.
According to the church he was assassinated in 1984.
Church critics claim that the image is derived from 50s clip art.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 10, 2011
Whenever I meet a literary person who hasn't read this bk & isn't even familiar w/ the Church of the SubGenius, I realize that their lives are so incomplete that I turn them sideways to see if they're still there in profile.
To set the record straight (an 8 letter word w/ only 1 syllable): being an ever-so-slightly-infamous person I sometimes run across (I try to run them over but it never works) mentions of me on the web by people who apparently "think they really know me" (reference to Gary Wilson). Such mentions might overcredit me for my involvement w/ this bk; some might speak of my contempt for the Church of the SubGenius. They're both RONG (deliberate misspelling).
One of the biggest regrets in my life is that I didn't get involved in the Church until January of 1981. If I had only been a mnth earlier, I wd've been listed as a member of the "Board of Directors of the SubGenius Foundation appointed in 1980". Instead, I'm just listed as having made "Additional Sacrifices" in 1981. At least I was immediately sainted. It's obvious that the other churches give a bum deal to their saints by waiting to exploit them AFTER they're dead. This regret haunts me to this day. No matter where I move, no matter where I hide, it haints me.
My actual contribution to the bk is small - a foto of me that someone else took of me painting a stencil that someone else made & a foto that I had taken of sd stencil not-very-convincingly seeming to form my own head. Nonetheless, I actually GOT A ROYALTY CHECK FOR $12 from the 1st edition of this. & THAT, my friend (or whatever) is as good a sign as any that the Church of the SubGenius is rooted in integrity.
This bk is SHEER (Sub)GENIUS. Let me repeat that: This bk is (Sub)SHEER GENIUS. To poorly paraphrase an interview that I gave that's in my movie entitled "B.T.O.U.C." that you'll probably never, EVER get a chance to see, "The Church of the SubGenius is out to save yr soul even though it doesn't BELIEVE in souls." & this bk does it so well that you only need to read one word of it (wch there's no need for you to even BELIEVE) in order for you to go straight past hell, purgatory, AND heaven into the far-flung reaches of the imagination.
& the GRAPHICS! I mean, HOLY SHIT!, the editors of this bk gathered together the finest talents that "Bob" cd bribe or rib or offer slack to & put them to work 24/7/20-20/20-odd-sex. This is the FINEST representative of the under-uber that most of you will ever see. & I NO what I'm talking about.
To set the record straight (an 8 letter word w/ only 1 syllable): being an ever-so-slightly-infamous person I sometimes run across (I try to run them over but it never works) mentions of me on the web by people who apparently "think they really know me" (reference to Gary Wilson). Such mentions might overcredit me for my involvement w/ this bk; some might speak of my contempt for the Church of the SubGenius. They're both RONG (deliberate misspelling).
One of the biggest regrets in my life is that I didn't get involved in the Church until January of 1981. If I had only been a mnth earlier, I wd've been listed as a member of the "Board of Directors of the SubGenius Foundation appointed in 1980". Instead, I'm just listed as having made "Additional Sacrifices" in 1981. At least I was immediately sainted. It's obvious that the other churches give a bum deal to their saints by waiting to exploit them AFTER they're dead. This regret haunts me to this day. No matter where I move, no matter where I hide, it haints me.
My actual contribution to the bk is small - a foto of me that someone else took of me painting a stencil that someone else made & a foto that I had taken of sd stencil not-very-convincingly seeming to form my own head. Nonetheless, I actually GOT A ROYALTY CHECK FOR $12 from the 1st edition of this. & THAT, my friend (or whatever) is as good a sign as any that the Church of the SubGenius is rooted in integrity.
This bk is SHEER (Sub)GENIUS. Let me repeat that: This bk is (Sub)SHEER GENIUS. To poorly paraphrase an interview that I gave that's in my movie entitled "B.T.O.U.C." that you'll probably never, EVER get a chance to see, "The Church of the SubGenius is out to save yr soul even though it doesn't BELIEVE in souls." & this bk does it so well that you only need to read one word of it (wch there's no need for you to even BELIEVE) in order for you to go straight past hell, purgatory, AND heaven into the far-flung reaches of the imagination.
& the GRAPHICS! I mean, HOLY SHIT!, the editors of this bk gathered together the finest talents that "Bob" cd bribe or rib or offer slack to & put them to work 24/7/20-20/20-odd-sex. This is the FINEST representative of the under-uber that most of you will ever see. & I NO what I'm talking about.
August 2, 2018
I know this book had a cult status back in the 1970s. It is also culturally relevant for many future creations like the Spagetti Monster. And it was far lighter and less relevant than the much offensive La Vey writings. So anyone could be cool without offending or, see the devil worshiper scares of the 1980s, without legal risk.
But beyond moderate historic value, the book is junk. With obscure cultural references that are harder to grasp in 2018. Still, more honest than Ron Hubbard. And comparatively the book of a loser for losers wanting to feel special.
But beyond moderate historic value, the book is junk. With obscure cultural references that are harder to grasp in 2018. Still, more honest than Ron Hubbard. And comparatively the book of a loser for losers wanting to feel special.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews