The Venetian Sanity Commission published a number of "religious" pamphlets distributed around the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and surrounding Fort Sanders neighborhood in the late 1980's. The VSC attempted to use the methods of religious pamphleteers to promote healthy skepticism and to turn people who are followers into free thinkers.
You R A Bug was the first campaign. Fliers were distributed, accompanied by "U R A Bug" spray painted on dumpsters throughout Ft. Sanders. You can read the pamphlet here.
You R A Sports Car followed, but did not have the same impact as the first.
The back of the pamphlet, much like its relgious counterparts, advertised and theological study program. The idea was to provide materials and training so that people who have have stopped using their minds might deprogram themselves of dogma. Sadly, developing this kind of study program demanded more time that I could devote.
You Are A
You Are A Bug
DOES THIS BOTHER YOU?
Men have sometimes been confused as giants, and giants sometimes confused as gods, but the honest sad truth is that you are a bug. Do not be upset. Be proud that you are what you are. You are not alone.
Like moths flying through the darkest, moonless night of ignorance, most people swarm to the closest, brightest object - and stick. The streets are lined with bright lights and false gods, ones that will burn you and use you as you orbit around them, lulled in by their brilliance. I'm talking of television. Of fast cars and candy bars. Of fashion clothes and breakfast cereals. Of politicians and television prophets. Of people with whiter, brighter smiles wanting YOU to follow them.
And as the night gets darker, so too do the lights look brighter! Witchcraft and magic are back, bringing superstition to comfort and give you power. Christian and eastern religions are growing by legions of those seeking to find strength through a greater being. But the lights that are beckoning are just as dim as before, lit by the burning bodies of those who died daring to oppose the ignorance and kindled with the eyes of those who stared at the light for too long and became blinded in the fanatic bliss of half-truths and power hungry lies.
The strength they give you is but a fraction of the power you give them. With each church service you attend, each collection basket you fill, each mystical object you buy, you freely give up your free will. What they give you in return is in fact WEAKNESS! Their truths are as addictive as opium and their dogma breeds intolerance and hatred. Look at history! How many have died in the name of god? How many more must die the silent death of spiritual lobotomy?
When you buy into a religion, you sell your individuality for a world view. You sell your ability to see truth in all religions, while at the same time rejecting them. Do you wish to carve your own slice off the spiritual ham or settle for pre-packaged, pressed lunch meat? The world is a buffet of ideas, to settle for the pre-digested scraps of ancient ideologies is to trade away your birthright and your common sense.
Friends, there is a way - a way leading to a personal light. No, not a light belonging to a greater power, but a light of greater power. The light from within.
Deep inside you is a flare, a spark, a gleaming crystal waiting to burn with the light of a thousand suns, but realizing this strength is not easy. The path from ignorance to truth is not easy, yet, if you open your eyes they will shine like beacons through the raging storm!
Inside your heart lies the power. Inside your brain lies the reason. Inside your soul will you find the glory and the power to be your own person!
Throw aside your shackles and escape from these neon lights of the marketplace! Burn like a firefly from within and seek out your own answers.
No matter what religion you now believe, you can find yourself and find salvation in a redemption of your own making. You were born with the ability to see both right and wrong. You have experiences which are as unique as you are an individual. By being alive you have already paid the price.
Now is the time, and the hive shall be yours.
Q: How do I begin?
A: Think about what you believe now. Why do you believe it? Who told you it was true? Could they have been mistaken? Think about it and always ask yourself "Why?".
Q: How do I defend myself against advertising techniques, both religious and commercial?
A: Try to be aware of your feelings. When you see an advertisement or someone tells you THE WAY, be skeptical. Are they using intimidation, if only very subtly? Are they trying to relate their idea or product with something that you like, for example, beautiful women with beer? Remember, they want something from YOU. You are a buyer, you have the choice. The responsibility to choose wisely is yours.
Q: Are all religions wrong?
A: All religions are right, but for the wrong reasons. Morality is a good thing except when it is taught through guilt and submission. Morality must be learned by experience and practiced sincerely, not through coercion or habit.
Q: Is Jesus bogus?
A: Jesus is perhaps the most exploited man in history. His words and teachings have been built into an industry. He lived by example, now others live by his example. Enlightenment does not come from following only tried paths. Jesus need not be a god to have been a wise, holy man and pathfinder.
Q: Where do I go to church?
A: Every minute you are alive you are in church. After a long day, when you feel that you have accomplished something, that is your sacrament, for then you feel more alive than at any other time.
Q: What about sin?
A: The only sin you can commit is against truth. Be truthful to yourself and you will build a set of personal beliefs regarding behavior, etc. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Q: If there is no sin, what's to stop everyone from becoming evil?
A: What goes around comes around. Evildoers will pay in this life, not the next.
Q: Is there a God?
A: If there is a God, he gave you free will. If you show him that you can discover his truths on your own, rather than following another, you have demonstrated that you appreciated his gift. To follow a fellow bug simply because he has a religious background is denying his gift. If you stand on your own feet, there is no need for a God.
Q: Why am I a bug and not a polar bear?
A: That issue is discussed in the Venetian Sanity University Doctoral Program coursework. Please see back page for details.
Q: How do I find out more?
A: Contact Rev. Dr. Neøn Fleshbiscuit at the Venetian Sanity Commission (neøThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). Additional enlightenment may be found from The Church of the SubGenius, P.O. Box 140306, Dallas, TX 75214. Tell them Neøn sent you. Please send $1 to help defray costs.
Beware of bugs that sting.
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Venetian Sanity Commission
University P.O.Box 8717
Knoxville, TN 37996–4800
THIS TRACT PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MYTHICAL SCROTUM OF JEHOVAH, OFFICE OF THE BUDDHA, VENETIAN SANITY COMMISSION CHANNELED THRU REV. DR. NEØN FLESHBISCUIT, P.O. BOX 8717 KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE 37996–4800 ADDITIONAL COPIES AVAILABLE: 24¢ EACH, BULK DISCOUNTS POSSIBLE ACCEPT NO IMITATIONS • BEWARE OF PLACEBOS
(c) 1997 Chriscypher Gray
