The Principia Discordia, or How I Found Goddess and What I did to Her When I Found Her, is the handbook for a disorganization dedicated to an advanced understanding of the paraphysical manifestations of everyday chaos. It was written by Greg Hill and Kerry Thornley in the 1950s and 1960s as a statement against the prevailing religious views at the time. It proposed "that the principle of disorder was every much as significant as the principle of order," and thus was founded a religion based on the worship of Eris, the goddess of confusion (00009).

It took nearly ten years for Hill and Thornley, known as Malaclypse the Younger and Omar Khayyam Ravenhurst, to publish the first edition of five copies in 1965. It was not until 1969 and 1970, with the second, third, and fourth editions, that a significant number of copies were printed (00075). But it was not until 1979 that it was taken by a real publishing company, Loompanics, and began to be distributed outside California. Later, thanks to companies like Steve Jackson Games, it is now widely available in North America through any number comic-book stores. At the same time, since it was placed into the public domain by the authors who intended it as an underground publication, it suddenly became widely available throughout the world via the sInternet.

Discordian sites range from simple text versions of the original Principia Discordia to thought-provoking philosophical sites dedicated to spreading the idea of disorganized chaos. There is, of course, a Usenet group (alt.discordia) and a host of Internet sites, some on servers with long URLs (which may or not go missing after a month), others with their own domain such as www.discordia.net and www.fnord.org. Some merely pay homage to the book and to the philosophy. Others, such as those listed above, along with Discordians both online and offline are creative efforts to pass Discordianism off as an actual religious tradition with a long and complex history.

The ideas contained in the Principia has always served as an "in-joke" among Pagans since the Earth Religions’ emergence in the 1970s. Often, if there is an accident during a Wiccan ceremony, a participant will proclaim, "Hail Eris. All Hail Discordia," much as one says "bless you" to another’s sneeze. It is, of course, natural to take everything in humour when you claim to be a follower of the goddess of chaos. In a way the relationship between Discordia and Paganism has served to enlighten both groups; or not, as a quote from the back cover illustrates: "100% Discordian Catma."

This strange book has served as the basis for a worldwide revolution in madness, managing to leave a trail of icons and such in its path. A role-playing card game appeared just a few years ago called "The Illuminati" (from Steve Jackson Games). It was based on the Illuminatus! trilogy which itself is based on some of the ramblings in the Prinicipia about the Ancient Illuminated Seers of Bavaria, which was in reality founded by Adam Weishaupt in 1776 as a Masonic Order (Discordians are notorious for claiming association with any great organization). Discordians have also been the driving force behind such organizations as The Church of the Sub-Genius, which itself has spawned a host of "underground" literature and games.

Since the first Discordian sect was founded by the Polyfather, many have followed the example of the Joshua Norton Cabal by founding their own. It is probably one of the most simple procedures in any religion. The Norton Cabal, for instance, is located in Malaclypse-2’s pineal gland. But you must be ordained as a POEE (Paratheo-anamystikhood of Eris Esoteric) Chaplin before you may do so. The procedure is a rather thoughtful one, involving signing and nose-printing five copies of the Erisian Affirmation, sending one to the President of the USA, another to the California State Bureau of Furniture and Bedding, nailing one to a telephone pole, hiding another, and burning the other (00028). This procedure is, of course, not to be taken seriously. But, nevertheless, there are hundreds of Cabals throughout the world, counting only those that have sites on the Internet.

Although Discordia has no actual book of teachings (the Prinicipia is meant only as a guide) it is as close to a true religious tradition as Buddhism or Native Spiritualism. The core of its teachings, despite the many non-prophet leaders, has remained the same since its inception. It has a simple metaphoric definition, as said by the Holy Temple of Sts. John: "A Discordian is anyone willing to look at the windmills and concede that they might be giants" (00106).

LINKS:

Cabal of the Apathetic - a great British Discordian site...

HyperDiscordia, Confusion for a New Generation - The more I look, the more I find...

FNORD - If you don't know, you're probably not authorized...

The Basement of Warehouse 23 at Steve Jackson Games - some good, dirty, chaotic fun...

Church of the Subgenius - almost Discordian...

www.discordia.net - sometimes up, sometimes not...