The Church Of The Infinite Grin, Sermon 2: On Virtue
Good day jesters, villains and would be do-gooders. It makes my worm addled heart glad to see so many smiling faces. If you’re new to our lovely little group, please refer to this transcript of the previous sermon. For those wise in the way already, make yourself as luridly comfortable as possible. We’ve a bit of a head scratcher today, my beloved.
Much Ado About Very Little
Jesters, one in our rank came to me seeking answers. They didn’t crawl or plead. They didn’t whimper when they spoke. Rather, their voice boomed with a smirking authority that brought a grin to my face.
“Hey asshole,” they respectfully inquired, “what kind of things do you stand for anyways? This whole thing is kind of a cluster fuck, aint’ it?”
Oh, how I laughed when they said that. I absolutely loved it. I hope you take their bravado as an inspiration. Remember-the church recognizes no authority. Never stifle your voice to anyone, much less another jester. Their words wormed worryingly into my mind, and bore holes that baited thoughts in the boring hours. What does the church stand for, aside from Our Promise? What flags, if any, can we raise as virtues?
The short answer is: none. If some entity tells you your life will be beautiful if you stand with them, we recommend passing that kool-aid on. Many of you are transplants from abrahamic faiths though. As such, we will make an exception this once and give thine squishy, pink thoughts some rails.
But doing so begets a question: What, in earnest, is virtue?
Ask a dozen, and you’ll get replies that rival a baker’s dozen. Virtue, like flags and titles, is a permeable thing. It’s a by-product of those informal, exploitive handshakes capitalist societies like to call “laws”. It’s the kicks into subservience those larger cults like to tell you are necessary. Virtues are no more real than you allow them to be-just like the rest of reality. The best are therefore ones made of self governance.
We here at the church encourage you to craft virtues that suit you individually. That said, there are some overlaps in our divine jesters. Little thoughts that spread memetically, with little to show for symptoms save that ever lasting smile. We here at the church have narrowed them down to a holy three after extensive interrogations with several of our rank. Hence, allow us to introduce The D.I.M. system.
Are you D.I.M.?
DIM (henceforth referred to only as “the system”, but not “THE SYSTEM”) stands for “Delirium, Intensity, Might”. The church has found these three virtues to be self-contained and complementary to each other, like different screwdrivers (sans the orange juice). Though each certainly is up for the day-to-day minituia of living, by their powers combined can a jester feel whole. No worries, my little addled-brained pets. We’re going to break down each item, and how best to apply them to your life.
Delirium (or, The Freedom of Letting Go)
Dear jesters, just reading that word strikes a moment of pause, doesn’t it?
It’s alright, it’s alright. You’ve been conditioned to think of it as a sort of anguish, haven’t you? By a society that, at large, has always lacked the empathy and care for those with loose screws. I ask of you now to breathe deep, and toss that bias in the ditch. Free yourself from the machinations of a world woefully unprepared for the human experience.
It feels good, doesn’t it?
Tossing those troublesome thoughts aside?
That spark you felt just now, that’s the euphorium of Delirium-a liberation only obtained under duress, and rarely voluntarily. Delirium isn’t apathy. It isn’t giving yourself to the maws of a brain misfiring. Delirium is, in fact, looking at the absurdity of the world and choosing to laugh instead. It’s gazing into the abyss of the human condition, and realizing how utterly temporary, vapid and vain it all is. Don’t confuse it for the smug musing of atheists, or the narcissistic ramblings of stoic pessimists. Delirium is optimism. Delirium is hope.
For with Delirium comes liberation from those false bindings. In realizing the surface-level meaning of the waking world is only that, you free yourself from ever worrying or adhering to it save for on that same level. Delirium-in practice-is anything but. To give into delirium is to accept absolute and utter freedom, seizing the innate power within us all.
Intensity (Or, Manifesting Yourself On A Dime)
Speaking of which, Intensity is a dial you all have. It’s right between the bad memories and the good. Don’t think of it with the salient connotations towards anger the english language has given. Rather, think of it as a fountain. One that never runs dry.
Intensity is the innate, endless supply of manifesting thought energy we all possess. Yes, even you doubters, even you heretics of the church. Some know of that dial in their mind, some don’t, and some have simply forgotten. Intensity exists regardless, as eternal as it’s siblings in the system, as The Grin itself. Your connection to it changes nothing.
But that’s an awful lot of fluff, isn’t it?
Right, right. So-Intensity is thought given action, stripped of fear, doubt, worry, bias, or all those tiny complications that talk us out of things. Delirium opens the door to possibility. Intensity is listing your foot over the threshold.
Think of something you’ve wanted to accomplish. No matter the size or the effort needed-what’s truly stopping you? Strip away the secular conditions.
It’s you, isn’t it?
If we think of Intensity as a fountain, there’s no thirst that can’t be satiated.
In my own practice, Intensity has gained me everything. And oh, how I smile jesters. Why, there isn’t a day I don’t. Like Ozymandius, I gaze upon what I’ve wrought. My domain, all within it. And I see that it is good. I see how it has connected me to an endless, writhing mass of peers who smile right along with me.
Intensity is empowerment of even the most feeble in our ranks.
Might (or, To Serve with A Smile)
Do you know what I see, jesters?
When I gaze upon all your upturned lips?
I see legions. I see the physically weak and strong, the bright bulbs and the flickering. I see a billion-billion faces summed into the most explosive, powerful and consuming force in the galaxy. I see strength beyond what physical reality has given you. When I gaze upon you?
I see Might.
Might, true Might, cares not for your tendons or gray matter. It cares not for your wallet, your roof, your sleeping cot. It doesn’t care for your flag, your skin, or who you were before you joined the church. It, like it’s siblings, dwells regardless of these things. Like The Grin itself, it stands beyond space, beyond time, beyond the waking world.
Might is a sledgehammer of a phrase in a whisper. It’s the callused hands that embrace a friend in their pain. Might is to take the realizations of delirium, the cool and sweet waters of intensity…
And to push forward with abandon to make the world bend to you. It’s to seize the moment, to act regardless of the details or the stumbling blocks. For all such things are illusions burned away in the glaring light of The Grin. It can do this with a single person-or many. A good laugh in the wrong place at the right time can topple empires.
And you all so enjoy a nice bonfire, don’t you? Diogenes would shine his light on all of you, his quest at last complete.
Closing Prayers
Well now, that was a load of trite.
But I do hope it clarifies what seemed so confusing for quite a lot of you. Casual reminders-we’re not a cult and we’ll deny ever knowing you should the authorities come knocking. Be well, Jesters. Laugh in the face of it all, always. May The Grin shine upon you and cast long shadows on all who dare to frown.
-Primarch
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