Apocrypha Discordia is perhaps the first Discordian collection of the 21st century, the first true sequel to Principia Discordia, and one of the most popular and respected of all Discordian works.
Prehistory[edit]
The concept for a sequel to Principia Discordia came as Steve Jackson Games was preparing its 1994 edition of the work. Russel Dalenberg, on the usenet group rec.games.board, suggested they publish an "Apocrypha Discordia" if they got enough material in the true Discordian spirit, and this suggestion was mentioned in the introduction. Several people sent submissions, including Reverend Loveshade, but the company never published the book.
But the title was used by two collections, one compiled by Rev. DrJon Swabey, and the other edited by Reverend Loveshade and BloodStar, who disappeared in late 2001. Swabey’s collection was completed in 2001. Material from the other collection was incorporated into Reverend Loveshade’s Ek-sen-trik-kuh Discordia: The Tales of Shamlicht.
The collection[edit]
Apocrypha Discordia is a collection of various works on Discordianism, compiled by Rev. DrJon Swabey (later known as His Wholiness The Rev. DrJon) from various non-copyrighted (or Kopylefted) sources. These included fragments from both on line and printed sources, and illuminations from the Melbourne small press zine artist Pope Phil Wlodarczyk III.
The first edition is unavailable, as DrJon learned that some included pieces were copyrighted. All parts of the extant second edition are believed to be kopyleft.
Although some Discordian cabals consider the work to be canonical, others deny the existence of any canonical document of Discordianism. It may be considered a sequel to the Principia Discordia, or it may be a complete joke. The CafePress site where the book is sold calls it a "bastard child of and unofficial sequel to the Principia Discordia." This dichotomy of religion vs. joke is a fundamental part of the book, and indeed of Discordianism itself.
Much of the core of the work centers on contemporary textural fragments from the source material from which the Principia Discordia was drawn, but which were omitted from the published version. Examples include apocryphal passages from "The Honest Book of Truth", "The Dishonest Book of Lies", and "Liber 555". Significant original contributors to the collection include Prince Mu-Chao (now known as Professor Mu-Chao)("The Discordian Manifesto #3", etc.), Reverend Doctor Hexar le Saipe ("Chaosophy"), The Beatus Ffungo (selections from Summa Discordia), Reverend Loveshade ("Five Blind Men and an Elephant"), and St. Pesher the Gardener ("Novus Ordo Discordia").
The work is available on line, and has also been published in a print on demand edition by Synaptyclypse Generator, a Discordian sect, affiliated to POEE UK and dedicated to the preservation of important Discordian works. It has also been translated into German under the title Apocrypha Diskordia.
In recognition of Swabey's Discordian work, the book's compiler was chosen to write an "outroduction" to the 2007 hardback edition of Principia Discordia.
Review by Agent 218.214.148.10[edit]
(from Feb. 19, 2006) Apocrypha Discordia is a collection of works on Discordia, written by various Discordian saints, sinners, popes, priests, madmen, miscreants, degenerates, straight-arrows, etc... Compiled from various non-copyrighted (or Kopylefted) sources by some bugger named Rev. DrJon Swabey and published sometime in the 21st century (the date on the document says 2001, but we're not going to fall for that one).
Although some Discordian cabals consider the work to be canonical (some even going as far as considering it the only canonical Discordian work), there are also many who discount the validity of the document. Others amongst the Discordian movement discount the idea of there being any canonical literature other than Dr. Ramos Montecino's 1667 work Howe to Mayke a Cannon. Most people would probably agree, however, that there are far better things to do with one's time than to shoot works of literature out of any firearm whatsoever.
Thanks to the work of a random idiot (Rev. DrJon Swabey), many Discordian writings have been brought together in one place where without him, they may have been lost to the grainy particles of temporality(leaving us free to peruse or ignore the work at our leisure and for overzealous lunatics to print copies of it so that they may have something to feed the bonfires that warm their cold, empty hearts).