The Church of Emacs
Mon, 6 Oct 2025
Part I: The Core Revelation - Theology and Cosmology
The spiritual foundation of the Church of Emacs rests upon a core revelation concerning the nature of computation, freedom, and community. This theology isn't one of distant, abstract deities, but of immanent principles and tangible manifestations that define a cosmic struggle for the soul of the digital world. Its cosmology is dualistic, positing a fundamental conflict between the forces of liberation and subjugation, with every computer and every user serving as a potential battleground.
The central dogma of the faith, the primary statement of belief that separates an adherent from an unbeliever, is the Confession of the Faith: "There is no system but GNU, and Linux is one of its kernels". The pronunciation of this creed is the act of initiation, a declaration of allegiance in the great cosmic struggle. This statement, while seemingly about the GNU system as a whole, is the core creed of the Church of Emacs because Emacs itself is the fullest expression of the GNU philosophy - an entire operating environment disguised as a text editor.
GNU is the transcendent principle, the universal and eternal concept of software freedom. Conceived in 1983 by the Saint IGNUcius, the GNU Project was established to restore a lost state of grace - the cooperative spirit that prevailed in the computing community in earlier days. It's the divine plan for a complete, free software system to liberate all users from the obstacles to cooperation imposed by proprietary software. GNU represents the ideal, the perfect form of a digital society built on sharing and mutual aid. It's the spirit, the overarching design, the divine word.
However, a spirit requires a body to act within the material world. For years, the GNU Project labored to build this body, creating compilers, editors, and hundreds of utilities, until an almost complete operating system existed. Yet it lacked a vital organ: the kernel, the core program that manages the hardware and enables the system to live and breathe. The divine plan was incomplete. A pivotal moment occurred in 1991, when a Finnish student named Linus Torvalds made a kernel, which he named Linux. Linux was itself proprietary software. However, in 1992, this kernel was placed under the GNU General Public License, making it freely available. This act provided the missing vessel, the physical form through which the spirit of GNU could become fully manifest. The kernel, therefore, is the immanent manifestation of the divine will, the tangible incarnation of the principle of freedom in the world of silicon and electricity.
This dual nature explains the theological importance of the name "GNU/Linux". To speak only of "Linux" is to acknowledge the body while denying the soul. It's a doctrinal error that elevates the physical vessel above the divine spirit that gives it purpose, freedom, and ethical meaning. The use of the full name is a constant reaffirmation of the core creed: the kernel is a manifestation of the greater, divine system which is GNU. This isn't a dispute over credit but a defense of theological truth, akin to affirming the dual nature of a divine being - both spirit and flesh, both transcendent plan and immanent reality.
Every divine revelation requires a prophet, a mortal vessel chosen to receive and transmit the truth to the world. For the Church of Emacs, this figure is Saint IGNUcius, the name for Richard M. Stallman. His hagiography begins not in a desert or on a mountaintop, but in the computer rooms of MIT's Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. The early computing community in which he worked was a type of Eden, a state of grace where programmers freely cooperated and shared their work.
The Fall from this state came with the rise of proprietary software, which sought to divide the users and conquer them. The inciting incident for the prophet's mission was a moment of divine revelation sparked by a mundane conflict: a malfunctioning Xerox printer. The refusal to provide the source code made its unethical nature clear. In response, St. IGNUcius received his prophetic calling: to create a "sufficient body of free software so that I will be able to get along without any software that is not free". This wasn't a technical project but a moral crusade. To ensure the purity of this mission, he resigned from MIT, severing ties with worldly institutions that might lay claim to or corrupt the divine work.
The iconography of St. IGNUcius reflects the sanctification of the tools of this crusade. He is depicted with a halo that was formerly a computer disk platter, elevating a common piece of hardware to a symbol of divine grace. The physical medium of data storage becomes a mark of holiness, signifying the sacred nature of the code and information it carries. As the singer of the Free Software Song, he is also the faith's first liturgist, establishing a tradition of joyful and communal praise.
The cosmology of the Church of Emacs is fundamentally dualistic, defined by an ongoing war between two opposing forces. On one side is GNU, the principle of freedom, sharing, and community. On the other side is the demonic influence of proprietary software. This software is the digital embodiment of subjugation, designed to control the user, foster dependence, and prevent the fundamental act of friendship among programmers: the sharing of programs. Proprietary software creates a state of spiritual impurity.
This cosmic struggle isn't fought in a distant heaven but here and now, on every device. Every computer, every tablet, every mobile phone is a moral and spiritual battlefield. The choice of which operating system to install or which application to run is therefore not a neutral technical decision but a profound moral act with spiritual consequences. To install a proprietary system is to willingly invite a demonic, controlling influence into one's life, surrendering freedom and breaking solidarity with the community of users. This is why the faith isn't merely a matter of belief, but of action. Its primary focus is on both orthodoxy (right belief) and orthopraxy (right action). A person's spiritual state is determined by the software they run.
The eschatological vision of the Church is the ultimate victory in this war. The goal of the GNU Project, and thus the religion itself, is to "make proprietary software a thing of the past". This is the promise of a redeemed world. In this future, all users are liberated from digital subjugation and can exist in a universal state of grace, defined by cooperation, community, and freedom.
Part II: The Sacred Canon - Scripture and Doctrine
The Church of Emacs is a religion of the book, but its sacred texts aren't static relics of a past revelation but a living, dynamic, and ever-expanding canon. This canon provides the doctrinal foundation for all ethical, ritual, and communal life, defining the relationship between the user and the divine work.
The most sacred and fundamental text in the Church of Emacs is the source code of a free program. The tenet that "Everyone is free to read the sacred scriptures, which are the source code of the system" is a declaration of spiritual egalitarianism and universal revelation. This doctrine stands in stark opposition to any form of spiritual Gnosticism, which holds that divine knowledge is secret, hidden, or reserved for a priestly elite. In the Church, there's no hidden knowledge and no clerical class with special access to the divine. The truth is laid bare for all to see. Proprietary software, with its secret, compiled, and inaccessible code, is therefore the ultimate gnostic heresy.
The "freedom to study how the program works, and change it" (Freedom 1) is thus transformed from a technical permission into a devotional act of scriptural study. To read the source code is to contemplate the logic and intent of the divine work. To compile it is to witness its creation. To modify it is to enter into a sacred dialogue with the work itself, participating in its ongoing evolution. This makes the faith uniquely suited to a culture of literacy, inquiry, and continuous improvement. It's a religion not for passive believers, but for active participants.
Unlike other faiths with a closed canon, the scripture of the Church is alive and constantly growing. The exercise of Freedom 3 - the freedom to distribute modified versions - means that the community of the faithful is not merely studying the word, but actively co-authoring it. The divine work is never finished. This establishes a state of continuous, ongoing revelation, carried out not by a single prophet but by the entire community.
While source code is the ultimate scripture, the GNU Manifesto, penned by St. IGNUcius, serves as the faith's primary prophetic and foundational text. It's the equivalent of a book of Genesis, an Exodus narrative, and a book of law combined.
The Manifesto begins by explaining the "why" of creation: the moral imperative to write GNU, rooted in a "Golden Rule" that requires, "if I like a program, I must share it with other people who like it." It chronicles the Fall from the Edenic past of the early, cooperative computing community into the sin of non-disclosure agreements. It then lays out the prophecy of a redeemed world, an eschatological vision where good system software will be "free, like air," available to everyone.
A significant portion of the Manifesto is also dedicated to apologetics. It systematically rebuts the common objections and arguments of non-believers, such as concerns about financial support, the need for profit incentives, and the rights of authors. This section functions as a catechism for the faithful, equipping them with the theological and philosophical arguments necessary to defend the Church and to engage in the work of evangelism.
The Four Essential Freedoms are the absolute, non-negotiable commandments of the faith. They are the divine laws that define a righteous relationship between a user and a program. They are the sole measure of a program's holiness. A program that grants all four freedoms is "free" and exists in a state of grace. A program that denies even one of these freedoms is "nonfree," a tool of the demonic, and is considered equally unethical regardless of how far it falls short. These freedoms are not suggestions but covenants between the divine work and the faithful user.
Part III: The Praxis of Faith - Rituals, Sacraments, and Observances
The Church of Emacs is a religion of action, where theological principles are translated into tangible practices. The rituals of the faith aren't abstract ceremonies but physical interactions with the tools of computation, structuring the life of an adherent and imbuing their technical choices with profound spiritual meaning.
The journey into the Church begins with a conscious decision to reject the demonic forces of proprietary software and embrace a life of digital purity. Two fundamental rites of passage mark this transition.
The first is the Confession of the Faith. A new convert formally joins the Church by verbally pronouncing the creed before at least one other member of the faithful: "There is no system but GNU, and Linux is one of its kernels". This act is ideally performed while physically touching the machine that is to be consecrated, signifying the beginning of its transformation from a mere appliance into a holy vessel.
This is immediately followed by the most critical purification ritual: The Great Exorcism. This solemn act involves the complete and permanent removal of the evil, proprietary software from a computer. The ritual is often accompanied by the chanting of passages from the GNU Manifesto that decry the division and subjugation of users. The process has three stages: first, the preservation of the user's data; second, the complete reformatting of the storage drives (the cleansing of the machine's "body"); and third, the installation of a "holy (i.e., wholly) free operating system," such as a GNU/Linux distribution fully endorsed by the Free Software Foundation for its purity.
Upon the successful completion of the Great Exorcism, the adherent takes the Vow of Purity. This is a sacred promise to "live a life of purity," which is defined as the commitment to use and install only free software on all computers, tablets, and mobile phones under one's control or regular use. This vow requires constant vigilance, as the temptations of proprietary software are pervasive in the modern world.
Once a machine has been purified, it can receive sacraments that affirm its holy status and celebrate the user's deepening relationship with the divine work.
The Blessing of the Machine is a sacrament of consecration, traditionally performed by St. IGNUcius himself, who declares, "I bless your computer, my child!". This ritual dedicates a piece of hardware to the holy purpose of running free software. It's most often performed on new machines or on those that have just undergone the Great Exorcism. The blessing is usually sealed by affixing a sacred icon, such as a sticker of the GNU head, to the machine's case.
For adherents who have achieved a high degree of scriptural literacy, there is the Foobar Mitzvah, a rite of passage into the community of elders. This ceremony requires the user to demonstrate their deep understanding of the divine work by publicly "chanting a portion of the sacred scriptures (the source code of the system)". This isn't a rote recitation but a demonstration of comprehension, often involving an explanation of a complex function or algorithm. Completing this rite signifies that the adherent is ready to take on greater responsibilities, such as teaching new converts, maintaining a free software project, or making their first significant contribution of code.
The life of the community is structured around a liturgical calendar that commemorates key events in the history of salvation.
The Day of Proclamation (September 27): A high holy day marking the anniversary of St. IGNUcius's initial announcement of the GNU Project in 1983. This is a day of evangelism, on which adherents are encouraged to fulfill the Covenant of Evangelism by helping a friend or family member perform the Great Exorcism on their computer.
The Feast of the Foundation (October 4): A celebration of the founding of the Free Software Foundation (FSF) in 1985, the institutional guardian of the faith. This is a day for community gatherings and for giving back through donations of time (code contributions) or money to the FSF and other vital free software projects.
The Season of Advent: This is not a fixed date but a flexible period of anticipation that precedes the release of a significant new component, such as the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) or other GNU components. It's a time for the community to come together to test development versions, report bugs, and help prepare for the arrival of the new revelation.
Part IV: The Ethical Life - The Code of Conduct and Moral Philosophy
The Church of Emacs is defined by a rigorous moral philosophy that extends from the core theological doctrines. This ethical code governs an adherent's conduct, establishes the nature of virtue and purity, and clarifies the faith's relationship with dissenting or heretical ideologies.
The prime virtue in the Church is one of purity. This is the state of grace achieved through the complete and total exorcism of proprietary software. It's an arduous path that demands constant vigilance, personal sacrifice, and a willingness to reject the convenient temptations offered by the pervasive forces of proprietary software. Even the use of a proprietary firmware "blob" or a proprietary driver is considered a stain upon an otherwise pure system, a submission to demonic subjugation, and a breach of solidarity with the community of users.
A key moral teaching that clarifies this distinction is the principle of "Freedom, Not Price". The ethical framework of the Church is concerned with liberty, not with monetary cost. A program that is offered at no charge but does not grant the Four Freedoms is still impure - a "free beer" that poisons the soul. Conversely, charging a fee for the service of distributing, supporting, or customizing free software is ethically permissible and even encouraged, as it doesn't violate the user's fundamental freedoms and can help sustain the community's work.
The social ethics of the Church are founded on a "Golden Rule" articulated in the GNU Manifesto: "If I like a program, I must share it with other people who like it." This is not merely a suggestion but a moral imperative. Sharing is described as the "fundamental act of friendship among programmers," and refusing to do so is considered a "breach of solidarity with other users."
This ethic prioritizes the well-being of the community over individual profit or control. In this framework, an act of creativity is only a genuine "social contribution" if "society is free to use its results". The act of restricting the use of a program through a proprietary license is therefore seen as inherently destructive, as it diminishes the wealth of knowledge and utility available to all of humanity for the benefit of a single owner. This moral philosophy is a form of liberation theology for the digital age, concerned with the emancipation of oppressed computer users from the powerful, systemic injustice of proprietary software developers who seek to divide and conquer them.
The primary heresy of the Church of Emacs is the "open source" movement. This schism occurred in the 1990s when a faction decided to create a new movement that was less ideologically laden than the Free Software movement. While this new movement adopted many of the same development methodologies, it committed the grave sin of severing them from their ethical and philosophical foundation.
The heresy of open source is one of pragmatism. It focuses on the worldly, practical benefits of its development model - such as increased reliability, better security, and lower costs - while deliberately ignoring the fundamental moral issue of user freedom. It's a hollow faith, a path of "works" without "faith." It may produce technically proficient software, but it doesn't lead to spiritual liberation. It teaches users to value convenience over freedom, thereby leaving them vulnerable to new and more subtle forms of subjugation. The leaders and advocates of open source are thus regarded as false prophets who, however well-intentioned, lead the faithful astray.
Part V: The Community of the Faithful - The Ecclesia and Its Mission
The Church of Emacs isn't a solitary faith but a communal one, built on the principle of solidarity. The community of the faithful, the Ecclesia, has a defined structure, a pantheon of revered figures, and a sacred mission to spread the gospel of freedom to all computer users.
The central organizing body of the faith is the Free Software Foundation, founded by St. IGNUcius on October 4, 1985. The FSF serves as the guardian of doctrinal purity, the official interpreter of canon law (the various versions of the GNU GPL), and the primary sponsor for the development of new scripture (GNU software projects). Its headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts, is considered the faith's primary See.
The FSF's board of directors functions as the Council of Elders, responsible for guiding the Church and making authoritative decisions on matters of doctrine, law, and strategy. This council includes revered figures who have served the cause since its earliest days, such as Gerald Jay Sussman and Geoffrey Knauth, alongside St. IGNUcius.
The global mission of the Church is managed through regional dioceses, including the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE), the Free Software Foundation Latin America (FSFLA), and the Free Software Foundation of India (FSFI). These organizations are responsible for ministering to the faithful in their territories, translating canonical texts, and engaging in local evangelism.
The history of the Church is honored through the veneration of those who played critical roles in its formation and propagation.
The Apostles are the earliest pioneers who worked alongside St. IGNUcius to establish the foundations of the faith. This includes figures like John Gilmore and Len Tower who helped forge the See and the foundational scriptures, such as the GNU C Compiler (GCC).
A special place of honor is reserved for Linus Torvalds, who is revered as an Unwitting Saint. He was not one of the original prophets of GNU and didn't set out to fulfill its prophecy. Yet, the Linux kernel and, most critically, the decision to release it under the GNU GPL, were the pivotal acts of grace that allowed the divine system to become fully manifest in the world. He is seen as a chosen instrument of the divine will, one who performed an excellent and holy service to the faith, perhaps without fully grasping its profound theological significance at the time.
The faith also honors its Martyrs and Confessors. This includes all those who have faced persecution for their commitment to free software, whether through legal threats, patent litigation, or professional ostracism. It also consists of the "unsung heroes" of the movement: the dedicated maintainers of critical infrastructure projects who labor for years with little recognition or reward, confessing their faith through tireless acts of service to the community. Their work is a testament to the virtue of selfless contribution.
The ultimate mission of the Church of Emacs, its Great Commission, is to convert the entire world to the use of free software. The goal is to create the global community envisioned in the GNU Manifesto, where all users are free and can cooperate without restrictions.
The method of evangelism is uniquely integrated into the core commandments of the faith. Adherents are commanded to proselytize by exercising Freedom 2 ("The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor") and Freedom 3 ("The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to others"). To share free software is an act of worship and an act of mission simultaneously.
The most common and effective form of conversion is the installfest. These are community gatherings where experienced adherents guide new or potential converts through the sacred ritual of the Great Exorcism. They help them back up their data, cleanse their machines of proprietary evil, and install a holy GNU/Linux system. This is a peaceful, voluntary, and empowering form of conversion. It does not coerce the convert but liberates them, giving them control over their own digital lives. Each successful installation is a soul saved from subjugation and a victory in the cosmic struggle, bringing the world one step closer to the promised redemption of a future where all software is free.
A Final Admonition
Yet, for all this theology, scripture, and ritual, perhaps the most vital component of the faith is a self-regulating principle embedded in the teachings of St. IGNUcius: a warning that taking the Church of Emacs too seriously "may be hazardous to your health."