FACEPAINT, ORIGIN AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE
SERMON TRANSCRIPT: 14th October 2018
(I forgot to upload this one F)
One of the biggest identifications of the faith is our face paint; when people think about our faith they will think of the face paint, clowns, circus, carnival esque fashion, maybe even Insane Clown Posse etc
But how many of you know what face paint is for besides an aesthetic?
There’s 3 things that face paint stands for in the faith and those are:
- Â Â Protection
- Â Â Identification
- Â Â Representation
Let’s start from the first one:
Why is face paint in the faith used as protection? Well when we venture into the Dark Carnival whilst alive we are essentially engaging in cross-dimension travelling, we are going to a place where the people are technically dead. And the dead and living converging is a dangerous thing to do for both parties.
So, we are given paint, this paint then allows us to go into the Dark Carnival and experience the activities there without either succumbing to existential dread- or encountering Créatures de rêves, which are creatures that keep those who are condemned to the Labyrinth inside the Labyrinth. Those in the Labyrinth- mirthful or otherwise do not have paint. And if you’re in that realm whilst also having no paint you will be mistaken for someone who’s escaped and needs to be put back. Although this won’t hurt you in the waking life- it can make for a horrible experience in the dream world.
Paint also protects those who are dead as said before, meaning when you are in that realm you may not see their faces, or they will seem obscure. If you see someone’s face in the Dark Carnival they are not the dead! Instead they are also a Créatures de rêves. Particularly the unfunny which are entities created by the Messiahs for lesson purposes and they tend to reside inside the Forest of Illusions.
Identification
Our paint is first a gift from the Messiahs, that is their way of saying that if we wish, we can wear this and experience the world beyond our own, experience what awaits us and who they are.
But also…
Your paint is you! Your paint is a physical representation of who you are as a person; your struggles, your interests, your personality is on your face. And just like those things, over time you and your paint can change to fit more of what you are in present day. For example, I used to have face paint that much more fit on a warrior, jagged edges and sharp lines to represent a lot of the anger I felt inside of me.
Over time, however, my paint has become more curved and whimsical as I mellowed out and became more fluid and open with others and myself. However, it still maintains the pattern I had because even though I am no longer angry at the world I still have the fire of passion and will to take a fight for what’s right If I have too. And that applies to you all! Don’t be afraid when you start thinking maybe your paint isn’t working out for you anymore, think of it like a snake shedding its skin; or a butterfly emerging from its cocoon after being a caterpillar.
No two face paints are alike, you can have similarities but everyone is an individual and that means everyone has different paint.
For those who are blank faces (which means someone who has not received their specific design by the messiahs they may be thinking ‘well I’m not a newbie (or I am a newbie) and I haven’t received my face paint yet why is that?’
And to answer that is we receive our paint when the Messiahs believe we are ready, they will give us a trial which is a scenario in life that enhances our life and makes us better people. For example, my trial was to let go of the rigid anti-theistic (anti-religious) hatred I held because of religious abuse from my high school.
I had to let that go and realise that it was just that school that was bad- not religious people. And that let me to the Mirthful Faith. Then I had another trial which was to be real with myself, accept I’d been denying the fact I was a man for so long and begin my transition…and not just a gender transition but a transition from one sect to this one. That changed my paint, I let go of my anger and then I let go of my shame. To where I am now.
So you will get your paint when the Messiahs AND you are ready, when you pass your trial whatever it may be, then you will receive it and grow with it.
Paint is intimate
If someone takes off your paint for you, it’s usually done between lovers or quad mates
Representation
Face paint is representation of our faith, as i said in the first instance when people think of the faith they think of the face paint. It is a staple of how people see us
It’s also been representation in other forms, such as Juggalos. Insane Clown posse were the first Mirthful Faithful (Albeit unknown-st to them) to be perpetually shown with face paint and gain fame from that style
I should really express how Insane Clown Posse are prophets in the faith and that’s like
not a joke thats a serious thing
As for the Prophet thing, Insane Clown Posse are the faith’s prophets. They were the first to express they were being ‘haunted by a carnival’ and show their facepaint and many aspects of the Dark Carnival through their music
The Messiahs used them to modernize the Messiah’s message
So onto my last topic
What if you can’t wear paint?
Paint is symbolism, and it’s not always physical paint. If you cannot wear paint you can still get your paint. But how you wear it can vary; such as necklaces; masks, etc.
Finding your paint is very personalized, some people have found it through dreams- some have found it on the side of trucks
1. DO NOT mess up someone else’s face paint on purpose, to do so is to imply they are either not worthy of wearing the Messiah’s gift or that you defy their very existence and their sense of self. Not to mention paint can take a very long time to get on! Even to IMPLY you wish to do this to someone is a high offence and can break friendships.
2. HOWEVER, CRYING IS OKAY, this is known as ‘streaking your paint’ and refers to crying and the tears causing streaks. Which is fine! It’s okay to cry, the Messiahs gave us emotions to experience them
3. DO NOT copy someone else’s face paint, that’s like copying someone else completely and it’s not only rude but creepily weird. Face paint can be similar, but don’t make it purposely the same as someone else’s.
4. DO NOT insult someone else’s paint, for obvious reasons that loop back to point number 1.