"Heretic, Rebel, a Thing to Flout" - EMPORER NORTON I--A Famous Unitarian?

\
Norton I, Emperor of these United States and Protector of Mexico

 I am a regular participant in the UUHistory Chat list serve.  Today we received the following post, I thought might be of interest here.

In doing research for my sermon this Sunday I have discovered that 
Joshua Abraham Norton, otherwise known as Norton I, the Emperor of 
the United States, frequently attended the First Unitarian Society in
San Francisco.  Apparently he was very fond of D. Horatio Stebbins
Two of the Emperor's decrees deal with religious subjects and both  
call for religious unity and/or the establishment of a Universal 
Religion. Just out of curiosity, has anyone ever written about 
Norton's Unitarian connection? I realize that he is not much of 
subject for serious scholarship but he is one of the better loved 
eccentrics in U.S. history and a patron saint of the Discordians.
--Colin Bossen

The Emperor Norton is one of those eccentric figures who cannot help but bring a smile to the lips.  An absurd figure, he became beloved by his adopted San Franciso which honored his eccentricities , and even honored his self-produced scrip.  After his death in 1880 one observer noted that his story would only be possible in San Fransisco, "the most sentemental city in the world."  In the '60's he was resurected as a popular counter cultural hero.  He was incorporated as in saint in the faux religion, the Discordian Society, propounded by  Robert Anton Wilson and  Robert Shay in their cult classic Illuminatus Trilogy.  I believe Wilson--an old aquaintance from my days as a Chicago Wobbly and anarchist--who died last year, had some UU connections. Sounds like a Unitarian Jihad kind of guy

 --Brother Broadsword of Enlightenment

 Cross Posted to Unitarian Jihad