Cubism is a philosophical faith rooted in pantheism and Zen, emphasizing unity with the living universe and the transcendence of material existence. Followers of Cubism believe the universe is both conscious and divine, and that enlightenment comes through harmony with this universal force. Central to their symbolism is the puzzle cube, often worn as a pendant, representing the complexity of the cosmos and the individual’s task to “solve for entropy.”
Mainstream Practice
Most Cubists are peaceful and introspective, practicing meditation, artistic expression, and an ethic of reverence toward all forms of life. The faith encourages compassion, environmental stewardship, and quiet resistance to oppressive systems. Many adherents are artists, engineers, or scientists who view spiritual growth as part of intellectual and emotional development.
The faith gained significant traction in the mid-5th century IE, particularly among colonists on Aphrodite, where it was introduced as a tool for healing social divisions. Its founder, Frederick Ansel, a spacecraft engineer, described the movement as “a way of thinking” rather than a religion—an attempt to articulate a mystical experience he claimed to have had during a crash on a remote planet.
Radical Cubism
A violent offshoot of Cubism emerged in the early 430s IE, transforming Ansel’s teachings into a fanatical ideology. Radical Cubists believe that transcendence can only be achieved through acts of destruction, particularly mass death. They frequently target sites of religious or cultural significance and often utter the phrase, “Become one with the true god,” before detonating suicide devices.
Notable incidents attributed to radical Cubists include:
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The bombing of a mosque on The Caliphate during morning prayers, killing both worshippers and tourists.
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A deadly assault on a satirical magazine office in New York City, Earth.
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The attempted bombing of a theater near Harvard in 431 IE. During this plot, would-be suicide bombers loaded themselves with incendiary nanites. The attack was foiled when Compact Navy Ensign Connor Duffy used improvised tactics to disable the nanites before detonation, preventing a mass-casualty event.
Public Response and Division
Mainstream Cubists universally condemn the radicals, viewing them as a distortion of the movement’s core principles. The Compact Assembly has debated classifying Radical Cubism as a terrorist ideology distinct from the Cubist faith, though no formal resolution has passed to date.
On planets like Belsham, where Frederick Ansel resides and works as an engineer, Cubism remains widely respected. Communities there often distinguish between Ansel’s philosophy and the violent reinterpretations spread by extremists like Kurz and his followers on Aphrodite.
Notable Adherents
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Frederick Ansel – Founder and spiritual philosopher, often downplays the religious aspect of Cubism.
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Suicide – Compact Navy veteran and survivor of multiple conflicts, adheres quietly to Cubism and attributes her emotional healing to Ansel’s teachings.
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Gerard Kurz – A radicalized Cubist leader responsible for war crimes on Aphrodite.
Appearances: Chasing Eternity, “The Spiders of Boston,” Royal Orders