Hijacked Topic overflow: What state (not state of mind) do you hail from?

[Caesar dude]

Ed man take your name back...I can't be doing with this twobands business! I keep wanting to welcome the new dude!:)

lets not forget my middle name is Christian!

That made me spill my tea....poor you!

Peace dudes (whatever you call yourselves) ..... btw shouldn't this be on the Dudeist names thread? Just saying!!!  

[cckeiser]

Ok dudes, I have asked Forumdude to set up the Abideism board and have Ed as Moderator since it was mostly his idea.
Any other thoughts dudes?

[SpaceDog]

So, what is wrong with using your real name dudes?
I never did like the anonymous nicknames...too easy to misbehave.
I just figured I would just be me. But I have used my cck initials as a shorthand on the MOTU board...i've since gone back to using  cckeiser.

Only from the trolls methinks ...
& I wish I'd been called SpaceDog. If only Frank Zappa had been my dad ...
Space is well groovy. I'd like to hang out in a nebula someday drinking some moondust tea.

On the old religion vs philosophy thang, I thinks that a major difference is the reliance of religions more on symbols than philosophy.
Dudeism certainly has both visual & idiomatic ones in aces.

[Rev. Ed C]

*blink*  Me?  I thought you were talking to Busmum!

Responsibility... ungainful employment as a professional troll *wheeze*

Well, err... ok, I'll try not to abuse my power *figner hovers of the ban button indescrimately*  Heh, heh..... heh

Yours abidingly,

Ed (once again)

[Busmum]

*blink*  Me?  I thought you were talking to Busmum!

Responsibility... ungainful employment as a professional troll *wheeze*

Well, err... ok, I'll try not to abuse my power *figner hovers of the ban button indescrimately*  Heh, heh..... heh

Yours abidingly,

Ed (once again)

lol... and i thought he meant both of us *blushing in idiot embarrassment* 

i'm glad you took your name back... but i could've gotten into "GingerEdRev" too... 

[Rev. Ed C]

Ed man take your name back...I can't be doing with this twobands business! I keep wanting to welcome the new dude!:)

Different name, same stupid face

lol... and i thought he meant both of us *blushing in idiot embarrassment* 

i'm glad you took your name back... but i could've gotten into "GingerEdRev" too... 

Well, a pair of idiots is more comically stable than just one idiot (Abbott and Costello, Laurel and Hardy, Bush and Blair...)

And, yeah, well, I could have gone with TheBeard, but... I try not to build my entire persona on it

I wish I'd been called SpaceDog. If only Frank Zappa had been my dad ...
Space is well groovy. I'd like to hang out in a nebula someday drinking some moondust tea.

On the old religion vs philosophy thang, I thinks that a major difference is the reliance of religions more on symbols than philosophy.
Dudeism certainly has both visual & idiomatic ones in aces.

Zappa, yeah, he'd have been a great dad.  I could have been born Floogle Starman Zappa, or something stupid, and learned to live with it

On the serious note (yeah, I found one!)...
Your right, there's definitely a symbolism and metaphor that doesn't figure as much in philosophy which is more direct, or simile.  I think symbolism is fine as long as people know what it's all about, but invariably most don't... which is actually the subject of my next article which I finally got around to submitting - Mything the Point.  I explained it to Olly last week and he already started using the phrase, heh.

Anywho, I think that's why symbolism that we adopt, if any, like the yin-yang bowling ball, should either be clear-cut or meaningless and held as such.  We don't want too much to go into things like the abundance of effigies that are made of The Dude.  I mean, it's cool to illustrate a point, but in the end, it is misleading symbolism, unless we're really going down the route of The Dude being out messiah... which we aren't...

I think I'm going to take for forum break for 18 hours or so, this 12-hour shift I've just finished has mushed my brain, especially as I spent all day on here

[Busmum]

All "work" and no "play" makes jack a dull dude.
~thinkingdude

[Andrea Da Fino]

I've read all this thread posts and the related one and probably I've too many strands in this dude heads, nevertheless I'd like to add a couple of thoughts.

Religion or philosophy issue. Well, for me they are the same, I don't have any problem with these words and use them without problems. Is Dudeism a religion? Yes Is Dudeism a Philosophy? Yes Is Dudeism Spiritual? Yes And a lot more Probably it's my fault but I don't see any problem in Dudeism being a Religion, what's the point about it? What's the problem?

Organization. When things get big they need to be organized, or everything gets fucked up and anarchy spreads everywhere. Organization can be as simple as possible because we know what happens when things get complicated. So Dudeism will surely need to be organized, loosely but clearly and this is the job of the dudely llama, he knows what to do and given that he's not a fu****ng amateur and always open to discussion and advices he will surely do the right thing. The same goes for the ArchDudeship.

Titles. Well, what's the problem with them? Dudeism is a religion and cult ministers have titles be it Rev. or Priest or Monk or whatever. Again, what's the problem? This is a f*****ng religion and that's the way religions are organized with priests, revs and so on. If this is not your thought why joining a religion? If I remember well on the first page of the website it's clearly said the world slowest growing religion. Or something like that. Now, given that I've a title I'm not the right person to talk about it. As Rev.Ed wisely said I almost never use my title but I will later on when I'll begin the road to get Dudeism recognized in Italy. Is it my title important for me? Yes it is because it has been given to me by someone much wiser than I am and it's a kind of recognition from him. Will I give it back if asked by the dudely llama? Of course, at the end he already know who I am and I am the one who makes the title, it's not the title who makes me, if I've expressed the concept correctly. Anyway I think imho that questioning titles like dudely llama and archdudeship is, well, not only very undude but in a way offensive to them. If someone doesn't dig their styles there is always the possibility to get an internet domain and start your own thing, good luck. Said differently, how many dudes are there around like Christian who organized Dudestock? Up to now he would be the only one who could have a permanent title whatever he does, because he rolls strikes, and he minds. And given that he's done everything for free what's wrong in giving him a title to show that his style is dug? Sorry ArchDudeship of York if I used you as an example but you're really a good man and thorough. Then Rev.Ed keep your title, it's well deserved.

Democracy. As everyone knows we are all either dudeists or dudeist priests and we are really equal to each other. Nevertheless there is a difference between being a dudeist and being a dudeist priest. We are not a movie cult, we are not an internet fan club, we are a serious religion aiming to help people to leave a better, less stressed life. Or at least that's how I see Dudeism. To do this and play on a fair ground with other religions and eventually have official recognition somewhere we need a democratic hierarchy based on dudely llama opinion. He is a human being as I am but as regards Dudeism he's much beyond me and I'm cool with it, that's why he is the dudely llama and I'm not. Democracy but organized. To explain the concept differently: everyone in the world saw vapor coming out the tea pot but only Watt was able to see it in a different way and created vapor powered machines. Was he a human being as everyone else? Yes, but he was also different from everyone else. That's why he's still on books.

I'm at the end of my first half liter of beer so probably I'll begin blathering, forgive me dudes.

Christian/Anti-religion thing. Well, it seems to me that this is a kind of very uptight behavior which makes us to seem much more rigid than some catholics or hebrew or muslim sects, and that's profoundly undude. When we begin to have categories or boundaries we begin to do what others did. Are we going to begin flaming people because they don't see things as we do? Are we going to have a dudely Inquisition? Because that's were we're going to. In Italy there are, according to what they write on my website, catholic dudes and christian dudes and I find it fu****ng cool and a demonstration that Dudeism is the religion for everyone and every time and every place. And this is what really makes us different from every other religion or whatever, we accept everyone provided they are dude. Isn't it cool?


Hoping that I've not offended anyone or begun another fire dudes, this is just my opinion and sometime I'm a f****ng moron.

Anyway, as regards titles, I find extremely cool that I can go to a Catholic Cardinal and say: "Hey man, we are compeers." And he can't say that I'm wrong, even according to his own idea of compeers. Far out!     

[Rev. Ed C]

Man, it's good to have you back, O Great Spirit Monk

You make a lot of good points, and the gods all know I've said so damned much these past two weeks, so I'm not gonna chime in too much.

I think you brought up something I did, which I will touch upon, though...

If someone doesn't dig their styles there is always the possibility to get an internet domain and start your own thing, good luck.

(Now, I hope no one takes that snippet out of context, there was a lot more around it that wasn't relevant to what I had to say, make sure you read AF's whole post up there )

There is a question of how much we bend the philosophy to the people who are in the community, and how much do we insist on keeping our philosophy firm inspite of the wishes of the community?  Kind of linked to the thread I started here: http://dudeism.com/smf/index.php?topic=2613.0

Although we're not of firm beliefs carved into mountains, we do have some solid principles at heart, at the very core of Dudeism.  It's all very well for any of us to turn up and say "ah, but...", but if we make a move against the heart of Dudeism, is it still Dudeism?  If people don't agree with some of those principals, do we bend to them or do we say "Hey, we love you being here, but maybe you'd fit in better elsewhere if you don't agree with us on this.  I'm not sure you're going to be happy in the longrun".

There is a whole, whole, whole lot to Dudeism that's not generally covered in day-to-day chat on the forum, hence why I didn't really get stuck in here for almost a year, instead concentrating on writing for the Dudespaper.  But, since the Dudeism tour at the beginning of the month, it really invigorated me!  What I'd seen, heard and discussed was really throwing rock in my mind, and I wanted to keep discussing them , so I headed here.

Thing was, most people didn't really want to discuss what I did (what is now going on over at the Abideism boards), so there was a bit of an upheaval, and we've lost a couple of people who decided that they didn't agree and went (sadly not so quietly, but, hey-ho, such is the way of online forums, so people say).  Seems the forum tends to be less about the whole of Dudeism and more about breeze-shooting.  Which is fine, because we have so many different boards set up to do all-sorts.  But I think, if you just want to shoot the breeze, fine, carry on, and let people discuss on the other boards.

At the end of the day, no one is going to ask anyone to leave (unless you've really crossed the line and pissed on everybody's rug).  But, if people want to leave because they're not happy with what Dudeism is in its entirety... door is open, sad to see you go, but if you're not happy here, don't beat yourself, or anyone else up over it.

Dang, another long one.  Good job I only went on that one point, eh?

[DigitalBuddha]

several things have been chasing themselves around my head this last week, in regards to where this is all going. i knew that dudeism was a philosophy and a lifestyle, but i hadn't really grasped the "religion" aspect... or maybe i had just ignored it, i don't know. what i have realized though, with all the fuss that ensued this week, is that coining this movement as a "religion", for me, presents some problems.

GOOS, I was thinking over your comment in the quote above and in particular where you say "i knew that dudeism was a philosophy and a lifestyle, but i hadn't really grasped the "religion" aspect..." and it sparked me to offer a few comments and a few things that are just like my opinion, man..........

If Dudeism was a religion I would bail on it faster than lightening; dead religion, or religion that is stiff, rigid and stinking with rules and regulations is not my bag either. All that type of religion does is create slaves to other people's control. We certainly have enough of that in the world to last for millennial!

Dudeism, on the other hand, strikes me as a possible foundation in a person's life to help them develop their own path with perhaps the aid of some concepts, perhaps some guidance, maybe some dude like experiences of others (the dudely group mind) and what is becoming a wealth of material available for a person to use while walking their own path.

Dudeism, IMHO, could be seen as providing quality and worthy building materials for a person to avail themselves of used to construct a unique reality, life style and path, etc. different from others who embrace dudeism. By doing so they add to the ever growing body of people who are molding and creating a dynamic fluid philosophy of life. If you think about it, how could it be any other way? We are all unique and no matter how hard we try, we will end up being unique dudeists.

I think that dudeism's job (one job at least) is to help each person be what they can be, help each person find their own path as a dude and by doing so enrich the ever growing reality of dudeism. In other words, dudeism is a work in progress being built by everyone who joins in and adds their uniqueness.

Each time a new person jumps in the dudeism hot tub the celebration is enhanced and changed. As dudeists, we definitely need to embrace change or dudeism will soon be just another dead religion unable to relate to the needs of people and the world around it.

If you will notice, when the major religions of the world began (most of them) they were alive, growing, dealing with birth pains and the reality of the world around them. But, as soon as they became stiff, rigid, authoritarian AND GOD FORBID "complete," that is to say no new concepts permitted, they began to solidify into a set code of beliefs, creeds and rules and in some cases religious battles between sects; they died and retreated behind walls barricading themselves and their captives behind those walls for safety.

Dudeism, on the other hand, should help people grow, not force them into a set of ideas that just don't fit their own personal path.

If every dude is the same, then we are boring, dead and just another mindless religion. But, if dudeism embraces all of its people and all that they are, then we will be wiser, stronger (strong in the sense of really having something to offer the world, not strength as seen in money rich religious organizations), infinitely more creative and much much deeper! Not to mention, enjoyable!

I think that dudeism should merely provide a solid but ever growing basic foundation for each person to build on. If that is done, dudeism will remain relative, energetic and alive to people who embrace it, and capable of offering help in living the life!

All, of course, IMHO.

[Rev. Ed C]

DB, I take my hat off to you.  In fact, I've got about half a dozen, so I'll put a few more on and take them off also!

There was not a single part of what you just said that I don't agree with

[cckeiser]

several things have been chasing themselves around my head this last week, in regards to where this is all going. i knew that dudeism was a philosophy and a lifestyle, but i hadn't really grasped the "religion" aspect... or maybe i had just ignored it, i don't know. what i have realized though, with all the fuss that ensued this week, is that coining this movement as a "religion", for me, presents some problems.

GOOS, I was thinking over your comment in the quote above and in particular where you say "i knew that dudeism was a philosophy and a lifestyle, but i hadn't really grasped the "religion" aspect..." and it sparked me to offer a few comments and a few things that are just like my opinion, man..........

If Dudeism was a religion I would bail on it faster than lightening; dead religion, or religion that is stiff, rigid and stinking with rules and regulations is not my bag either. All that type of religion does is create slaves to other people's control. We certainly have enough of that in the world to last for millennial!

Dudeism, on the other hand, strikes me as a possible foundation in a person's life to help them develop their own path with perhaps the aid of some concepts, perhaps some guidance, maybe some dude like experiences of others (the dudely group mind) and what is becoming a wealth of material available for a person to use while walking their own path.

Dudeism, IMHO, could be seen as providing quality and worthy building materials for a person to avail themselves of used to construct a unique reality, life style and path, etc. different from others who embrace dudeism. By doing so they add to the ever growing body of people who are molding and creating a dynamic fluid philosophy of life. If you think about it, how could it be any other way? We are all unique and no matter how hard we try, we will end up being unique dudeists.

I think that dudeism's job (one job at least) is to help each person be what they can be, help each person find their own path as a dude and by doing so enrich the ever growing reality of dudeism. In other words, dudeism is a work in progress being built by everyone who joins in and adds their uniqueness.

Each time a new person jumps in the dudeism hot tub the celebration is enhanced and changed. As dudeists we definitely need to embrace change or dudeism will soon be just another dead religion unable to relate to the needs of people and the world around it.

If you will notice, when the major religions of the world began (most of them) they were alive, growing, dealing with birth pains and the reality of the world around them. But, as soon as they became stiff, rigid, authoritarian AND GOD FORBID "complete," that is to say no new concepts permitted, they began to solidify into a set code of beliefs, creeds and rules and in some cases religious battles between sects; they died and retreated behind walls barricading themselves and their captives behind those walls for safety.

Dudeism, on the other hand, should help people grow, not force them into a set of ideas that just don't fit their own personal path.

If every dude is the same, then we are boring, dead and just another mindless religion. But, if dudeism embraces all of its people and all that they are, then we will be wiser, stronger (strong in the sense of really having something to offer the world, not strength as seen in money rich religious organizations), infinitely more creative much much deeper! Not to mention, enjoyable!

I think that dudeism should merely provide a solid but ever growing basic foundation for each person to build on. If that is done, dudeism will remain relative, energetic and alive to people who embrace it, and capable of offering help in living the life!

All, of course, IMHO.

Testify Brother...TESTIFY!
This should be Nailed to the Door of Dudeism.

Thankee DidgitalBuddha...Thankee.

[DigitalBuddha]

@Rev. Ed C   and   @cckeiser ........

Thanks dudes! I guess that was my two dudely cents tossed in  for the day.  

[DigitalBuddha]

** Almost forgot to add...

On the topic of "identity," in particular of the identity of Dudeism. Some people may feel insecure with the idea of Dudeism being ever changing, or fluid, embracing many many ideas, or constructing Dudeism from so many angles. But I think that comes partially from the idea that Dudeism has to be an institution or a recognizable "brand" or no one will know what they are getting into, or as a dudeist they will not feel part of something solid and substantial. Something "real." Something they can point to and say "that's what I'm all about" and I now feel secure being part of the group. Nothing could be farther from the truth!

Dudeism is not something a person joins, or converts to. It is, however, something that a dude adds to their reality. That is to say are you a Baptist? Far out, be a Baptist dude. Are you a Socialist? Far out, be a Socialist dude. Are you an Atheist? Far out, be an Atheist dude. Are you a House Maker, far out, be a House Maker dude. Are you a Catholic, Buddist, Hippy, Business man, Cop?.....well, you get the point.

Dudeism shouldn't be looking for "converts," but it should be looking for people who want to join in and add Dudeism to their experiences, and hopefully add their experiences to Dudeism.

Who knows, maybe someday a dude will be elected to Congress, or other law making bodies worldwide, maybe we will see Baptist dude minsters or Buddhist priests dudes. Or maybe someday  a representative of worldwide Dudeism will address the UN. As a "dudeist?" Maybe, and that would be far out, but also as a person who had added Dudeism to their life's experiences and is now sharing that experience with the world around them. Anything is possible!

I'm not putting down the need for some structure, you see some of that structure here on the board, but as in any structure, it needs to be re-built now and then, modified and added to in order to grow.

[Rev. Ed C]

Testify Brother...TESTIFY!
This should be Nailed to the Door of Dudeism.

Thankee DidgitalBuddha...Thankee.

Now he's testified twice!

What makes a prophet?  Is is passion and conviction?

Yup, that and a pair of testaments!