Why I'm choosing Dudeism

[Ninjabob27]

 I discovered Dudeism sometime last year I think. I hadn't even seen TBL yet when I first read about this fascinating religion on the main website. Luckily, my college had a copy of the movie, which I viewed with my buddies last Spring. The movie's non-stop humor was a factor in my re-looking into the whole Dudeism scene.
   
    I haven't been to any kind of church in many years. I've always believed in a higher power, but I hated the holier-than-thou attitude of preachers and church-goers. I've been accused of being a blasphemous sonofabitch on many occasions by these people who are supposed to be taught to love everybody. I had many discussions with these people, not in just one church but many. I would ask questions, try to find out why they were so uptight, why they couldn't just take it easy and let others believe what they wanted. Talking with the devout, I learned that their views would never be swayed and that what their book says goes. It was a real eye-opener for me, one that assured me that me and churches would never get along. The reason: Science is real, haha. We now have fossil evidence and carbon dating that proves that the whole "world created in 6 days" thing is total bologna. That being said, I take very little from the bible to be historical fact. The creation of the universe was slow, really slow.
   
    I like to think that God was and is a Dude. The Big Bang happened, but science still doesn't know how it was set off. That's where God comes in, I believe. He set off the explosion then sat back and watched it happen. It didn't need to happen in just 6 days, God is eternal (something that still boggles my mind). The universe was formed in a slow and dudely manner. I believe that God in His dudely wisdom designed this whole durn universe to form, work and operate in a manner that requires no effort on his part. Like a row of dominoes or something, ya dig? I set off the dominoes and they go crashing down one after another with no further assistance from me. Of course, this is all just, you know, my opinion. But it's an opinion I've had for many years. Long before I knew anything about Dudeism, I was already a practitioner.
   
    I've always been a procrastinator, and a rather lazy person, with a few dashes of ambition here and there to balance things out. I've always participated in extra-curricular activities, while simultaneously putting-off important homework assignments until the night they're due. Sure, I hate leaving any task unfinished, it's getting myself to start that's the hard part. Also I wish to extend praise to anybody still reading, If you're still reading, you get 100 brownie points. I wish I could high-five you now.
   
    So what the hell am I blathering about?! Funny you should ask; I've decided that since the views of Dudeism are already so similar to many of my world views, philosophies, and spiritual beliefs, I am declaring it my official religion. Dudeism doesn't want to force-feed me it's scripture or talk down to me and tell me that without their teachings my life would be meaningless. It teaches to do what I wish other religions would do: take'er easy, Dude. And while others might scoff at the premise that it's based off a movie, I find that it's simply a reinvention (or re-telling or re-vamp or what-have-you) of many eastern teachings. Taking something old and dusting it off for a new generation to embrace. Like when CDs came out and you had to buy all the Beatles albums again. (On a side note, I'm listening to the radio right now, and as I wrote that line, "Imagine" by John Lennon starts playing! Listening to this song is one of the things that made me decide to not go to any church anymore. The line where he sings: "Imagine no religion, it's easy if you try. No hell below us, above us only sky." This was such a cool moment just now that I feel it must be shared.  )
   
    My one dilemma is this, however: Whether or not to become a Dudeist priest. I know it's free and takes no time at all, but I've always had a hard time with commitment, and I can be a cynical pessimist with a pretty nasty temper when I'm pushed. Also, if I was a Dudeist priest, does that mean I would be addressed as Reverend or whatever? My immediate instinct to avoid a commitment tells me not to do it, and also, seeing as how beautifully laid back this religion is, I wonder if it would matter to get ordained at all. Figure I can abide just as easily if I wasn't ordained. Oh and remember when I said I wished I could high-five you earlier? If you're still reading, I wish I could hug you now just for reading all this. Heck, one of the reasons I decided to write all of this was just because I've had so little human contact recently. I'm unemployed, 20 years old, currently out of college due to a crummy office staff who couldn't find me a place to live for the Fall semester. I've been sending my resume all over the place to try to get a job, but so far it's been 100% non-productive. So, I've had a lot of time to myself in my bedroom, time to abide and reflect and jam to my tunes on youtube. I've also taken up meditation to occasionally try silencing this ridiculously active mind of mine.
   
    So, that about does it, wraps it all up, y'might say. I plan on continuing to abide as I have been over the last couple years. I'm happy to call myself a Dudeist.

[cckeiser]

Welcome dude...I didn't read your whole post dude...too many words and I'm looking at the bottom of my White Russian. But welcome to the dudeist forum anyway.
We have low standards and ever lower expectations...you should fit right in here dude.
The dude abides dude...the dude abides.

[DigitalBuddha]

Welcome, dude. That is one hell of a first post! Grab a lane and roll a few!

[Andrea Da Fino]

Very interesting post dude. And given that I arrived at the end I can surely say mark it 8. As regards other religions what I dig about Dudeism is that you can pick one of those sacred text and even if they are full of b*****ts you can find something interesting anyway, we don't have theirs some kind of uptightness and preconception. Don't worry if sometimes I write strange words, I'm Italian and sometimes my English goes nuts.

As for being or not a Dudeist Priest, well, there are no commitments, apart taking 'er easy, either for being a Dudeist or for being a Dudeist Priest. Do what you feel cool about and call yourself as you see fit. While we have different opinions sometimes about what a Dudeist Priest is or should do, or about what Dudeism is and so on, at the end we're all here to enjoy this beach community and find a sense to the human comedy.

So you're kind of unemployed sir? It happens to many of us, hard times around and harder times will come. Oh well, do your best and f**k the rest.

Have a beer, take a seat and enjoy yourself.

Welcome Dudeist. 

[Ninjabob27]

Many thanks, Dudes. I'm loving Dudeism more and more. From my perch here on my bed, I've been reading from the Dudespaper, as well as every page of the main site, over the past couple months (usually in sweats and my hoodie). I'd been putting off joining the forum until just tonight. I appreciate the welcome, Dudes. It really tied my night together. 

[Hominid]

Ninja dude - I read the whole post. You're worthy of being a dudeist priest IMHO. Your call of course. It's not a commitment - it's a chance to become a parody of all those reactionary, bullshit, uptight dogma-loving assholes. We preach not to preach. We teach not to teach.

"Luke, join the dark side..."  Sorry, couldn't help myself there...

[Ninjabob27]

    @Hominid: Quoting Star Wars is more than fine by me, Dude. I'm an avid practitioner in the geek community, and I've always believed I'd be better suited to the Dark Side than the Jedi  . Not a member of the Sith, mind you, just a practitioner of the Dark Arts. I believe that both sides of the force have their good points, but I could never commit to the Jedi way of life. Yoda is certainly dudely, but I like women, and they don't seem to be allowed to marry. I like that the Dark Side lets you embrace your emotions and passion during battle, as opposed to the Jedi who seem to repress theirs. Granted, it makes them calmer, but it doesn't quite reflect my reality. Ya dig?
    Also, two words: FORCE LIGHTNING!

[Hominid]

FORCE LIGHTNING - um, what is that, yoga? But hey - a *huge* welcome to you dude. I dig the emotional thing, as long as we all just like, you know - take'er easy. Remember, the bar's over there, let's go get a lane and a couple oat sodas.

Oh hey, isn't that the Stranger over there...?

[Ninjabob27]

Yeah, I hear ya, Dude. Gotta keep remindin' myself to take'er easy when I start geeking out. A lane sounds great, go roll a few 
Keep abiding, Dude.

[BikerDude]

I'm reminded of what Sonny Barger said about his organization.
"We don't recruit people, we recognize them".

Welcome aboard.

[Andrea Da Fino]

Well said Biker Dude, good point.

Ninjabob, actually there isn't a dark side of the force, the force is the force which can be used for good or not. And for the female things, well, I just don't know but I doubt that male Jedi knights and female Jedi knights don't have zesty enterprises from time to time, otherwise it would be a dark use of the force not allowing good emotions to flow.

[Ninjabob27]

    Just got ordained, Dudes!

    I donned my robe and filled out the form just a couple minutes ago. I'll be printing the certificate shortly, in the meantime I'm just chilling to the TBL soundtrack.

The Dude abides 

[DigitalBuddha]

    Just got ordained, Dudes!

    I donned my robe and filled out the form just a couple minutes ago. I'll be printing the certificate shortly, in the meantime I'm just chilling to the TBL soundtrack.

The Dude abides 

Congrats dude! A dude like achievement for sure!

[Andrea Da Fino]

Far out Ninjabob, welcome again Rev., mark it 8! 

[milnie]

congrats dude and welcome to the community.
reading through your initial posting, i think i would just suggest you try not to think about it all too much and try to forget the dogma that surrounds other religions. while dudeism is concerned with the concepts embodied by "The Dude", there is no Godhead to kowtow to.
the world is what it is, so just say fuck it, spark up a j and enjoy it.
abide and cheers!