The Roll of the Dude (A Call to Dudeist Priests, Reverends, Rabbis and such)

[WabiSabi]

Hey you know I've been thinking ... kind of like the Dude's post-coital realization, while Maude was rolling the little Lebowski sperm north ...

I'm an Ordained Dudeist Priest like so many other visiting the rug we share here. I've decided to take it quite seriously and build myself a mission ... not like a "missionary" trying to change the world more like the missionary position I'm sure the Dude and Maude shared during their rumble.

My mission though includes thinking about the way a priest of the Church of the Latter-Day Dude rolls. What's he/she to do in that role???

I think that it's reasonable to assume that in part it's about spreading the Tao De Dude. The way of course includes such noble activities like abiding and chilling ... not to mention profound slacking.

Now this sounds irresponsible to the uninitiated I know (I've been spreading this gospel for years - so I have some familiarity with the it the way the guy at the alley can tell if it's your first time in bowling shoes man). It seems like it's taking it easy to avoid taking it seriously.

BUT dudeism is about taking it easy seriously. So modeling the dudeist way is a major commitment - especially when you are dealing with Walters, Maudes, Nihilists, Big Lebowskis and Pornographers day in and out. They can get under anyone's skin ... hey, just ask the dude. Why do you think he maintains an alter to the sacred beverage and a commitment to keeping the oat soda cold??? Not to mention the professional accoutrements to get the last puff without sacrificing his skin to the sacred fire.

Yet I propose that modeling the Tao De Dude is a missionary position that priests of The Church of the Latter-Day Dude can abide man.

Stay cool ... and lemme know what you think about the way a dudeist priest rolls ...

[DigitalBuddha]

One comment; I'm wondering, given that we are in the 21st century, or the "information age/internet age," if Dudeism can and will establish it's "missions" primarily online. An electronic fellowship of dudes internationally. Missions were in the past to facilitate the spreading of the Christian gospel in the West, and as another example, Buddhist temples were built in many cases to teach and spread Buddhism in the East. Could Internet "missions" be established on the net to do the same?

Dudeist "missions" using Facebook, Twitter, Skype, Podcasts, Webcasts, Blogs, Chat rooms, and new ways to use the Internet yet undiscovered. Dudeist fellowship on iPads, smart phones, in Cyber Cafes, Libraries, or a dude's pad, etc. 100% electronic; wave of the future dudes.

That is not  to say that physical locations such as having International Conventions here and there would not be a good thing, but Dudeism would spread faster with efficient use of the Internet. IMHO.

[forumdude]

indeed, man. i'm tinkering with software at the moment to make this real. the first foray into social networking, therug.org was a bit of a misstep as the software was not up to task. i've found a new system that should work better and will hopefully implement it within the next few months - it'll be designed to help people set up meetups and local congregations and the like. stay tuned!

[meekon5]

Yet I propose that modeling the Tao De Dude is a missionary position that priests of The Church of the Latter-Day Dude can abide man.

This just worries me that you are reducing the whole Dudeist experience to the one text, that's very limiting.

I personally don't find the Tao De Dude very useful, in fact I find it too lebowskiist for my taste.

It too easily falls into the "The book says this so nothing else is allowed" practice, then you get the telly evangelical Dudeists preaching the true word of the Dude, and all other telly evangelical Dudeists are wrong and the tools of the nihilists.

... and lemme know what you think about the way a dudeist priest rolls ...

I think this is the wrong way to go, too much reliance on (yet another) book and not enough reliance on the true spirit and practice of Dudeism by abiding.

Abide for abidings sake not just because a book told you that you should.

[WabiSabi]

Meekon5 ... me crusty dude ...

Mehaps I misspoke inadvertently ... I suggest the "Tao De Dude" NOT the "Dude De Ching" or even the "Tao De Ching" the later two being books ... the former referring to "The Way"

Tao can be loosely interpreted as "way" as in a "way of being" not a prescribed set of rules, but more like the finger that points to the moon that is not the moon, nor any longer the finger. But I get too esoteric to make my point to those who might indulge simultaneously in this reading and an oat soda to two ... or more than that.

I am suggesting that at the center of dudeism is the "Way of the Dude" ... beginning with abiding (at least from my humble opinion). When we can abide we can perceive what is present. To some extent when we are abiding, at least in that moment, we are outside of judgement ... we are in acceptance ... "this just is ..."

Then from the perception of the moment we become aware ... "ah, yes ... I know this experience." - at the least there is the internal responsiveness  to "what is", our personal sensorial experience, a universe unto itself and beyond the direct perception or awareness of other ... and that we can know because it is ours, and I'd argue ours alone.

NARRATOR'S SIDE-NOTE: However, in this moment when the stranger walks in, tipping the brim of his hat a bit higher to clear his gaze, what we are experiencing internally and privately (or so we think) is expressed in our countenance ... our being is exuded and made manifest in the presence of others  ... and he knows. He knows because he has the neurological competence to know ... his mirror neurons fire and he experiences a shadow of our experience for himself, and so he offers a condolence or reinforcement as the case may be so we are again reminded of ourselves ... a means of checking from an externally referenced source ... the condition our condition is in ... and that leads to the proverbial losing our train of thought and onto the next thing ... got any sarsaparilla?

Anyway, from perception ... to meaning (the one we create and apply in the moment) ... to decisions ... and ultimately to our actions as they become manifest in the world proper ... i.e.: our way of being ... our own unique Tao De Dude ... uncontainable in language, let alone any dang book!!!!

So we mosey on down the road doing our dude thang ...

BUT ... if we're truly abiding then it shows ... those mirror neurons (see NARRATOR'S SIDE-NOTE above) fire off in all those around us and we become the beacon of mellow ... spreading our dudeliness wherever we go ... like the lotus petals in the footprints of the buddha.

Sorry about the earlier confusions me mispeaking might'a caused.

[WabiSabi]

One more quick note ...

YEAH ... spreading dudeliness and convening via the waves on the NET works for me ... but not entirely ...

On the Internut I can'st express the same level of dudeliness that will be present in my person. I think the skin to skin transfer of the holy way is essential ... especially when accompanied by the ringing of the bottles as they clink in harmonious joy in celebrating common abiding ... and an appreciation that today "we ate the bar ... and the bar didn't eat us"

(In other words I want to excite the mirror neurons of others and have them excite mine as well ... and I'm all for the inter-global congregation of dudes via our virtual portal ...)

[DigitalBuddha]

indeed, man. i'm tinkering with software at the moment to make this real. the first foray into social networking, therug.org was a bit of a misstep as the software was not up to task. i've found a new system that should work better and will hopefully implement it within the next few months - it'll be designed to help people set up meetups and local congregations and the like. stay tuned!

Fuckin' eh, sounds way cool. Also, was thinking a Dudeism app for iPads, iPhones, Droids, etc., would be very 100% electronic and the wave of the future. A 21st century version of the Dude's beeper, and not sure, but could it come with 20 grand, man?

[hannahdude]

i would love to see 'local congregations' even if it were just a couple of us dudes sharing the same physical space.

[meekon5]

Meekon5 ... me crusty dude ...

Mehaps I misspoke inadvertently ... I suggest the "Tao De Dude" NOT the "Dude De Ching" or even the "Tao De Ching" the later two being books ... the former referring to "The Way"

Tao can be loosely interpreted as "way" as in a "way of being" not a prescribed set of rules, but more like the finger that points to the moon that is not the moon, nor any longer the finger. But I get too esoteric to make my point to those who might indulge simultaneously in this reading and an oat soda to two ... or more than that.
...

It's just a small point Wabi but please realise there are a number of us that are more than familiar with the ideas and principles of Taoism.

My personal development is through Zen Buddhism to Chien Buddhism, into Toaism.

Not being nasty just saying when it comes to Taoism and Zen you're preaching to the choir.

I am suggesting that at the center of dudeism is the "Way of the Dude" ... beginning with abiding (at least from my humble opinion). When we can abide we can perceive what is present. To some extent when we are abiding, at least in that moment, we are outside of judgement ... we are in acceptance ... "this just is ..."

I completely agree with you here. Dudeism is about being not trying.

[WabiSabi]

I'm not surprised to hear that many folks, yourself among them, come from an alley where Taoism is rolled regularly. That's what kind of surprised me about the comment that seemed to indicate you thought I was referring exclusively to the book and not to the "Way" ... mea culpa ...

[meekon5]

I'm not surprised to hear that many folks, yourself among them, come from an alley where Taoism is rolled regularly. That's what kind of surprised me about the comment that seemed to indicate you thought I was referring exclusively to the book and not to the "Way" ... mea culpa ...

As a dyslexic and an ICT professional I tend to a very pedantic interpretation of the English language, a bit like it's my second language.

So I only spotted your reference after you'd pointed it out, so my apologies as well.

[WabiSabi]

It's cool ...

The language thing always gets in the way of communication, that's why rolling a few and clinking the oat soda together before swilling them works so well.

Some day I drop by your rug and buy you a Bishop's Finger ... or your cocktail of choice.

Abide dude ... abide ...