My Community
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: pirate on April 07, 2010, 09:57:52 AM
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why are you a dudeist? it seems to me there are a few different kind of dudes here, those who are obviously huge fans of the big lebowski and quote the movie at every opportunity and others who relate to the big lebowski's dude as they too are slackers, and there are also those who truly believe it to be a truly great religion, so what is your take and your thoughts on this? :)
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Well, that's an innerestin' question. I have a seen a lot of pure Lebowskists about, and a lot of people of other religions who just dig the style of the group.
I myself am not a Lebowskist (although I do enjoy Coenisms), but being a Coens fan, and Dudeist, I can't help but have profound respect for the movie and what it's done to help so many people, including our own Dudely Lama, realise what the character of The Dude represents. I do enjoy using Lebowskisms by way of common ground to help get my points across on here and in my Dudespaper articles, so it really is a great tool of unification :)
Likewise, I'm not a member of any other religion. I'm a bit of a dabbler who was brought up christian, faded from it as a I grew older, looked for my own solution for a while, ignored it all for a spell, stuck my nose into Buddhism and then just used a hodgepodge of spiritual ideals that suited my own style and beliefs.
That, of course, brought me here. A set of compiled philosophies and truly beneficial practices that not only fitted in with what I thought but was so open I can really feel a part of something and contribute back in as much as I get out. I'm actually proud to say I have a faith, now I've found Dudeism, rather that put myself down as an Agnostic, I know exactly which agnostic branch I am. The branch that says "maybe yes, but maybe no, but... aww, who cares right now?"
But hey, that's just me :)
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Well, Dudeism is made by many different persons. I can only talk about me, but the beauty of Dudeism is just that, like a diamond with thousands of facets. What I like of Dudeism is that's very relaxed, and not exhausting. And its rules are pretty simple to follow: Relax and enjoy life. That's it.
And as a wiser fella then myself once said you can be dudeist and everything else: a dudeist christian, a dudeist muslim, a dudeist.... :)
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i myself have never been into religion whatsoever but just kind of lived my life according to the way i felt was right, then i found dudeism and i realised that this was the way that i had been living for years, i do like the big lebowski but for me dudeism is not about the movie and instead is a way of life and i seriously believe a fantastic religion.
Yes i also understand that you can be a dude no matter if you belong to another religion or not but for me dudeism is my religion,
Peace brothers, chill and be happy
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I view it as Interactive Religertainment, wave of the future dude. Ok, I'll allow there are some televangelists that made their mark when it was their time'n place.
But if I wasnt a dudeist, I'd be an Ed C. Agnostic.
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I chose Dudeism after I read about it in You're a Lebowski, I'm a Lebowski. Previous to that I had looked up to the Dude for his Dudeness. Here is a man who lives the way he wishes, doesn't need a career, and doesn't need the material things of the world. He has a few things in life that he enjoys: Bowling, Caucasians, Oat Sodas, Marijuana, and Music. His wardrobe consists of nothing less than comfortable. Also, one thing I have done my entire life is try to avoid negative vibes. You know, just take it easy, man.
Once I became ordained, I found this forum, along with all of you. A bunch of like minded individuals, willing to look at things closer without flipping shit if you don't agree. We abide.
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I was looking for an online ordination in order to carry out a baby naming ceremony...and when I typed that in, Dudeism came up...and everything fell into place for me...I have loved the film for several years and have always understood where the dude was coming from!
I live my life in such a way that I try and do no harm to anybody around me as I know that in my past I have done a lot of damage and although I cannot condone for what I have done at least I can now try and move through peoples lives now without creating chaos.
As previously stated I'm a pagan with Druidic tendencies and a lot of Zen influence in there too....but all that didn't start until my late thirties so there's a lot of karma to make up while I'm existing on this planet.
Dudeism to me is simply a way of allowing me to pass on a bit of chill to the neighbourhood.
In peace dudes.
Reverend John
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i hear you loud and clear reverend john, i know where you are coming from dude
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I know exactly where The Dude was coming from. I been diggin' The Dude for about, a year or so. Dude rocks.
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why are you a dudeist? it seems to me there are a few different kind of dudes here, those who are obviously huge fans of the big lebowski and quote the movie at every opportunity and others who relate to the big lebowski's dude as they too are slackers, and there are also those who truly believe it to be a truly great religion, so what is your take and your thoughts on this? :)
I just happened on the site. I have spent many years integrating Buddhism, Taoism, and Paganism, into my life and by effect infecting others around me with the same.
It hit a note with me as i think of myself as a bit of a slacker (given the chance) and a poet, philosopher, artist.
The heavy influence of Taoism helped as well.
I don't feel that I became a Dudeist, it just gave me a convenient name to give everyone who needed a label to "understand" for their way of looking at the world. (not that I need a label because I have just been me for years now).
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Long before I found the Dudeism website/religion...I would tell ppl, when asked, my only 'hero' was this character called The Dude....
You can imagine my ....room tying together...when I found out I was indeed Dudeist.
I am a spiritual student. I'm currently an apprentice in contemporary shamanism, I read a lot on quantum theory and get my science/spiritual fix from that, I enjoy the Taoist way and just am generally a real mix but don't put all my balls in one bag you know?
I speak fluent Dudeise, and regularly confuse the square community.
I am known on my island for my Dudeish ways and for my 3 Dudeism bumperstickers.
I regularly ask myself :What would Dude do? Cuz it's almost always the right answer.
HOWEVER I am a single mom of two, gotta feed the monkey and pay Monty , so I can only be *so* lazy. (but i'm pretty good at fitting it in.)
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why are you a dudeist? it seems to me there are a few different kind of dudes here, those who are obviously huge fans of the big lebowski and quote the movie at every opportunity and others who relate to the big lebowski's dude as they too are slackers, and there are also those who truly believe it to be a truly great religion, so what is your take and your thoughts on this? :)
I was another agnostic. Always found religion interesting but I never had much interest in adopting one myself. I cobbled together a personal philosophy built upon pieces of other religions, different philosophies, literature, music, etc. Then while looking up new "alternative religions" to satiate my intellectual appetite I came across Dudeism and I was like, "Hey, I think I'm a Dudeist." So I followed the Dudespaper for a while, kind of liked the sense of community here so late last year I decided to get ordained.
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Yeah I'm a failed catholic, quite glad I bummed out too, was all a bit er hectic, too many ins too many outs.
Always been some kinda peace lovin' liberal facist, that just means I got some extreme solutions to the worlds ills, nothing to do with race or anything like that,(so ease up you keen key tappers) as far as I'm concerned everyone is as equally nutty as squirrel shit!
Read up alot on Native Americans and their world view and thoroughly enjoyed thought provoking conversations with some into the night on news groups.
Now I got my own philosophy on life made up of allsorts of innerestin bits and bobs, sometimes it overspills onto this plane via poems and stuff.
Just a matter of interest, I didn't say I was 'interested' in Native Americans because as one fella succinctly put it,"We ain't fucking dead yet!"
Well if that all made sense..................then shit I need a spiritual waxing.
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Yeah I'm a failed catholic, quite glad I bummed out too...
Now was it a conversation with you or your Dad where it was basically described as a Damion moment where you were screaming and shouting and refusing to enter a church with your Dad trying to pull you in?
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Oh yeah! I was 3 years old at the time of my sister's confirmation, dad had hold of my hand and as we were about to enter the church he felt a pull on his arm, he turned to see me with my foot up against the stone door frame and a face that would have boiled shit!
I guess I shouldn't expect the key to the executive toilet up there, I'll probably be cleaning the fuckers.
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The heavy influence of Taoism helped as well.
I don't feel that I became a Dudeist, it just gave me a convenient name to give everyone who needed a label to "understand" for their way of looking at the world. (not that I need a label because I have just been me for years now).
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That's pretty good there.
After trying a few different things, as well as agnosticism, I've kind of setted somewhat into Taoism. My Mom (a lapsed Christian) handed me a copy of the Tao several years ago, and something clicked. Interesting.
Dudeism (to me...) is a good cross of Taoism and ... just being me. It doesn't have to be that hard. Life will throw you enough curveballs on its own.
...And maybe a bit of Zen.
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I've always been a bit of what I call a rational hedonist. Many use hedonism as an excuse to just do whatever the feel like, but there are certain things that if you choose to do them, will bring about "a world of pain". So I try to just enjoy my life doing the things I like, but also realizing the reality of the world that I live in. And so I strive for balance. There are times I am a slacker and other times that I am not.
I had looked into various religions at different points in my life and none of them really felt like me. I had just chosen to use the label agnostic, because people feel more comfortable when they can label things, especially things they don't quite understand. What I like about Dudeism, is that it really cuts through the unnecessary bullshit and gets to the heart of the matter in it's simplicity. Because there is no need for it to be any other way. And as I read I kept thinking over and over again, "this is totally me".
While I am a big fan of TBL (it is one of my all time favorite movies) I wouldn't say I am a Lebowskiist in that it isn't the main reason I'm here or chose to be ordained. I am here because philosophically this is how I try to live my life.
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The heavy influence of Taoism helped as well.
I don't feel that I became a Dudeist, it just gave me a convenient name to give everyone who needed a label to "understand" for their way of looking at the world. (not that I need a label because I have just been me for years now).
That's pretty good there.
After trying a few different things, as well as agnosticism, I've kind of setted somewhat into Taoism. My Mom (a lapsed Christian) handed me a copy of the Tao several years ago, and something clicked. Interesting.
Dudeism (to me...) is a good cross of Taoism and ... just being me. It doesn't have to be that hard. Life will throw you enough curveballs on its own.
...And maybe a bit of Zen.
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Most excellent vibes by all posted here but I like this one the best because I have been enmeshed in my own personal journey. Most recently withdrawing from the Baptist church because if I told them what I was really thinking they would heave my body from the baptistry as a heathen and lock the doors, sorry to say.
Actually, I have been reading and studying a lot of material lately so I find this conversation somewhat timely in the spiritual harmony of everything. I was raised Catholic and have study Lutheran as well as some Methodist. I was reading on the Unitarian/Universalist church/group/people.
I joined the Dudeist church and chose to be ordained because I have some pretty crazy ass ideas that I continue to research, most of which would get me locked up in an asylum if I said any of it out loud. The creed of the Dude allows me to be my normal self, which includes all the crazy shit I can come up with, and not be judged as any more of a loon that the rest of y'all.
Since there is no real definition of "normal" because we are all equally cracked, I feel right at home. I do believe some crazy stuff and it fits well with the cornerstone of the Dudeist system of just abiding.
I think, therefore, I am, a Dude.
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It's kinda like the way I been heading since reading the Messiah's Handbook
I used to have issues with the amount of fuckups I made over the last 33 years.
Now I don't worry
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Why I prefer Dudeism to Buddhism!
( or, What the duces are you blathering about?!)
Dudeism doesn't give a fuck about dogma!
Yeah, it makes a big deal out of The Dude and the movie The Big Lebowski, but it's all a good natured farce. The tie in to TBL is just to get your attention.
Dudeism doesn't try to sell you "Enlightenment", or even some kind of path to attain it.
Dudeism doesn't really care what else you may believe in. A Dudeist does not have to drink White Russians, or even smoke...anything at all.
If you can quote a line from the movie...you're pretty much anointed "One of Us"!
Dudeism doesn't attempt to solve any of the great mysteries of "Life, The Universe and Everything"...all that's just way to complicated. Life is too short to worry about all that shit.
Like dude, the purpose of life is to live it. You want Ataraxia? Just take 'er easy, abide and do no harm.
Now there's an Ethos I can dig!
But that's like just my opinion man.
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Because 1. TBL is one of the most awesome movies ever.... 2. I can perform marriages... 3. I like the notion of "just taking it easy".... Honestly, the world is very stressful.... We'd have a lot less heart disease and what-have-you if people in the US would just take it easy.... We're all in a rush to do everything, and it's killing us. What better way to practice a more healthy lifestyle than religifying it? :-p
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I have so much to say about this topic, but fuck, man, I am just too baked to take the effort right now. For me, tt has to do with being a very religious person ending up studying theology and philosophy, seeing some new shit come to light and coming to some personal conclusions. Studying ancient Greek philosophy (especially Epicureanism and Cynicism) and the books of Jennifer Michael Hecht and Albert Camus (as my name shows), along with Creedence and a shit ton of other music (e.g. Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The White Stripes, The Black Keys, Lady GaGa, Tool, Marilyn Manson, Amanda Palmer, The Dresden Dolls, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Coleman Hawkins...shit many, I could on forever about bands that I love!), at last developing a smoking habit, all helped. The movie itself is a work of genius, and about Dudeism I love the parody aspects of "real" religions (I myself have an Invisible Pink Unicorn tattoo symbolizing my devotion the Invisible Pink Unicorn, peace be upon her, may her hooves never be shod, as well as a Star Wars Rebel Alliance symbol, and a tattoo of the chaos symbol (symbolizes to me my favorite Nietzsche quote: "One must have still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star."), but fuck I'm rambling again. The parody appeals to my abiding love of irony, but also the Dude is just so real, and you know, you just watch out for your beverages, man, and your fucking lady friends and be Dude, smoke a j, down a Caucasian....that's what it's all about to me. Just taking life easy, as it comes, no fear, just not being un-Dude, you know?
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I have so much to say about this topic, but fuck, man, I am just too baked to take the effort right now. For me, tt has to do with being a very religious person ending up studying theology and philosophy, seeing some new shit come to light and coming to some personal conclusions. Studying ancient Greek philosophy (especially Epicureanism and Cynicism) and the books of Jennifer Michael Hecht and Albert Camus (as my name shows), along with Creedence and a shit ton of other music (e.g. Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The White Stripes, The Black Keys, Lady GaGa, Tool, Marilyn Manson, Amanda Palmer, The Dresden Dolls, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Coleman Hawkins...shit many, I could on forever about bands that I love!), at last developing a smoking habit, all helped. The movie itself is a work of genius, and about Dudeism I love the parody aspects of "real" religions (I myself have an Invisible Pink Unicorn tattoo symbolizing my devotion the Invisible Pink Unicorn, peace be upon her, may her hooves never be shod, as well as a Star Wars Rebel Alliance symbol, and a tattoo of the chaos symbol (symbolizes to me my favorite Nietzsche quote: "One must have still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star."), but fuck I'm rambling again. The parody appeals to my abiding love of irony, but also the Dude is just so real, and you know, you just watch out for your beverages, man, and your fucking lady friends or your special lady (if you should be so lucky [I recently have become so lucky]) and be Dude, smoke a j, down a Caucasian....that's what it's all about to me. Just taking life easy, as it comes, no fear, just not being un-Dude, you know?
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I have so much to say about this topic, but fuck, man, I am just too baked to take the effort right now. For me, tt has to do with being a very religious person ending up studying theology and philosophy, seeing some new shit come to light and coming to some personal conclusions. Studying ancient Greek philosophy (especially Epicureanism and Cynicism) and the books of Jennifer Michael Hecht and Albert Camus (as my name shows), along with Creedence and a shit ton of other music (e.g. Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The White Stripes, The Black Keys, Lady GaGa, Tool, Marilyn Manson, Amanda Palmer, The Dresden Dolls, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Coleman Hawkins...shit many, I could on forever about bands that I love!), at last developing a smoking habit, all helped. The movie itself is a work of genius, and about Dudeism I love the parody aspects of "real" religions (I myself have an Invisible Pink Unicorn tattoo symbolizing my devotion the Invisible Pink Unicorn, peace be upon her, may her hooves never be shod, as well as a Star Wars Rebel Alliance symbol, and a tattoo of the chaos symbol (symbolizes to me my favorite Nietzsche quote: "One must have still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star."), but fuck I'm rambling again. The parody appeals to my abiding love of irony, but also the Dude is just so real, and you know, you just watch out for your beverages, man, and your fucking lady friends or your special lady (if you should be so lucky [I recently have become so lucky]) and be Dude, smoke a j, down a Caucasian....that's what it's all about to me. Just taking life easy, as it comes, no fear, just not being un-Dude, you know?
Notice the small change from the original post. So high don't know why there are two posts, apologize mans!
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My dad was reading the Seth books (Jane Roberts) when they were new so I grew up with a very different perspective from mainstream America. Always had a thing for stories that change the reader/viewer's perspective. About a dozen years ago I found Mary Henderson's book STAR WARS: THE MAGIC OF MYTH which details the influence of Joseph Campbell and the monomyth of the Hero's Journey on the STAR WARS storyline (before the prequels which are closer to Faust, another story). From there I found Joseph Campbell's last work, in effect a summary of his life's work, THE POWER OF MYTH with Bill Moyers and suddenly it all clicked into place for me.
"All religions are true when interpreted as myth," Campbell wrote. Our stories, folklore and religion are guideposts on our individual journey. They were never intended to be historical fact, which is the worst way to interpret them. Modern stories are seriously lacking. STAR WARS is one of the few exceptions. I dug THE BIG LEBOWSKI and after particular events a couple months ago saw a mythological parallel or two. When I found Dudeism it dawned on me that any religion (and it's mythology) is a framework by which we stay on course. I was stressed out big time and it was getting the best of me. Here's a contemporary framework from our time and place similar to Zen; stay centered and maintain your composure. The center of the wheel. Dudeism, yeah, we have a new myth for our times. Very cool...
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I was raised Catholic by a Protestant and an Atheist, with Catholic grandparents. No matter how I tried, I just couldn't make Biblical philosophy work for me. It got to the point where I became a some what militant atheist, but during that phase I started to use Tao/Buddism to contrast Biblical atrocities, so I was researching those concepts and started to see that they made sense, and closely mirrored how I already saw reality. Once I started to see Eastern philosophy with out the filters left over from Christian thinking, I started to study it not just as ammo, but really drawn in by it's Zen concepts .
Well from there, anything I start to write about my thoughts and experiences would quite closely resemble many of those posted by others. I read this whole thread, and kept saying, "I was gonna say that", and I get a strong sense of kinship.
I guess once you have found the right rug to tie the room together, then you feel at home with your life.
Namaste and happy abidings.
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Well yeah,...all that plus low standards and even lower expectations. ;D
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I've enjoyed the movie since I saw it and watched it maany times in past years. Then I found out about the book- I'm a Lebowski, you're a Lebowski, from where I found interview of Oliver Benjamin, or the Dudely Lama as it's written in the stars. Dudeism sounded very easy going and I started reading more about it.
Most of the time I'm very undude with my behaviour, stressing out and being depressed all the time and shit, so I thought Dudeism could provide me some quidelines on taking it easy. Personally I don't consider Dudeism so much as a religion but as a view of life.
My books are in the Lutherian church, but I consider myself as an agnostic. No, today as a Dudeist :) Kind of realised the world is an absurd place to live in, so what else can you do than abide?
This was my first post here, so take it easy on me.
A big fucking A for you dudes from Finland!
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Welcome to the forum (and the church) Tolstoy. The bar's over there man. Pull up a rug and hang out a while. Nice to have a Finn - haven't had too many here yet.
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Why am I a Dudeist? I guess everyone needs a hobby.
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Most of the time I'm very undude with my behaviour, stressing out and being depressed all the time and shit, so I thought Dudeism could provide me some quidelines on taking it easy. Personally I don't consider Dudeism so much as a religion but as a view of life.
Same here. It's easier to view my thoughts as being un-dude and try to chill out than any other method. Religion vs. life? Life is more important.
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why are you a dudeist? it seems to me there are a few different kind of dudes here, those who are obviously huge fans of the big lebowski and quote the movie at every opportunity and others who relate to the big lebowski's dude as they too are slackers, and there are also those who truly believe it to be a truly great religion, so what is your take and your thoughts on this? :)
Not sure there is a "why." Its a thing of the heart, it just is the dude in all of us that has come to the surface. I personally believe that if the inner dude found in all peoples would be let out and abide, we would have a far more righteous world.
To be a dude, all one must do is let the inner dude out for the bowling semis of life.
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Would you think I am trying to trick you if I said "I just like the movie?"
({[follow the money]})
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Most of the time I'm very undude with my behaviour, stressing out and being depressed all the time and shit, so I thought Dudeism could provide me some quidelines on taking it easy. Personally I don't consider Dudeism so much as a religion but as a view of life.
Same here. It's easier to view my thoughts as being un-dude and try to chill out than any other method. Religion vs. life? Life is more important.
Much like many writers on Zen, real life intrudes but with more and more practice the Zen (or Dude) state of mind returns more easily. I don't spend my entire life floating around in a state of Dude (yet) but after a while return to a centered state of "of fuck it!" more easily.
I realised the other day that though I continue to go throught problems in life the perspective of them, and the level of effect of them is lesser each time I experience them.
For instance years ago was technically homeless and spent a year living out of a camper van, now i have a home but have a problem with a leaky roof I can't afford to fix (at the moment).
Years ago i had a big problem with someone harassing me at work, so bad I became ill and had to leave the job, recently someone is attempting it again where I work, but the effect though annoying is less.
"Life is what happens to you whilst your busy making other plans" John Lennon, Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy).
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I used to be a really serious religious type myself. I have a tendency to get way too wrapped up in rationalism and logic, but after 22 years or so of believing in an all-powerful being who was ready to reward and/or punish all of us for our thoughts and actions, I just couldn't hang on anymore. None of it seemed to square with the things I experienced, so I gave it up.
And then, dudes, lemme tell ya, it got dark. REAL dark. I've struggled with depression in the past, and when I had finally convinced myself there was no god looking out for us poor souls, I actually tried to kill myself. I felt like life was a game no one asked me if I wanted to play where the rules were never made exactly clear and kept changing all the time.
Obviously, I didn't die. I wandered about, metaphorically, for awhile, and did a lot of reading about humanism and Buddhism, along with a smattering of philosophies ancient and modern. I don't even remember how I stumbled on to Dudeism; I had seen The Big Lebowski before, but I don't think it made a giant impression on me until I saw it after my low point. I guess I wasn't ready for it yet, if I could put it that way. About a month after I discovered Dudeism I made the leap, filled out the form, got my certificate, bumper sticker, and this kick-ass blue plaid robe with Dude-fish on it.
Because if you ask me, and no one did, it all comes down to "The Answer is there is no Answer." That's the secret of the universe, to me. Everything else is just terms we define and explain to each other. So if that's all there is and you're not into being all nihilist about stuff, Dudeism's perfect. Just take it easy, smoke 'em if ya got 'em, try and have some fun with life.
I'm ramblin' here, of course. It's just my story, and I definitely wouldn't want everyone to think exactly what I do. That's one boring-ass mass of humanity. But I'm the type of person who needs a principle, a creed, something to believe in. Maybe that makes me weak, but who cares if it does? If you're gonna ride an ethos, The Dude's is the best one. That's just like, my opinion, man.
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"The Answer is there is no Answer."
That's some heavy shit dude.
Good to see you here.
I think i may have wrote this around here someplace before, but as far as I can make out, the only purpose of life is to live it.
Fill your "dash" the best you can.
And Dudeism...well it fits right in there.
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That's some tale reverend Smalls....thanks for sharing.
And I for one don't think your weak.
Peace my friend....take her easy.
Rev. J.
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Right on dudes, I appreciate it. At the risk of sounding way too damn serious, I'd bet that your average joe thinks of this whole worldview of ours is some kind of joke. In fact, during a not-too-friendly altercation with some law enforcement over some herbal refreshment, I was told exactly that. But fuck it.
It's no joke, dudes. Not to me. Being a Dude helps me get up in the mornin', helps me take the good and the bad, helps me abide the world without accepting it.
I've lurked about on the Dudespaper for awhile, but me thinks its time for Rev. Smalls to step out of the shadows for some good ol' community...
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;D Welcome to the fold, Dude Smalls - there's an extra hammock in the . . er, hammock cupboard.
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Interviewer: I tend to think of this whole thing as ongoing, that there is an eternity and that we are going to be part of that eternity, that we aren't just corpses in graves when we die.
Ayn Rand: But we aren't corpses in graves, we are not dead. Don't you understand that when this life is finished, you're not there to say oh how terrible that I'm a corpse? No.
Interviewer: Well this is true.
Ayn Rand: It's finished. And what I've always thought was a sentence from some Greek philosopher, I don't unfortunately remember who it was, but I read it at 16 and it has affected me all my life. I will not die. It's the world that will end.
(http://public.youtranscript.com/zs/882.html)
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hmmm...
Interesting man, thats fucking interesting...
Undude behavor is the corner stone of becomming dude. You can't achieve dudeliness without experiencing the most heinous of lifes unfortunate recoils. Bill and Ted would refer to this as "bogus", and the Dude would call it a "bummer". You can't learn to accept the blows and move on without first having them, so many of the "perpetually undudes" are simply those who either don't experience woe or resist it so much and deny it to the point of anger.
See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%BCbler-Ross_model
Ayn Rand's novel Atlas Shrugged is a pretty cornerstone piece of that ethos
The dude learns to see defeat and woe for what it is, and accept it, moving on as quickly and with as little collateral damage and impact as possible. As if we were stepping across a pond on small stones trying to make it to the other side, while it's pouring down rain. We glide as effortlessly as possible between the rain drops and from stone to stone. If we make a mistake and put our foot in the pond, we remove it, and continue on.
You could say someone who cannot cannot be dude about things, would be aggrivated constantly at the annoying pecks of rain, and slipping from stone to stone. Complaining every time he fell in the pond, instead of getting out. And when they reach the other side, both of them will be wet, but the dude will have been waiting with a smile, because he didn't stop to allow himself to experience troubled waters.
Okay, so that philosophy might need some work, but the general idea is that you can't let everything that happens to you be significant, "life goes on , man".
When the Big Lebowski tells the dude to get a job and wont pay for his rug, the dude just says "fuck it". Because he is working through all the stages at once to accept adversity. He denies, Fuck it. He gets angry. "fuck it" He bargains "fuck it" , He depresses "Fuck it" and accepts "fuck it".
All at once. Like a zen monk warrior floating over the stones of the pond....
I wish I had a gong to hit, because this would be a most opportune time for it.
I also like another philosphy , that the tortoise and the hare really is about the hare.
The turtle is slow and steady and wins the race right? Well obviously the rabbit is faster, but if you are going too fast, you're going to tire yourself out, or stumble over something unexpected. That's why the hare was able to be beaten by a turtle, because if he had just gone at an even pace, he obviously would have won. It's not about the turtle. Fuck the turtle man. It's about you, the hare.
You have the ability to win, naturally. The turtle doesn't, the only way the turtle can win, if he and his buddgies drug you, or trick you, or dig a hole for you to fall in. But the hare is capable if he has the foresight to use the "middle way" mentality. You have to do things the right, it's as simple as that.
Stress actually kills your braincells too, thats something to keep in mind.
i dunno. take it for what it's worth.
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hmmm...
Interesting man, thats fucking interesting...
Undude behavor is the corner stone of becomming dude. You can't achieve dudeliness without experiencing the most heinous of lifes unfortunate recoils. Bill and Ted would refer to this as "bogus", and the Dude would call it a "bummer". You can't learn to accept the blows and move on without first having them, so many of the "perpetually undudes" are simply those who either don't experience woe or resist it so much and deny it to the point of anger.
See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%BCbler-Ross_model
Ayn Rand's novel Atlas Shrugged is a pretty cornerstone piece of that ethos....
I hear it's a bit of a heavy read. A friend of mine bought it because he enjoyed "Bioshock" so much (which is based on the book). But found he couldn't get on with it.
I wish I had a gong to hit, because this would be a most opportune time for it.
Surely thats "I wish I had a bong to hit"?
Pain make man think,
Thought make man wise,
And wisdom make life endurable.
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The movie "Revolver" helped me shed my ego (or try to at any rate).
And once I asked myself, "If I am not my ego, what am I?" the answer was "just a guy." As simple as that is, once I realized I'm just a guy, a dude, here in this world, it became so much easier to accept the reality of things as they are. Good or bad, things just *are* and the best I can do is to roll with it, and help people around me roll with their own shit (good and bad), too. No working my bag off for some eternal reward; just keep on keeping on.
To me, that was the essence of "Abide."
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I was reading a book about Zen one time, and the author basically said that there's no reason to get all reactionary every time something you don't like happens. When something negative happens, you just know a little more of the truth about a situation than you did before. It was going to happen, you just know it now. So better to just abide, and accept the truth. That's the cornerstone of why I'm a dudeist. It lets me just say "fuck it" and abide the ride.
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No working my bag off for some eternal reward
I like the essence of that statement .
Welcome to the boards SenatorTso.
Peace dude.
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The movie "Revolver" helped me shed my ego (or try to at any rate).
And once I asked myself, "If I am not my ego, what am I?" the answer was "just a guy." As simple as that is, once I realized I'm just a guy, a dude, here in this world, it became so much easier to accept the reality of things as they are. Good or bad, things just *are* and the best I can do is to roll with it, and help people around me roll with their own shit (good and bad), too. No working my bag off for some eternal reward; just keep on keeping on.
To me, that was the essence of "Abide."
You too dude?
Yeah, it took me a bit of going round and round, but I finally came to the conclusion the purpose of life is to live it. All that other stuff is just bullshit.
Doesn't matter what you do with it either. If you live a life...a life has been lived. The purpose of life has been fulfilled.
Welcome Senator Tso and welcome Trip.
Welcome to all the new dudes!
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the purpose of life is to live it
Reading this struck a chord with me....and I was going to try and explain myself a bit...how, many years ago I'd met a lady who'd tried to help me live my life by saying "just be happy" Now that's a mighty a fine statement but you can't always do that without hurting other folks......
I then thought better of posting until I'd read the earlier posts...and lo there it was a post from from April Last year in which I talk about "doing no harm"
Coincidences and serendipity abound....
Love light and peace
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OK, my turn. I was raised Roman Catholic, but that's what everyone around was, so there was not much choice. Once I started thinking for myself I decided that a level of hipocricy in it is too much for me, so I decided out. Shorty after that I realised that I don't believe in gods whatsoever and that's how I became an atheist. To be honest I don't need a religion in my life, or maybe I don't believe in what religions (at least most of them) have to give. However if there was one religion I was to choose it would be Dudeism. My values - respecting others, equality of people etc are all here, plus - when my life kicks my arse (I'm quite soft so it happens every now and then) I try to remember what would the Dude do. How human paraquats treat him and that I can't really help damn paraquats treating me like a piece of shit - just fuck 'em. It's not worth worrying about it too much, because it will only drive you crazy.
What really means is sticking to your values. If anyone knows German there's a song by Die Toten Hosen called "Steh Auf, Wenn Du Am Boden Bist". It says that is hard to stick to your values, not to lose your way so you can respect yourself. So you can look in the mirror without feeling sick. That what counts and I think that's what makes one a Dudeist.
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Fabulous stuff...just fabulous! ;D
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An old GF innerduded me to Die Toten Hosen, years ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3z-gqLGIKU (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3z-gqLGIKU)
A Dudely post jakubol 8)
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Well, once upon a time I found out, life strikes back so hard sometimes, that it makes you wanna change stuff but some bad shit that comes to light, well ehm like can`t be returned and so...I found out best thing would be to take the whole shit easy so like some wiser fellow said
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
peace
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Well, once upon a time I found out, life strikes back so hard sometimes, that it makes you wanna change stuff but some bad shit that comes to light, well ehm like can`t be returned and so...I found out best thing would be to take the whole shit easy so like some wiser fellow said
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
peace
Is that some kind of Eastern thing? ;D ;D ;D
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Is that some kind of Eastern thing? ;D ;D ;D
Shut the fuck up! You're out of your element!
Am I wrong? Am I wrong? Of course not, I'm Polish Catholic after all :D
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I think I would do some thread necro, and add my story.
Like a lot of folks here, I was connected to the path of the Dude prior to the movie or the Dudeism movement here. It's not only because the only sporting trophy I have is for bowling.
I was big into Zen, and thought the Tao Teh Ching was the greatest book I'd ever read.
However I have been living undudely in that I've been hating myself. Even hating my dudeness.
So really, I liked the movie okay, but kinda connected too much to the dude, that it depressed me somewhat. Even my wife said at the time - LOL you are like the Dude.
I've only recently ordained, because a priest on my facebook (ex-christian priest) posted about dudeism. I read it and ordained there and then.
I think at the end of the day, a Dude is not going to fit into these modern incarnations of religions. It's too dogmatic for the dude. It's too much theory, and not enough doing.
The Dude is a mystical path that involves 'doing' or 'not doing', and just being your own 'Dude'. Instead of debating about it.
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So I can relax ..... with the religion thing .... why do today what you can maybe get to later in life .... if there is time. Speaking of time it maybe running out today.
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After loads of stress and band drama and just other drama in general, I decided I was tired of it man. I wanted to cut back to as pure a form of simplicity as I could. I hadn't watched the big lebowski, ever. One of my current bandmates insisted I grab a case of oat sodies and go watch it. I did, several times, and the rest is history. I saw The Dude and thought.. "that's my guy, man" ..that's the way I want to be. Simple, laid back, comfortable, care free. I started patterning my life in such a way that I only encountered or dealt with people who shared the same sentiments towards life, which, in a round about way led me here. I've never been big on religion, love the movie, love what it stands for, and Dudeism is a life choice that makes the whole darned human comedy much more enjoyable.
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After loads of stress and band drama and just other drama in general, I decided I was tired of it man. I wanted to cut back to as pure a form of simplicity as I could. I hadn't watched the big lebowski, ever. One of my current bandmates insisted I grab a case of oat sodies and go watch it. I did, several times, and the rest is history. I saw The Dude and thought.. "that's my guy, man" ..that's the way I want to be. Simple, laid back, comfortable, care free. I started patterning my life in such a way that I only encountered or dealt with people who shared the same sentiments towards life, which, in a round about way led me here. I've never been big on religion, love the movie, love what it stands for, and Dudeism is a life choice that makes the whole darned human comedy much more enjoyable.
Welcome dude!
Sounds to me as if you found your way home.
Any rug dude...any rug. 8)
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Opening the door again to this topic - 11 year gap geez.
Oh man, this has been a question rattling around my brain for as many years. I began a Buddhist path in 2007 and in 2009, I had two experiences that completely changed my life - for good and bad. I had been sat in my garden in a chilled-out state, absentmindedly watching flies go from flower to flower, when I suddenly felt this huge presence of stillness within me, like something that had no end to it but was in me and outside of me at the same time. About a month later, I happened to glance up at the sky and saw that same presence alight everywhere, and in that instance, I saw that everything is just One thing, and what I thought of as myself had been a total lie.
It was as though there was something inside of me, looking through my eyes at all that is itself. And I lost myself. And I became completely aimless. Nothing seemed to matter, and everyone around me seemed so freakin uptight all the time. And I could see this sickness of the "I", the "me" fighting for itself all the day.
And I understood what Buddha had been saying all those years ago, but in the Buddhist group I felt like I was treading on egg shells. I couldn't say anything about it because the group was full of experienced Buddhists who kinda controlled what everyone should understand about Buddhism. So, in the end I left. I got attracted to Daoism again, and spent a year just observing nature. Which got me into both a Daoist path and a Druid path.
And the more I delved into each the more I found a tension. Daoism is full of experts claiming what Wu Wei is, or Pu is and so on, and arguing like scientists about it, and totally missing the point. And Druidry, well I could see some of the past metaphors being true but it has turned into something a little crazy, people holding swords over each other to ask if there is peace in the east. People doing crazy rituals to the names of Celtic gods...
And it all felt heavy. And none of it matters. And I just wanted to get away from this heavy "religious" crap, and just live.
And I saw Dudeism, and thought it was pretty neat. For me, it was like Daoism before all the intense crap and magic stuff. But it also seemed full of ego at times, we can easily be playing the character of a Dude. But that ain't no bad thing.
But increasingly, I saw that Dudeism is about simplicity and being. And as was written above, life is about living, it's not about being right or wrong about stuff, or an expert in something, and the best we can be is a man (or woman) and be content with simply being.
So, recently I have been wondering about Daoism, Druidry, and Dudeism. I tried to create my own Druid order recently, my own Daoist school years ago, and having read these posts, and having listened to my inner knowing, it's time to drop them both. Time to return to the simplicity of a limber mind, abiding, and taking it easy. So, I am staying with Dudeism and going to kick back and relax in the cosmic hammock of life.
Thanks Dudes.
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re; 'so why are you a dudeist?'
Cause I'm fuckin' lazy, man.
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Greetings & Love
perhaps the secret to being human is unlearning & realizing Dudeism is the source within us all, once we let go of our Ego.
Being a Dudeist is a reminder to stay calm & dude on.
"Free from desire, you realize the mystery. Caught in desire, you only see the manifestations" Tao Te Ching
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Why am I a Dudeist?
Well, I am new Dudeist who was introduce to Dudeism by my daughter and her dad. A laid back lifestyle is something I feel that more people should enjoy, I do believe it'd make the world a much happier home to abide on. The rat race has never been my cup of tea, and I really have never felt like I fit in well with normal society. Nor their ways of creating rules that must be followed by all, or if not followed, then you could not be part of the "club" - "church" - "party" etc, whatever. When I saw the rule of Dudeism, I was like YEA! That's one rule I can Abide by! I love it! So I guess one can say I became a Dudeist so that I could live a more laid back, leisure lifestyle while enjoying more of this beautiful planet we live on.
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Greetings & Love
perhaps the secret to being human is unlearning & realizing Dudeism is the source within us all, once we let go of our Ego.
Being a Dudeist is a reminder to stay calm & dude on.
"Free from desire, you realize the mystery. Caught in desire, you only see the manifestations" Tao Te Ching
Thanks man, nice points. And I agree about the Daoist things you say. Once the ego is seen through we become much more Dude.
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Why am I a Dudeist?
Well, I am new Dudeist who was introduce to Dudeism by my daughter and her dad. A laid back lifestyle is something I feel that more people should enjoy, I do believe it'd make the world a much happier home to abide on. The rat race has never been my cup of tea, and I really have never felt like I fit in well with normal society. Nor their ways of creating rules that must be followed by all, or if not followed, then you could not be part of the "club" - "church" - "party" etc, whatever. When I saw the rule of Dudeism, I was like YEA! That's one rule I can Abide by! I love it! So I guess one can say I became a Dudeist so that I could live a more laid back, leisure lifestyle while enjoying more of this beautiful planet we live on.
Yes, fitting in is a biggie. Feeling right about what we practice, and particularly where it's not so uptight with dozens of things one must do, or not do, is one thing I like about Dudeism.
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I've looked into a lot of spiritual belief systems and bona fide religions (if that's at all possible) and there's three I truly gravitate towards: Dudeism, Judaism, and Jediism. I was raised Catholic, but not by any hardcore zealots or even Good Christians™ so I was pretty checked out pretty early on. In all my searches, Dudeism is what I keep coming back to. Jediism is more of a Star Wars fan draw and I can definitely dig their ethos, but there's also a lot of pomp and circumstance to it that I just kinda don't jive with. Not big on ceremony. Probably why the more occult practices didn't work out with me either. As far as Judaism, well dudes I just don't know. I guess it just kinda feels fitting to me. Then again I'm Jersey born and raised with half my family coming from New York, but as far as I've seen up the family tree there haven't been any Jewish members at all. Mainly German, Ditch, and Irish folk with a splash of English and Swiss in there somewhere. And apparently at least one Indian dude. Don't know how that got there, but maybe that explains why I'm so nice all the time. Aw hell, I'm rambling.
I really dig the Dudeist style. I didn't even see The Big Lebowski until after I was ordained and read the Take It Easy Manifesto and the Dude Testament, so a lot of the references were lost on me for a while, haha. I feel like if Dudeism wasn't around, I'd probably convert to Judaism and end up not really practicing. That or continue to be a Discordian and just be fucking nuts. I will say though, that TBL has easily become one of my favorite movies, religious biases aside.
I really take it seriously, or seriously enough at least, and I like to think of myself as more of a philosopher than an officiant. Like I said, ceremony isn't really my bag, but I do like to study and learn and share my thoughts.
Take it easy man
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I was born a Dudeist.
It just took the Coen Brothers to illustrate a frame of reference that so many out there (the Dudes) occupy.
We all fit right in there--and that's the Dudes.
IMO there are unlikely to be any heavy duty, life altering reasons.
Unless it's the common tendency to not be driven by heavy duty life altering reasons.
Just rolling along like the tumbling tumble weeds.
Actually this gets me thinking.
Maybe everybody or most are born Dudes and gradually poisoned by the world out there that insists on foisting beliefs onto us.
We are all born Dudes. And all born Nihilists.
We just need to hold onto both frames of reference.
(IMO the nihilists are not nihilists. They believe in money. Which is the tip of the entire paraquat iceberg)
Everybody digs money. That's not so undude.
But threatening castration?
Very undude.
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I initially went through the ordination process in 2014 for fun. I've always been a Christian and even now I still believe in the holy trinity, but I've found over the years that organized religion is too corrupt. Not to mention hateful, despite the teachings of Christ.
Since my ordination, I've been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and PTSD (of course, I've always known about that but I have an official diagnosis). Now I look at Dudeism as a philosophy that helps me to keep calm. It's one of many tools at my disposal to help with my anxiety. Since really looking into Dudeism and the teachings of Taoism, Epicureanism, and Buddhism, I've started meditating more and working on staying calm in the face of stress. It's been working well. Since it's helped me, I've been more vocal about the value of Dudeism in my life in the hopes that it can help others.
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I'd like to make clear that I don't think Dudeism is a religion.
Not meaning to fly in the face of the church leaders here.
It is after all based on a comedy Movie.
It's fun but IMO it is not a religion except in the service of "the Joke".
It stands as more of a lampooning of religion in the nature of the flying spaghetti monster albeit a lot more intellectual and a lot more clever and less juvenile.
I'd almost say that it is an "anti religion".
Not meaning that it's not anti religion exactly but that it is a belief system that doesn't believe in belief systems.
IMO that very reality is the most freeing and therapeutic thing that it provides.
The ability to say "fuck it" to the heavy duty crap that is drummed into us from birth (which eventually leads to a crisis when we lose the ability to deny that it's mostly bull shit)
The tricks of these "cults" (whether it be religion or nationalism or whateverthefuckism) instill guilt in us all at the very thought of "leaving the fold".
They drill into us that anyone who does that is "evil" or "a traitor" or whatever.
And as the shine goes off the apple over the years we end up spiritually (and sometimes literally) stranded.
The ability to say "fuck it all" is the cure.
Dudeism/Nihilism to the rescue.
In my experience a lot of people seem to come here looking for something to fit into the "slot" that something else occupied in their spirit.
I think the answer lies in closing the slot. Or as the Christians would say the "God shaped hole".
There is not a hole. It's a gapping wound.
Dudeism or Fuckitism or Letsgobowlingism or passmethejointism is the salve to heal it.
The only way out is in.
And the only way to get there is to face the seething darkness in your own heart.
Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror and gesticulated like a madman?
Until you do you are nothing.
And until you embrace the eternal nothingness of your existence you will not be free.
Do you follow my lead.
Well yeah Virgil I think that I do ah...
I'm nothin till I'm nothin
Right on!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA_kMz-0TP8
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I blathered on too long in this original reply and could have just said... It doesn't matter whether Dudeism is a religion or philosophy or what have you, it's how you live it that counts. And in a world that appears to be getting more tense, taking it easy and having a limber mind is much needed.
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Why? Well, for one thing, at least it's an ethos! And, because it's a great religion for fuckin' lazy people such as me.