Dudeism

[Hominid]

No offense meant - I have huge respect for you...

[Hominid]

My thing is, I'm always looking for truth, even if that means dumping a value and belief system that no longer serves me. So, as a former Catholic, atheist, evangelical fundamentalist bible thumper, agnostic, and shaman (...who can argue any of them fairly well), religion to me just speaks of being shackled by someone else's rules, interpretation, and vision. 

Put another way, to me, nothing is as sacred as truth itself.

[meekon5]

No offense meant - I have huge respect for you...

Hominid sorry I shouldn't try to type stuff just as I'm leaving the office.

That came out entirely wrong. It was not meant as aggressively as it came out.

Let me try  and expand what I was trying to say.

Firstly it is my entire joy of the concept of Dudeism that both you and I can both just as equally call ourselves Dudeist with such divergent viewpoints and still be right.

But for me Dudeism doesn't belong to Oliver any more, it did until it went public domain.

Though Oliver came up with the revelation, all my life I have hovered around a Zen/Taoist point of view but had problems reconsiling that viewpoint with living in the west. Dudeism reconciles that problem for me, whether it was initially meant as a jest or not.

Also it doesn't actually matter that you don't take it seriously, it matters that I take it seriously.

More accurately I should have said it doesn't matter to me, and doesn't change my point of view that you don't take it seriously, it matters that I take it seriously,

As i said to my godson when he picked up one of my important crystals at home, it doesn't matter that he doesn't believe it matters that I believe.

It is my belief that each individual is the center of their own perception of the universe, following Descartes arguments that you cannot communicate directly with anyone brain to brain.

When you enter an ancient cathederal or any place of worship that has existed for a long while (stonehenge, the golden temple at amritsar) you feel a feeling of great awe.

Now is that awe from something outside the place, or from the place, perhaps from the other people there, or the amount of people in the past who have felt awe there and have left the feeling, or is it because you think you should feel awe yourself?

Or is any of it important?

It's not important to Dudeism that I believe it is a serious extension of Taoism and Zen with a western humourist edge to make it more palatable to more people, and you don't, because both points of view work  and have brought both of us together here to communicate in a way we probably would never have done if it was not for Dudeism.

And also yes some of us explode a bit when we may feel you (as you generally not you specifically) seem to be disrespecting what we hold as a very sincere point of view, but no opinion should stand without being questioned.

[Hominid]

I didn't really take it as aggressive, and neither was I being aggressive, though my wife does say I can come across as a crusty old fart!  I've always liked your reading your posts, and appreciate your input on things, and yes - that is what I like about this environment - people like you and I can chat about such things without pulling out guns or swords.  Everyone is entitled to our opinions, right? 

So, whether Dudeism is a joke or not, we have forged a friendship that is based on respect. I like that you don't get all huffy when someone doesn't see exactly eye to eye with you, as I don't.  Good discussion and debate about values, philosophy, and religion is something I've always enjoyed, so I hang out here with you dudes.

Let me clarify one thing: I take the ethos of dudeism seriously, as I also like the Taoist perspective very much. But the fact that I'm an ordained  "Dudeist Priest", well, that just makes me chuckle to beat the band... 

[ManRalf]

Meekon, thanks for that link, most enlightening. As i've mentioned i'm currently trying to write my degree on religions with roots in popculture. And been told at the university that as a part of the learning process is to "kill your darlings" but ive gone the opposite approach and said fuck it and took my darling (Dudeism) bowling and have tried to always supply her with a perpetually fresh beverage.

So it's more or less gold to get to partake in your discussions, makes me feel that im not on a complete wild goosechase.
My thought is to investigate if movements like Dudeism just are products of our postmodern society or some form of "stand" against a more and more capitalist driven world

[ManRalf]

Lost my train of thought there for a moment, i was gonna ask you dudes if i have your permission to refer to your sage words in my paper?

[meekon5]

My thought is to investigate if movements like Dudeism just are products of our postmodern society or some form of "stand" against a more and more capitalist driven world

Both.

Also possibly a reaction to information overload as well.

I do believe that there is some debate about the relevance of the term "Post Modernism". I was reading an article a while back but can't remember the detail. I'll try and find that.

[meekon5]

Lost my train of thought there for a moment, i was gonna ask you dudes if i have your permission to refer to your sage words in my paper?

With the usual caveat that you credit our wisdom (or stupidity) correctly, without alteration. I have no problem with you quoting myself.

[ManRalf]

Yeah, that too...have been nursing the thought of applying some type of ecology of religion that movements like Dudeism is some sorta form of reaction of our living enviorment, that we more and more are being invaded optically and audio..caly...by the sounds and sights of commercialism. That we as humans more and more are taking the role of cattle in an overly commercialised world, I'm thinking neuromarketing and what have you.

We consume there for are we of use in society. And the dudely ways represents something that appeals to people, the whole thing of just dropping the hustle and bustle and pour your self a Caucasian...But that might fall in under information overload when i think about it though...

[ManRalf]

I blame my poor use (mangeling) of the English language on the fact of my location in the frosty north, hence my occasional mauling of the Queens English. But constantly fighting of polarbears with one hand while gallantly typing with the other is abit of a contributing factor too...

[ManRalf]

Hominid, so would you call yourself a true and blue postmodern man? You seem to live along the lines of partaking in the everexpanding postmodern "smorgasbord" trying a lil bit of this and a lil bit of this and knowing that is in your full right to move on if you don't like the particular spread.

Can't for the life in me remember who coined the phrase and theory or what it was really about but it was something about applying a sorta "what's in it for me" approach to life in general including religion. That it is a given that Joe twelvepack can move from being a snakehandler, dropping that when the thrill of blowing raspberries in the face of the reaper dies down and give holistic medicine a go.

[meekon5]

I do believe that there is some debate about the relevance of the term "Post Modernism". I was reading an article a while back but can't remember the detail. I'll try and find that.

The Death of Postmodernism And Beyond. Alan Kirby.

But also google The Death of Postmodernism for a lot more.

[ManRalf]

Ah, thanks. But if postmodernity is dead and its view the elusiveness of meaning and knowledge with it. Does that make Dudeism as a remnant of postmoderinty or like some sort of bastillion of postmodern thinking or can it be precised as a new form of beast altogether?

[Hominid]

Hominid, so would you call yourself a true and blue postmodern man? You seem to live along the lines of partaking in the everexpanding postmodern "smorgasbord" trying a lil bit of this and a lil bit of this and knowing that is in your full right to move on if you don't like the particular spread.

Can't for the life in me remember who coined the phrase and theory or what it was really about but it was something about applying a sorta "what's in it for me" approach to life in general including religion. That it is a given that Joe twelvepack can move from being a snakehandler, dropping that when the thrill of blowing raspberries in the face of the reaper dies down and give holistic medicine a go.

Ya, you can't really fit me into any mold, so I do indeed pick and choose what works for me.  There's nuggets of gold here and there, often burried under trash.  I'm a lone wolf who rejects being forced into any of society's molds or stereotypes. One size does not fit all...

[cckeiser]

Lost my train of thought there for a moment, i was gonna ask you dudes if i have your permission to refer to your sage words in my paper?

We are posting to a public discussion board...I believe that puts it in public domain and can be used/quoted at will.
But that's just like my opinion dude.