Dudeism

Last updated
Dudeist logo Dudeism.svg
Dudeist logo

Dudeism is a religion, philosophy, or lifestyle inspired by "The Dude", the protagonist of the Coen Brothers' 1998 film The Big Lebowski .

Contents

Dudeism's stated primary objective is to promote a modern form of Chinese Taoism, outlined in Tao Te Ching by Laozi (6th century BCE), blended with concepts from the Ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus (341–270 BCE), and presented in a style as personified by the character of Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski, a fictional character portrayed by Jeff Bridges in the film. [1] Dudeism has sometimes been regarded as a mock religion due to its use of comedic film references and occasional criticism of religion in its traditional sense, [2] [3] but its founder and many adherents take the underlying philosophy somewhat (although not overly) seriously. [4] [5] [6] [7] March 6 is the annual sacred high holy day of Dudeism: The Day of the Dude; the same day the film released in the US. [8]

Formation

Founded in 2005 by Oliver Benjamin, a journalist based in Chiang Mai, Thailand, [1] [9] Dudeism's official organizational name is The Church of the Latter-Day Dude. An estimated 450,000 Dudeist Priests have been ordained worldwide as of May 2017 [10] and marriages have been officiated legally by Dudeist clergy in some US states. [11]

Although Dudeism primarily makes use of iconography and narrative from The Big Lebowski, adherents believe that the Dudeist worldview has existed since the beginnings of civilization, primarily to correct societal tendencies towards aggression and excess. They list individuals such as Laozi, Epicurus, Heraclitus, Buddha, and the pre-ecclesiastical Jesus Christ as examples of "Great Dudes in History". [12] More recent antecedents include pillars of American Transcendentalism such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Walt Whitman and humanists such as Kurt Vonnegut and Mark Twain. [13] [14]

Philosophy

The Dudeist belief system is essentially a modernized form of Taoism stripped of all of its metaphysical and medical doctrines. Dudeism advocates and encourages the practice of "going with the flow", "being cool headed", and "taking it easy" in the face of life's difficulties, believing that this is the only way to live in harmony with our inner nature and the challenges of interacting with other people. It also aims to assuage feelings of inadequacy that arise in societies which place a heavy emphasis on achievement and personal fortune. Consequently, simple everyday pleasures like bathing, bowling, and hanging out with friends are seen as far preferable to the accumulation of wealth and the spending of money as a means to achieve happiness and spiritual fulfillment. As the Dude himself says in the film: "the dude abides," which essentially just means one should relax, enjoy the simple pleasures of life, be generally tolerant of others, maintain equanimity in the face of adversity, and encourage others to do the same. [15]

Publications

The Church of the Latter-Day Dude launched its official publication, The Dudespaper, in the fall of 2008. A Dudeist holy book, The Tao Dude Ching, went online in July 2009. It was renamed The Dude De Ching in December 2009 to avoid being confused with an upcoming book by Oliver Benjamin called The Tao of the Dude. The Dude De Ching is a reinterpretation of Peter Merel's translation of the Tao Te Ching using dialogue and story elements from The Big Lebowski. [16] In 2016, The Dude De Ching was completely re-written by Benjamin, featuring a new Tao Te Ching translation and essays interpreting each verse. [17]

In August 2011, The Abide Guide—a "Dudeist self-help book" employing life lessons from The Big Lebowski and other sources, was published by Ulysses Press. [18] Written by Benjamin and the Arch Dudeship Dwayne Eutsey, it also contains material by other members of The Church of the Latter-Day Dude. An Italian translation was released in November 2013 under the title Il vangelo secondo Lebowski. [19]

In November 2013, Lebowski 101 – a compilation of mostly scholarly essays edited by Benjamin which dissected and celebrated The Big Lebowski – was published by the Church. Over 80 writers and illustrators contributed to the book. [20]

In April 2015 The Tao of the Dude was published, featuring essays and illustrations by Benjamin as well as quotes from various philosophers and writers throughout history. The objective of the book is to show that Dudeism is a philosophy that has existed since the dawn of civilization. [21]

The Dude and the Zen Master, a 2013 book by Jeff Bridges and Buddhist teacher Bernie Glassman, uses the character as a starting point for philosophical discussion. Asked at a promotional event what The Dude would think of Dudeism, Bridges replied, "He'd be flabbergasted. And he would dig it." [22]

On December 16, 2018, The Dudespaper announced an indefinite hiatus on its publication in favor of other means of disseminating the philosophy. [23]

Related Research Articles

<i>Tao Te Ching</i> Chinese classic text

The Tao Te Ching is a Chinese classic text and foundational work of Taoism written around 400 BC and traditionally credited to the sage Laozi, though the text's authorship, date of composition and date of compilation are debated. The oldest excavated portion dates back to the late 4th century BC, but modern scholarship dates other parts of the text as having been written—or at least compiled—later than the earliest portions of the Zhuangzi.

<i>The Big Lebowski</i> 1998 film by Joel and Ethan Coen

The Big Lebowski is a 1998 crime comedy film written, produced, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. It stars Jeff Bridges as Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski, a Los Angeles slacker and avid bowler. He is assaulted as a result of mistaken identity, then learns that a millionaire, also named Jeffrey Lebowski, was the intended victim. The millionaire Lebowski's trophy wife is kidnapped, and millionaire Lebowski commissions The Dude to deliver the ransom to secure her release. The plan goes awry when the Dude's friend, Walter Sobchak, schemes to keep the ransom money for the Dude and himself. Sam Elliott, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, John Turturro, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tara Reid, David Thewlis, Peter Stormare, Jon Polito, and Ben Gazzara also appear in supporting roles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taoism</span> Religious and philosophical tradition

Taoism or Daoism refers to a Chinese philosophy, or a set of Chinese traditions and religions that emphasize living in harmony with the Tao. The Tao is generally defined as the source of everything and the ultimate principle underlying reality. The Tao Te Ching and the Zhuangzi are widely considered key Taoist texts and are distinctly philosophical in nature and theme.

Tao or Dao (道) is the natural order of the universe, whose character one's intuition must discern to realize the potential for individual wisdom, as conceived in the context of East Asian philosophy, East Asian religions, or any other philosophy or religion that aligns to this principle. This seeing of life cannot be grasped as a concept. Rather, it is seen through actual living experience of one's everyday being. Its name, Tao or Dao(Chinese ), came from Chinese, where it signifies the way, path, route, road, or sometimes more loosely doctrine, principle, or holistic belief.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laozi</span> 6th-century BC semi-legendary Chinese philosopher, founder of Taoism

Laozi, also romanized as Lao Tzu and various other ways, was a semi-legendary ancient Chinese Taoist philosopher, credited with writing the Tao Te Ching. Laozi is a Chinese honorific, generally translated as "the Old Master". Although modern scholarship generally regards him as a fictional person, traditional accounts say he was born as Li Er in the state of Chu in the 6th century BC during China's Spring and Autumn Period, served as the royal archivist for the Zhou court at Wangcheng, met and impressed Confucius on one occasion, and composed the Tao Te Ching in a single session before retiring into the western wilderness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zhuang Zhou</span> Chinese philosopher (c.369 – c.286 BC)

Zhuang Zhou, commonly known as Zhuangzi, was an influential Chinese philosopher who lived around the 4th century BCE during the Warring States period, a period of great development in Chinese philosophy, the Hundred Schools of Thought. He is credited with writing—in part or in whole—a work known by his name, the Zhuangzi, which is one of the foundational texts of Taoism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Three Pure Ones</span> Highest Divinities in the Taoist pantheon

The Three Pure Ones, also translated as the Three Pure Pellucid Ones, the Three Pristine Ones, the Three Divine Teachers, the Three Clarities, or the Three Purities, are the three highest gods in the Taoist pantheon. They are regarded as pure manifestations of the Tao and the origin of all sentient beings, along with the "lords of the Three Life Principles or 'Breaths' (qi)". They were also gods who were "associated with the sky, the earth and the underworld."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parody religion</span> Constructed mock religion

A parody religion or mock religion is a belief system that challenges the spiritual convictions of others, often through humor, satire, or burlesque. Often constructed to achieve a specific purpose related to another belief system, a parody religion can be a parody of several religions, sects, gurus, cults, or new religious movements at the same time, or even a parody of no particular religion – instead parodying the concept of religious belief itself. Some parody religions emphasise having fun; the new faith may serve as a convenient excuse for pleasant social interaction among the like-minded.

<i>The Tao of Pooh</i> 1982 book by Benjamin Hoff

The Tao of Pooh is a 1982 book written by Benjamin Hoff. The book is intended as an introduction to the Eastern belief system of Taoism for Westerners. It allegorically employs the fictional characters of A. A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh stories to explain the basic principles of philosophical Taoism. The book was on the New York Times bestseller list for 49 weeks. Hoff later wrote The Te of Piglet, a companion book.

Straw dogs or Grass dogs, figures of dogs made out of straw, were used as ceremonial objects in ancient China, as a substitute for the sacrifice of living dogs. Chu gou has been used figuratively to refer to anything discarded after use.

Li Rong was a Chinese philosopher from the Tang dynasty. He compiled a commentary on the Taoist book Tao Te Ching, called the Laozi Commentary by Li Rong.

The Huahujing is a Taoist work, traditionally attributed to Laozi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Asian religions</span> Subset of the Eastern religions

In the study of comparative religion, the East Asian religions or Taoic religions, form a subset of the Eastern religions. This group includes Chinese religion overall, which further includes Ancestral Worship, Chinese folk religion, Confucianism, Taoism and popular salvationist organisations, as well as elements drawn from Mahayana Buddhism that form the core of Chinese and East Asian Buddhism at large. The group also includes Japanese Shinto, Tenrikyo, and Korean Muism, all of which combine Shamanistic elements and indigenous ancestral worship with various influences from Chinese religions. Chinese salvationist religions have influenced the rise of Japanese new religions such Tenriism and Korean Jeungsanism; as these new religious movements draw upon indigenous traditions but are heavily influenced by Chinese philosophy and theology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Anatole</span> Taoist priest

Alex Anatole is a Taoist priest, teacher, and writer. He directs centers of Taoist studies in Europe, Australia and the U.S.

The history ofTaoism stretches throughout Chinese history. Originating in prehistoric China, it has exerted a powerful influence over Chinese culture throughout the ages. Taoism evolved in response to changing times, with its doctrine and associated practices being revised and refined. The acceptance of Taoism by the ruling class has waxed and waned, alternately enjoying periods of favor and rejection. Most recently, Taoism has emerged from a period of suppression and is undergoing a revival in China.

Frederic Henry Balfour was a British expatriate editor, essayist, author, and sinologist, living in Shanghai during the Victorian era. He is most notable for his translation of the Tao Te Ching. Many of these translations appeared in his 1884 Taoist Texts: Ethical, Political and Speculative, also known simply as Taoist Texts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daode Tianzun</span>

Daode Tianzun, also known as Taishang Laojun is a high Taoist god. He is the Taiqing which is one of the Three Pure Ones, the highest divinities of Taoism.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Taoism:

Taoist Art relates to the Taoist philosophy and narratives of Lao-tzu that promote "living simply and honestly and in harmony with nature."

Taoist philosophy also known as Taology refers to the various philosophical currents of Taoism, a tradition of Chinese origin which emphasizes living in harmony with the Dào. The Dào is a mysterious and deep principle that is the source, pattern and substance of the entire universe.

References

  1. 1 2 Ehrlich, Richard. "The man who founded a religion based on 'The Big Lebowski'". CNN . Turner Broadcasting Systems Inc. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
  2. ↑ Mathijs, Ernest; Sexton, Jamie (30 March 2012). Cult Cinema by Ernest Mathlijs, Jamie Sexton p. 78. ISBN   9781444396430.
  3. ↑ "Adweek". Mediabistro.com. Archived from the original on 10 August 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  4. ↑ "Big Lebowski Spawns Religion". Dontpaniconline.com. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  5. ↑ Mifflin, Ryan (16 February 2012). "Interview: Oliver Benjamin, Founder of Dudeism & Author of 'The Abide Guide: Living Like Lebowski'". Otis Ryan Productions Blog.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)[ dead link ]
  6. ↑ The Dudely Lama Discusses Dudeism Archived 2013-11-10 at the Wayback Machine - We Love Cult, retrieved 19 September 2012
  7. ↑ "Cathleen Falsani Interview". Religion and Ethics Newsweekly . PBS . Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  8. ↑ "The Day of the Dude". Dudespaper.com. 12 February 2010. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  9. ↑ Green, Bill; Peskoe, Ben; Russell, Will, Shuffit, Scott: I'm a Lebowski, You're a Lebowski, page 17. Bloomsbury, 2007.
  10. ↑ "The Way of the Dude".
  11. ↑ "David Kantor, Michael Hampton" . The New York Times . June 29, 2014. Retrieved September 22, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Great Dudes in History". Dudeism.com. Retrieved 2009-09-23.
  13. ↑ Eutsey, Dwayne. "Great Dudes in History: Mark Twain". The Dudespaper. Retrieved 2009-09-23.
  14. ↑ Killoran, Ellen. "'The Big Lebowski' Religion Founder Talks 'The High Holiday' Of Dudeism". International Business Times . Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  15. ↑ Walters, Ben (20 January 2010). "Dudeism, the faith that abides in The Big Lebowski". The Guardian . London. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  16. ↑ Benjamin, Oliver; Merel, Peter. "The Tao Dude Ching!". The Dudespaper. Retrieved 2009-09-23.
  17. ↑ Benjamin, Oliver (26 October 2016). "The Dude De Ching: New Annotated Edition". ISBN   978-1539451051.
  18. ↑ Benjamin, Oliver; Eutsey, Dwayne (16 August 2011). "The Abide Guide: Living Like Lebowski". ISBN   978-1569759769.
  19. ↑ "Il vangelo secondo Lebowski". Fazi Editoriale. Retrieved 2014-01-14.
  20. ↑ Benjamin, Oliver (November 8, 2013). "Lebowski 101". ISBN   978-1493508082.
  21. ↑ Benjamin, Oliver (April 15, 2016). "The Tao of the Dude". ISBN   978-1511520614.
  22. ↑ Tobar, Hector (11 January 2013). "Lebowski lovers: The Dude and the Zen Master riff in L.A." Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
  23. ↑ "The Dudespaper is on Indefinite Hiatus". The Dudespaper. December 16, 2018. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.