It was only a matter of time. We’ve seen Big Lebowski festivals and convenience stores, so someone basing a religion around it was clearly in the cards. What I did not see coming was the religion being centered in Thailand. Don’t be fatuous, CNN:
Dubbed “Church of the Latter-Day Dude,” the group also invites “mellow, unflashy chicks who hang around in their bathrobes and take baths with candles and whale sounds,” says the religion’s Dudely Lama, Oliver Benjamin.
“Everyone feels oppressed by society’s pressures,” he says.
“Everyone wishes they had more freedom. Everyone wishes they could be more carefree, to worry less about money and status.”
Well, there you go. At this point you’re probably thinking, “Hey, I bet the guy who created a religion based around The Big Lebowski and refers to himself as the ‘Dudely Llama’ definitely isn’t a crackpot.” NOT SO FAST, MY IMAGINARY DULLARD READER! The article is littered with wackadoo quotes by Mr. Benjamin. Meet me after the jump.
“The reason I embarked on a 10-year backpacking journey was so I could avoid being brainwashed by the machine of industry, and find the space and freedom to indulge my imagination.”
That’s ridiculous. If you made a candle called “10-year backpacking journey,” it would smell like a Phish concert mixed with a gym sock.
People who aren’t cool, ultimately go crazy, Oliver warns.
(*spends all 3rd period giving swirlies*) I AM THE SANEST MAN ALIVE!
“Ideally, we’d like to help people find ways to earn money with less work, but of course that’s always a challenge. Fifty years ago, everyone thought that robots would be doing all the work for us and people would be living lives of leisure. That this has not come to pass is surely mankind’s biggest tragedy,” Oliver laments.
“Poverty? No. World hunger? F-ck off. War? (*wanks dismissively*). Robot slaves, man.”
“One problem also is that too many people just think the Dude is a burned out hedonistic stoner. Nothing could be further from the truth. He’s an intellectual with strong moral character and a lively, creative mind.”
(*reads aloud while taking notes*) The idea… that the Dude… is a stoner… is the furthest thing… from the truth. Got it.
“He’s also a stoner…”
Wait, what?
“… but that’s not a bad thing. Too many people confuse Dudeism with anarchism or selfish laziness. Dudeism recognizes the need for organization and rules, and the laziness it touts is disciplined and determined.”
Seriously, read the last part of that sentence. Disciplined… and determined… laziness. That couldn’t make less sense even if it was mumbled incoherently by a character in Guy Ritchie film.
“Free time should be used to free your mind and cultivate inner peace. Not to play ‘Grand Theft Auto’ all day and gorge on snack food,” he says.
When reached for comment, literally every person on the Internet responded, “Well, that’s just, like, your opinion, man.”
Despite this clearly being a cuckoo experiment by a drugged-out weirdo, it’s not like it’s all bad. I mean, say what you will about a religion founded by a backpacking nutcase and based on a movie, dudes, but at least it’s an ethos.
![[avatar]](http://p.uproxxcdn.com/photo/51/thumb)
![[image]](http://cdn.fd.uproxx.com/wp-content/thumbnails/130/110/2013/05/rza-will-star-with-paul-walker-in-brick-mansions-150x150.jpg)
![[image]](http://cdn.fd.uproxx.com/wp-content/thumbnails/130/110/2013/05/honest-trailer-twilight-breaking-dawn-and-your-morning-links-filmdrunk-150x150.jpg)
![[image]](http://cdn.fd.uproxx.com/wp-content/thumbnails/130/110/2013/05/commercial-breakdown-the-fast-furious-6-super-bowl-ad-150x150.jpg)
![[image]](http://cdn.fd.uproxx.com/wp-content/thumbnails/130/110/2012/11/Theater-scene-Val-Tobey-150x150.jpg)
It still sounds more legit than Scientology.
Me: So this stoner is hanging around with a bunch of chinamen hippies?
My Cat, Whisker Sour: Dude, “Chinamen” is not the preferred nomenclature. “Thai-dyes” please.
Far out, man. Far fucking out.
Robot slaves? Until these fuck-robots are perfected, humans work better for that.
In the Church of Lebowski Bible, every book is the Book of Deuteronomy.
H’mm, listing “carefree and not worried by money or status” as chaacter traits probably wouldn’t result in too many positive replies on BeautifulWealthysingles.com or whatever the fuck that site was called that used to spam here. It will probably get you an interview at Uproxx.
Thailand? Eight-year-olds, dude.
missed an r there, but I am typing sideways.
What are the dues? This could be a hotter deal than the Raising Arizona daycare down at the American Legion.
The machine of industry is not the issue, dude!
Slong men arso cly.
The original plan was to base the church in Georgia, but his demands for White Russians didn’t go over well with the locals.
CNN: Relax, Dudely Llama, we’re not messing with your special lady.
Dudely Llama: She’s not my special lady. She’s a fucking lady boy.
(Don’t mind me, I’m just bitter that I missed last week’s Lebowskikkake.)
The collection plate money will be used to repair Tara Reid’s f*cked up tits.
Thailand, huh?
I’m going to offer a tithe to Terrushiptah, the Vengeful God of Parasites to smite this ‘dude.’
Brandt can’t watch.
Were you listening to the Dude’s story? Well therefore you have no frame of reference – you’re like a child who wanders into the middle of a movie and…huh?…
Reverend Sun Myung Moon calls these guys Doodies.
Hexacorde wins for best new avatar.
Tara Reid is looking forward to the second coming of the Dude sometime this year. Someone should really tell her that the Rapture doesn’t mean what she thinks it means.
It would be great if this church had “healing” ceremonies like other churches, but it solely consisted of dumping old guys in wheel chairs on the floor and yelling at them whilst dogs befoul them.
They use a prayer rug?
and I agree Fek, that’s a sweet av Hex
St. Donnie: the patron saint of lost plotlines
In the early 90s I tried to start a religion based on Sweet Sweetback’s Baadassss Song, but Mario Van Peeble’s used voodoo to give my mom diabetes so I backed off.
The Hymnal is nothing but Creedence.
There’s already a religion dedicated to The Dude.
[dudeism.com]
I can’t wait for the Latter Day Dude schoolgirl uniforms.
This is news? This “religion” has been around for a while … in fact my pal is an ordained Dudeist Priest. $12.99 got him a patch, a gilded certificate, and the papers to submit to the state court. He can marry people, oversee ceremonies, etc.
Regrettably, it’s true. Standards have fallen in taking the piss out of Dudeism. Mr. Guerrero sir, you failed to achieve the modest task which was your charge. Even the Free Beer and Hot Wings Guys were funnier than this! But thanks for the shout out anyway. A link or even calling us by name might have been nice. But that’s cool, that’s cool. We’re not looking for a handout.
If anyone wants to see if they dig our style without having to jump through hoops to do so, please visit [www.dudeism.com]. Thankee.
I must say, you did redeem yourself with the “your opinion man” bit near the end. That’s my stock reply and you took the bullets out of my gun! Either that or the Chinaman has been selling me cheap shells again.