ART AND CULTURE.

Dudeism: the religion inspired by "The Big Lebowski"

All of you are almost certainly familiar with "The Big Lebowski", the Coen brothers' film released in 1998 and almost immediately became a worldwide cult. However, you may not know that there are those who take the lifestyle described by the film very seriously.

The film is about a former hippie who spends his days smoking, drinking White Russian and bowling, until he becomes involved in an absurd identity switch. In 2005, journalist Oliver Benjamin, born in 1968 in Sherman Oaks, near Los Angeles, decided to make it a real religion, which now has thousands of followers especially in the United States.

But what are the rules to follow if you want to worship the figure of the Dude? Find out with us.

Youtube frame/Wikipedia.org
Dudeism: the religion inspired by "The Big Lebowski"
All of you are almost certainly familiar with "The Big Lebowski", the Coen brothers' film released in 1998 and almost immediately became a worldwide cult hit. However, you may not know that there are those who take the lifestyle depicted by the film very seriously. The film is about a former hippie who spends his days smoking, drinking White Russian and bowling, until he gets involved in an absurd identity switch. In 2005, journalist Oliver Benjamin, born in 1968 in Sherman Oaks, near Los Angeles, decided to make it a real religion, which now has thousands of followers especially in the United States. But what are the rules to follow if you want to worship the figure of the Dude? Find out with us.
movie frame
The Church of the Latter-Day Dude
From a mere movie film to a veritable cult. "The Big Lebowski," the brothers' masterpiece Coen, became a religion in 2005, thanks to the initiative of American journalist Oliver Benjamin, born in 1968 in Sherman Oaks, near Los Angeles. This secular religion, with the official name "Church of the Latter-Day Dude", is based on certain cornerstones, such as laziness, and seeks to divert people from contemporary frenzy and dissatisfactions.
Joe Poletta (user "vidmon" on Flickr) - Wikipedia.org
The Big Lebowski
For those who do not know, "The Big Lebowski" is a 1998 film by the Coen brothers that boasts a long list of stars in its cast, such as Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore and John Turturro. The story centers on the character of Jeffrey Lebowski, known as "Dude", who suffers an assault in his own home due to a mistaken identity. His philosophy of life embraces nihilism but is much more complex, although in practice he spends his days smoking, drinking alcohol and bowling with friends. I mean, after all, he just wanted his carpet, right? It gave a touch to the environment.
Tondo - Wikipedia.org
Who is the originator of this secular religion, Oliver Benjamin
Oliver Benjamin, born in 1968, is a journalist who "grew up in the material illusion of the 1980s," and for a long time wandered backpacking in search of the meaning of life. While watching "The Big Lebowski" in a club at Thailandia, he had an epiphany about how the movie is actually a very valid way of living life, and decided to start gathering followers and financial resources. Even a few years later, two "holy books," two guides, on to best live Dudeism came out: "Dudespaper" the official text of Dudeism, and "The Tao Dude Ching", the holy book of the Church.
Youtube Frame
The religion of Dudeism
There is also an actual website, and the founder has told his story several times on CNN. The idea behind Dudeism is a mixture of the philosophy of Lao Tzu, Epicurus, Heraclitus, Buddha, and the pre-ecclesiastical Jesus Christ. Basically, says the founder, it is a kind of modern Taoism, which in its traditional form has virtually no dogma or rules. Corriere della Sera quotes a now obsolete Dudeism website, which reads: 'Life is short and complicated and nobody knows what to do with it. So do nothing. Take it easy. Stop worrying so much about going to the finals. Relax with some friends and a few beers and whether you strike out or gutters, do your best to stay yourself; which is to say, hang in there. Or bear it and smile."
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The followers of Dudeism
To stave off life's difficulties, Dudeism suggests, small daily pleasures such as taking a bath, bowling and spending time with friends, the favourite habits of the Drugo from 'The Big Lebowski' (this example is to be extended to the pleasures of each of us), are enough. Today there are more than 100,000 Dudeist priests in the world. The majority are in the USA, but there are also many in the UK. The aim of this cult is supposedly to help its followers earn the most by working as little as possible. The journalist states that the religious movement supports itself with the modest income collected from advertising on the website and from the sale of products and gadgets promoting Dudeism.
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24/04/2024
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