The Dude abides: Meet the founder of Dudeism, the laidback religion based on The Big Lebowski which now has more than 250,000 followers

Oliver Benjamin set up Dudeism inspired by character in The Big Lebowski

Since founding religion in 2005, more than 250,000 followers have become priests, ordained by the Church of the Latter Day Dude

Mr Benjamin, who now lives in Thailand, gave up his job to spread the word of Dudeism



Meet 'The Dudely Lama', founder of the religion based on the laidback character of the hit Coen Brothers' comedy The Big Lebowski.

Inspired by the way of life of The Dude, portrayed in the film by Oscar-winner Jeff Bridges, American Oliver Benjamin, 46, decided to set up the alternative religion of Dudeism.

Since he founded the religion in 2005, more than 250,000 followers have become priests, ordained by the Church of the Latter Day Dude, with some even performing wedding ceremonies.

Oliver Benjamin, also known as 'The Dudely Lama', has founded a religion based on the laidback character of the hit Coen Brothers' comedy The Big Lebowski The film is about unemployed slacker Jeffrey 'The Dude' Lebowski and a cast of characters who become embroiled in a kidnap plot after a case of mistaken identity

Since Mr Benjamin founded the religion in 2005, more than 250,000 followers have become priests, ordained by the Church of the Latter Day Dude

Despite facing criticism that it is not serious, Mr Benjamin, a former graphic designer and writer, believes the religion is important.

He said: 'I had been a student of religion and spirituality for years but ultimately gave up on my quest.

'It seemed that all the schools of thought I encountered either took everything too seriously or were too irrational.

'I longed for a worldview that both could be looked at rationally without recourse to magical thinking, and also had a sense of humor.

'While watching The Big Lebowski I saw that it contained all the "good parts" of everything I had studied.

'The Big Lebowski is like a hologram: it contains the whole world. Parts, anyway.'

The religious 'leader', who now lives in Thailand, gave up his job to spread the word of The Dude 'full time'

Mr Benjamin said: 'Dudeism is my full time job and I mean "full time" very loosely'

The film is about unemployed slacker Jeffrey 'The Dude' Lebowski and a cast of characters who become embroiled in a kidnap plot after a case of mistaken identity.

It starred Jeff Bridges as The Dude, John Goodman as his best friend Walter, Julianne Moore and the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

The Coen Brothers' movie grossed more than $40m at the box office worldwide and has a rating of 80 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes.

On the religion, Mr Benjamin said: 'On a spiritual level we think the benefits are profound. Religion has served to help us deal with our current exile.

'But most of the popular ones are way out of touch and have become corrupted by power structures.

'In short, Dudeism is an open-source attempt to remake religion that fits with modern times, that is based on rationality, and that doesn't just end up becoming a big business and source of division.'

Mr Benjamin is pictured with Jeff Dowd, the 64-year-old Hollywood producer who was the inspiration for the character of The Dude

Mr Benjamin is pictured with Phillip Moon, who played Woo, one of the henchmen of Jackie Treehorn, the film's villain, Jon Polito, who played a private eye, and James G. Hoosier, who is an ordained Dudeist Priest and played the bowling partner of Jesus Quintana, portrayed by John Turturro in the film

The religious 'leader', who now lives in Thailand, gave up his job to spread the word of The Dude 'full time'.

He said: 'Dudeism is my full time job and I mean "full time" very loosely.

'I live in Thailand most of the year so I don't work very hard. It's inexpensive there and I have very cheap taste.

'In short, Dudeism is an open-source attempt to remake religion that fits with modern times, that is based on rationality, and that doesn't just end up becoming a big business and source of division'

- Dudeism founder Oliver Benjamin



'I try to travel a lot. I spent most of the 1990s with a backpack on my back wandering hither and thither.

'My travel career has slowed down a bit lately. I miss being a travel writer - that was the best job in the world.'

Mr Benjamin was born in Los Angeles and studied Psychology at UCLA.

But, he says, just like The Dude he can't remember much from his days in higher education because of a party lifestyle and drinking 'beer extremely fast'.

The establishment and popularity of Dudeism has 'flabbergasted' the star of the movie Jeff Bridges, Mr Benjamin said.

He said: 'When asked what they thought of the fact that someone had started a religion based on one of their movies, the Coens replied, "We're as surprised as you are".

'When asked what he thought of Dudeism, and what the Dude might think of it, Jeff Bridges said, "I'm flabbergasted by it but the Dude would dig it".'

The establishment and popularity of Dudeism has 'flabbergasted' the star of the movie Jeff Bridges, Mr Benjamin has said

Oscar-winner Jeff Bridges as The Dude in the hit Coen Brothers' comedy The Big Lebowski

After almost a decade leading the Church of The Latter Day Dude, Mr Benjamin is now considering whether it's time to hand over the reins.

He said: 'It can be exhausting being the leader of a religion. No one warned me about that.

'But there's a lot more tinkering to do before the structure can stand on its own.

'I meet Dudeists everywhere I go. Sometimes people even recognize me from some of the online videos.

'It's fun. Mostly people get it. Once in a while people think I'm an idiot. But that's okay. I am an idiot.'