Matrixism - A religion based on The Matrix

[DynoMight]

See:

Matrixism: the path of the One

It is my sincere hope that Matrixism rivals the Jedi Religion in the next round of world censuses. How 'bout you?

[Popeyesays]

I think it already rivals it.

[DynoMight]

Originally Posted by Popeyesays

I think it already rivals it.

Actually, the Jedi religion had more than 500,000 worldwide people claim it as their religion on national censuses. Currently there only two thousand practicing Matrixists.

Of course the Jedi religion predates the advent of Matrixism by about twenty-five years so who knows what the future will bring. That being said Matrixism seems a lot more serious than the Jedi religion so I imagine that its growth will be slower because the people who join are less likely to do it less out of whimsy.

[Promethium]

Perhaps you could set up a forum where fellow followers could share experiences, and help guide those just beginning on their religious journey. Just a suggestion.Although it would be tough to moderate, but a meeting place would do well to help unite and encourage those who wish to study Matrixism. Actually im sure there are forums, but if I remember correctly Jediism had certain books and techniques to study. Have you read The Matrix and Philosophy?

[DynoMight]

The path of the One also has techniques and books to study. If you peruse the Matrixism website you'll find recommened techniques and quite a few books for study.

Try looking in the Matrixism bookstore:

Matrixism: Religion of the Matrix

And perhaps check out their webpage title "Hacking":

http://www.geocities.com/matrixism2069/hacking.html

Yeah it's too bad they don't have their own message board but you're probably right that it would be exceedingly hard to moderate.

[Blizzardry]

Yeah, I'm more of a Trumanshowian or a Darkcityan. Could be a whole new website on comparitive fictional religion. Let's get the Jedis arguing with Cthulu's mob...

No, the Matrix (and all the others, including stuff like Faust, Metamorphosis and the Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy) is just a metaphor for non-denominational spiritual awakening and anybody who thinks they can proselytise the metaphor over the experience itself is only going to attract the gullible, and not the awakening as intended.

Also, what's the dude got against heroin, cannabis and alcohol? Like nobody's ever had opiate-related awakenings (Coleridge, Beethoven, Keats anyone?) or alcohol or cannabis (Ancient Greece, Persia).

Also, taking mushrooms and LSD in themselves without a philosophical guide leaves one prone to believe the first convincing-feeling thought that arises out of the bubbling cauldron of the tripping mind.

Idiots. Still, it's a laugh, innit?

[DynoMight]

Originally Posted by Blizzardry

Yeah, I'm more of a Trumanshowian or a Darkcityan. ...

Also, what's the dude got against heroin, cannabis and alcohol? Like nobody's ever had opiate-related awakenings (Coleridge, Beethoven, Keats anyone?) or alcohol or cannabis (Ancient Greece, Persia).

Also, taking mushrooms and LSD in themselves without a philosophical guide leaves one prone to believe the first convincing-feeling thought that arises out of the bubbling cauldron of the tripping mind.

Idiots. Still, it's a laugh, innit?

If you took just a little time to look at the Matrixism website you'd find that Aldous Huxley's novel Island and his essay The Doors of Perception are recommended reading. So Pathists do have a philosophical guide and are not left "to believe the first convincing-feeling thought that arises" while they are one psychedelics.

And who are you calling "idiots"? You're the one ignorantly commenting on something you know nothing about. To me that's idiotic. Not to mention that you advocate for the use of heroin. .... That's beyond idiotic.

ps - The movie Dark City made its way into the Matrixism bookstore. So while you can still be a "Darkcityan" you'll have to live with the fact that Matrixism has already incorporated and transcended your beliefs. Can you live with that?

[BeckyThatch]

Blizz,

You really shouldn't go around making derogatory comments about the religions of other people. A lot of agnostics would argue that being an atheist like yourself is idiotic becuase "How can you know for sure?"

This place is about comparative-religion afterall. We should be finding common ground not passing dumb insults.

I read the matrixism website. It looks pretty exciting ... cool, daring, even dangerous. Who knows, maybe I'll join.

[bgruagach]

***Moderator Note***

Let's remember the messageboard's Code of Conduct and keep the discussion respectful.

Ben Gruagach
moderator in Alternative section of Comparative-Religion.com

[17th Angel]

The tenets of Matrixism...

2. acceptance of the use of psychedelics as sacrament....

Where do I sign up? Will it be like when you go into a church they give you a bread crumb and a sip of wine... Instead you go in they give you a tab of sunshine yellow LSD. And some petroleum ether

[Blizzardry]

No, I don't usually dis other people's religions. But this is not a religion. At best its a piece of art. And art is game for criticism. In fact, questioning reality itself calls for criticism of religious beliefs.

When I saw The Matrix for the first time, I was quite impressed. As a reader of religious texts and a psychedelian, I was glad that it was made. It's practically an exercise in comparitive religion in itself, with all the right literature and religious references.

But...

It is a fictional Hollywood movie. It's not even a religious film, like The Passion. It's a bit of fun. Criticising a website that promotes the metaphor as religion is not disrespecting other people's religions at all.

Abdul Baha wasn't talking about a computer generated reality created by artificial intelligences to farm us for our bio-energy (I'm pretty sure!), and he is also an important link in the leadership chain for a religion that preaches against sacraments.

This is not just because I don't believe in the Prophecy of The One, or am willing to follow some stop-gap religion until He shows up. This is not a difference of belief debate. This is my personal criticism of somebody who for all intents is telling everybody to take acid and stick posters up with the word Matrixism on them. Nowhere on the website does it give information on what to do in a bad trip, any advice on staying lucid in the maelstrom of new thoughts and feelings, just that if you take acid, you're awake, and if you smoke pot, you're not.

Yes, I am advocating the use of opiates. Mothers in labour love a hit of the stuff as much as wounded soldiers or crazy classical creative types. It's a powerful medicine and used with respect is capable of providing inspiration and spiritual awakening, as well as instant relief from a wide variety of human pains. If you're going to dis a medicine on the basis that many people abuse it, then you're discounting all the alcoholics, the acid burnouts, the obese fast-food and chocolate addicts, and countless other things that people screw themselves up on.

This is not a religion. This is a piece of culture-jamming protest art, and an interpretation of a Hollywood movie. Similar to the Jedi way, which was an amalgamation of Buddhist, Hindu and the 60's ethos of Fighting the Man. Yoda is just Yogi and Buddha combined. A bunch of catchphrases a religion is not.

The spaghetti monster religion is one I like. It's challenging, and nobody really believes in His Noodly Self, but being able to say you're part of it challenges bad logic and may even help prevent non-science being taught as science in schools.

My faith in God remains unshaken by the matrixian heathens.

Peace, everybody...

[DynoMight]

Matrixism is most definitely a religion. In fact it's now my religion.

How can one not be offended when a atheist heroin junkie claims that the religion you follow is not a real religion?

Well I guess you can feel sorry for the poor addict.

ps to Blizard - We're not matrixians we're Matrixists or Pathists and the words are properly capitalized. So get it right and quit fomenting religious bigotry

[17th Angel]

Nah I see where he is coming from, I think it is quite sad when people get a bit "carried" away with films... Such as the Jedi thing. I kinda knew someone who made 'fight club' his religion, giving away all his things, everything, clothes, music, games, furniture and so on... I don't look at any of these as religions just as fan boys of films. Maybe I am being too harsh... Anyway have to go... The Cult of the One: Barney, is in session...


Hail the One!

[Blizzardry]

I'm not addicted to heroin. You got that completely wrong. I actually have a love and respect for the milk of the poppy, have enjoyed it on many occasions for medicinal and spiritual reasons.

"Matrixism is a newly emergent religion based on the motion picture trilogy The Matrix"

I have been doing what I do for longer than the Matrix movies have been out. I've read deeply into many religious texts and shamanic artwork, from the Epic of Gilgamesh to Tommy, and have plenty of experience with psychedelic awakening. I'm even the prophet for a minor religion of myself (my girl and my little brother and a few select friends who've agreed with me), so I respect other small religions starting out. However, if this is a religion, the info on the FAQ and the info on the front page sould be swapped. The main pages talk in terms of fact rather than metaphor, and go on to mention the time-line of the movies, recommending LSD and mushrooms, and denouncing alcohol and heroin (because nobody's ever been addicted to acid, have they?), and yet the FAQ explains that it's all nonsense anyway and they're really an amalgamation of metaphors. If it's a religion, it's an offshoot of Psychedelianism, founded officially by Timmy Leary with precedents throughout history among most cultures. But psychedelianism is not a religion, it's a practise, where the user is invited to compare dogmas and perhaps come up with his own.

But it's just one guy and a few friends talking about what they've seen in a movie and how it applies to what they're finding out about the world they live in. It's not a religion. If you call yourself a Matrixist, then surely you can see how the front page of your faith's official website is misleading?

No offense intended, but I would be equally disturbed at a Church of Trainspotting that advocated taking smack.

[DynoMight]

Well we disagree on many points.

You say psychedelics are addictive when in fact they are not.

You say heroin can induce profound religious experience. I believe that it doesn't.

... and the list goes on.

Anyhoo, to eack their own. Have a nice life and good luck with the opiates.