questions about discordianism

[Professor Mu-Chao]

You may see a lot of Crowley talk, but I think most Discordians enjoy Crowley not for his purported magic, but for his ability to encode levels of meaning into his poetry and prose.

Got any suggestions of some good Crowley?

See the recent posts at http://www.principiadiscordia.com/forum/index.php?topic=11834.30

The Book of Lies is great if you want poetry with lots of hidden meaning, in the tradition of alchemy. My non-poem work of his is Diary of a Drug Fiend.

[Golden Applesauce]

Yeah, that could be.  The whole idea of taking some form of christianity back up is a weird thought that I'll have to think on.  Playing at being a christian as an order game with an awareness of it as an order game is a serious mind fuck.  And I've been away from it long enough, since 2003, that I dont' think I could get sucked back in.

Interesting.  Y'all are already fucking with my head in kool ways.  Happy I asked.

Play whatever game you will - but play to win.

Out of curiosity, what are you looking for in a belief system?

[Alethias]

Out of curiosity, what are you looking for in a belief system?

Now that is an awesome question.

Stupid as this may sound, I'm mostly looking for what works, for what enhances my daily life, for what gives meaning.  Skepticism works, but it's dull and dry.  Christianity is nice, but it either doesn't work or seems internally inconsistent(at least the flavors I've tried).  Zen Buddhism intrigues me, but feels like a con job to me.  I have Jewish blood sufficient to count as a Jew to the Rabbi's, and I've considered Judaism.  Looks interesting to me. I like the community aspect of Judaism, but I wonder how they'd accept my approach of playing, and playing to win as regards religion.  Islam looks horrible to me.  The sufi branch of islam looks intriguing, but it's ties with the rest of islam kinda throws me off.

Discordianism as a religion seems intriguing, but I've never met any discordians outside the internet, so I have no clue how it'd play out in relationships outside of boards like this.

[Bu🤠ns]

eh, i'ts all a con job...you just gotta pick the one that serves the best cookies.

[Jasper]

Discordianism as a religion seems intriguing, but I've never met any discordians outside the internet, so I have no clue how it'd play out in relationships outside of boards like this.

That depends on the people, as with everything.  I've lived with a Discordian before and it basically came down to our characteristics as people that made it what it was.  Which is to say, impermanent.

On the other hand, last KCon was friendly and congenial.  Everyone was basically pleasant and productive.  My only possible conclusion is that they bicker in small numbers or over the net, but come together and kick some ass in person.

[Golden Applesauce]

Out of curiosity, what are you looking for in a belief system?

Now that is an awesome question.

Stupid as this may sound, I'm mostly looking for what works, for what enhances my daily life, for what gives meaning.  Skepticism works, but it's dull and dry.  Christianity is nice, but it either doesn't work or seems internally inconsistent(at least the flavors I've tried).  Zen Buddhism intrigues me, but feels like a con job to me.  I have Jewish blood sufficient to count as a Jew to the Rabbi's, and I've considered Judaism.  Looks interesting to me. I like the community aspect of Judaism, but I wonder how they'd accept my approach of playing, and playing to win as regards religion.  Islam looks horrible to me.  The sufi branch of islam looks intriguing, but it's ties with the rest of islam kinda throws me off.

Discordianism as a religion seems intriguing, but I've never met any discordians outside the internet, so I have no clue how it'd play out in relationships outside of boards like this.

I'd recommend trying out different religious groups until you find one that you can't immediately poke holes in its internal consistency.  (Or at least a teacher who you can't "beat" in a philosophical discussion.)  Stick with it until you figure out why it's wrong, or you die, whichever comes first.

[Iason Ouabache]

I'm going to ignore what everyone else has already said and just go back to the OP:

So...

I'm fairly new to the whole discordian thang.
I've read PD, I've read most(almost all) of the books linked on poee.co.uk, I got to about page 155 of Illuminatus Trilogy and got bored, I enjoy reading posts here and elsewhere, but...

1) I don't smoke pot.  Not because I have anything against it, I just don't have convenient access.  Does this somehow make me undiscordian?

I really hope not since I have never smoked pot in my life.  I've never done any drugs, actually (unless you count alcohol). I don't know how I ended up here with all of these pot heads. 

2) I spent the first 37 or so years of my life a rabid christian, then about 5 years a disaffected christian, and then about 5 years an atheist/skeptic.  I feel like I traded from one order game to another order game to another order game.  I'm sick of that.  Any suggestions on breaking out of the cycle?  I feel like I don't mind order games, or disorder games, but don't want to be stuck in a cycle like that.  I could easily start calling myself a discordian, but feel like I could easily be just doing an equivalent trade to what I've already done.

Sounds similar to me.  I was a Methodist for a dozen years and then slowly stopped believing.  And I definitely know what you mean about getting stuck in the "skeptical" trip.  I've been stuck there lately too.  Every so often you have to hit yourself in the head and say, "Shut up, brain!!!  Faeries are real!!!!"

3) There seems to be a lot of in-crowd lingo and humor and understanding that I don't get as an outsider.  Should I care, and why if so?

It's a strange memeplex but you get used to it eventually.  Stick around long enough and you'll figure it out. If something is too confusing, just ask.  We won't bite... much.

[Bu🤠ns]

i don't really identify as 'discordian'.  unless it's useful in the moment.  it began like a sort of fungus around the taint...then it grew the more i questioned reality...now it seriously burns-to-pee.  it's like an overcoat...a nice set of trousers i wear when i'm bein naughty.  it's nice to take off when i don't need them.  when involved in some sort of attempt to change my environment discordianism provides a sort of contextual framework within which to work. 

because....well....because its fun to have an in-group who have the balls to tell you that you're FUCKIN DOING IT WRONG! 

you don't need a belief system....all you need is a good laugh.  and THAT'S THE TRUTH

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

You can make your own Discordia. The great thing, which you will find as you go, is that your own personal Discordia may well become the basis for some of the ridiculous in-jokes around here.

[Cramulus]

Everybody's Discordia is different
collect all 64

[Cain]

No questions from initiates.

Your mind would not begin to comprehend the answers without correct preparation.  This preparation begins now.

Find the nearest sink, and take a shit in it.  Record this event in some way for prosperity.

Do this every day for a week, then return to me with evidence of your results.  Then you will take the next step.

[Alethias]

No questions from initiates.

Your mind would not begin to comprehend the answers without correct preparation.  This preparation begins now.

Find the nearest sink, and take a shit in it.  Record this event in some way for prosperity.

Do this every day for a week, then return to me with evidence of your results.  Then you will take the next step.

Thank you for the offer of being my sensei, O Master Cain, but I decline.  I'm not any good at being an initiate.

[Cain]

THEN YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND THE TERRIBLE SECRET OF SPACE PSYCHIATRY DISCORDIANISM!

[East Coast Hustle]

please go stand by the sink?

[LMNO]

Ale, as far as I'm concerned, you're well on your way.

Anyhow, here's some more thoughts:

As far as Magiqueh goes, the furthest most people will go on this board is that it's style of conditioning and self-hypnosis that will change the way you perceive things.  Which isn't really a bad part; the bad part is that's it's dressed up in frippery and pretention, and often claims that the effects are external.

Any occult leanings most of us have (like the SSOOKN) are fully aware of this, but we think it's fun (and we don't claim objective results).

As far as "finding a religion" goes: most of us have come to the conclusion that a religion that was made up by someone else doesn't really fit us very well; so we create our own.  "Eris" means something different to each person... Which is a really fun way to start an argument.

Hold on... I have a Theosophy thread up on the roof... I'll bump it for you.