You may be surprised

I have decided that I should try to set out a little of the churches history for future generations and to bore the pants of everyone. You may be surprised.

The church came into being in the summer of 1998 and was first based on ICQ where, although it originated in England, it was mainly embraced by antipodeans. Apart from the creator the first member was a lady by the name of Dawn in Australia (screen name Midnight) who sought the truth and was keen to know what she needed to do to be initiated (I clearly recall both my thoughts and the eventual reply). Other members came from New Zealand and Tasmania.
Eventually the church moved over to ICQ groups where there was an influx of American and European members and there was much discussion about the best approach to life and it's problems.
Due to serious issues (I ended up without a computer) the church sort of flagged until it migrated to it's present home here.
At present the church is having a quiet time but it's doors are open and all are welcome. There is no complex initiation and you can come and go as you please. Ask questions if you wish, there is always an answer and know that this church will not judge you (unless you enter a competition or post stuff on Helium etc)

There's something missing

Actually there are lots of things missing, the main one being followers\members\enquirers but on this particular occasion I am referring to special days. Other churches have them whether they call them saint's days, feast days, holidays they have days where people do stuff or are excused from doing stuff or do stuff and then get excused for doing it.
We need this structure! Well no we don't need it, we just want it because we feel left out (hope no-one minds me saying 'we' I know I'm pretty much alone here but it makes me feel better).

Hence forth 24th April will be 'Laugh at a policeman day' because for years we have had to endure songs about, and animated models of, laughing policemen. Those who live in countries where the penalty for laughing at a policeman may laugh at English policemen by e-mail or may laugh at a picture of a policeman in private.
Please note, it is not necessary to do the laughing 'in the officers face' as it were and distance laughing is allowed.

lovefest

I would like to share a couple of thoughts which came upon me separately today but which fit with a major tenet of this church.
Firstly, I was re-reading a poem which I wrote to read at the memorial service for my favourite uncle which let me to consider how often one hears the same thing at funerals 'if only I'd told him\her or 'if only I'd visited' We are very good at being too late and we are not terribly good at talking about feelings (ok, I'M NOT, well I am english after all, and male)
Secondly, a point made by 'anonymous' on my honest box on facebook. the word love has been corrupted so it no longer seems ok to love a friend, especially if it's two men because 'love' is too closely identified with romance\sex.

I have a bit of a love\hate relationship with honesty box but at the moment I like it and it can be a great tool for expressing feelings you're not entirely comfortable with expressing openly.
Another tool I like to use is www.loveaboutyou.com (another facebook orientated app) where you can say nice things about your facebook friends.
Basically, I aim to tell people that they are special now and again, be more up front with my appreciation and certainly not wait until someone is dead before i realise I quite like them. I would appreciate people taking the same tack with me :) PLEASE

power and glory

just idly wondering (as you do at 1.00am) whether we should be conducting marriages here. Haven't really got a policy on any sort of partnerships yet but let it be known that the church of the terminally bemused will not dismiss any approaches out of hand.
Perhaps we could do short term\fixed term contracts or cyber only weddings. The world is our aphrodisiac shell dweller

a higher calling

amongst us churches there has always been friction and at the end of the day it often boils down to what it's all about, why we're here, what's the point.
Some say we are here to suffer, others that we are here to have a good time, then there are some churches that feel we are only here to serve others or prove ourselves, that we are hopping on and off a wheel of life (gets a bit Disney about there).
Well I think I'm here to smile, that's my calling and, as I'm the only person in this church it is now official doctrine.
When I'm feeling good, I smile (that's easy)when I'm feeling crap, I smile (that's confusing) when I hurt others, yep (but not maliciously just in a pain lessening way) and when others hurt me, they get a smile (and that pisses them off).
I am not adverse to evangelizing either, I have a sign in the window of my vehicle telling\asking\advising people to smile because it's fun.

Yep, I like smiling, I like seeing smiles and I like the way people react when I smile. It is my calling and I feel high.

decline in religion and religious belief

It does seem that as we move well into the 21st century religion is become less popular and we, along with many other faiths and belief systems are hard at work trying to solve the problem so that we can again enjoy crowded places of worship and the wealth that this will bring (not that any of us are into wealth of course).
I am proud to be able to share with you that this tiny, insignificant, non state funded church has found the solution.
VIRGINITY!!!!!
or....lack of it
Religions have always liked virgins whether it's to give to the gods, to the priests or to charity virgins are, or were, hard currency. But now, where can you find a virgin, yes, ok there are some but the other thing was that the holy virgins had to be drop dead gorgeous. No wonder they ran out!
So, we have no eligible virgins, that's a problem but we of the terminally bemused are not to be defeated. We are a church for deity\ideals sake, we are above the law, we make our own moral code, we define the world we plan to inhabit.

I hear-by make an official proclamation, a new tenet of this church.

Virginity is a state of mind.

If you become a member of this church you may now renew your virginity AND THAT IS OFFICIAL. You have but to believe.
Trust me, I am a high priest, I know about virgins. I'm on my tenth virginity and it still works.

Welcome!

do come in and join in some mutual worship and feeling good.
here there is none of that crap about leaving your troubles on the doorstep or allowing some random deity to wave a magic wand.
If you bring troubles here they will be laid out, examined and dealt with the only deal is that you also bring your happiness because we have to have some balance.

If you have any questions about the church, it's members, the universe or life don't hesitate to ask :0)