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Matrixism or The Path of the One is a purported religion inspired by the motion picture trilogy The Matrix. Conceived by an anonymous group in the summer of 2004 it claims to have attracted 300 members by May of 2005, and the religion's Geocities website claims "over sixteen hundred members". There is some debate about whether followers of Matrixism are indeed serious about their practice; however, the religion (real or otherwise) has received significant attention in the media.
Matrixism is described by its founders as a syncretic or ecumenical religion. Though Matrixists cite references to "the matrix" from an obscure text of the Bahá'í Faith, called "The Promulgation of Universal Peace", to make a connection with broader world religious history, the commercial Matrix trilogy, along with related mass media products such as video games, is generally considered to be the "sacred text" of the movement.
Matrixism carries with it four main beliefs that are described as "The Four Tenets of Matrixism". Briefly these are: belief in a messianic prophecy, use of psychedelic drugs as sacrament, a perception of reality as multi-layered and semi-subjective, and adherence to the principles of at least one of the world's major religions. The Matrixism website singles out April 19 as a holiday - otherwise known as Bicycle Day, April 19 marks the anniversary of Albert Hofmann's 1943 experiment with LSD.
The adopted symbol for Matrixism is the Japanese Kanji symbol for "red". This symbol was used in the video game Enter the Matrix. The color is a reference to the redpill, which represents an acceptance of and ability to see truth, as established early in the first Matrix film.
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References
- Bouma, Gary (2007). Australian Soul, Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521673891
- ^ Morris, Linda (May 19 2005). "They're all God Movies". NPR. Retrieved 2006-08-05.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help)CS1 maint: year (link) - Moscaritolo, Maria (12 June 2006). "Matter of faith". News Limited Australia. Retrieved 2007-04-24.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help)CS1 maint: year (link) - J. Gordon Melton (2007). "Perspective New New Religions: Revisiting a Concept". The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions. 10 (4). The Regents of the University of California. ISSN 1092-6690.
- ^ Possamai, Adam (2005). "Religion and Popular Culture: A Hyper-Real Testament", Peter Lang Publishing Group. ISBN 90-5201-272-5 / US-ISBN 0-8204-6634-4 pb.
- ^ Jordison, Sam (April 8 2006). "Everything you always wanted to know about sects". The Scotsman. Retrieved 2007-05-04.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help)CS1 maint: year (link) - ^ Johnson, Phil (April 10 2005). "Matrixism". Circle of Pneuma. Retrieved 2007-04-02.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help)CS1 maint: year (link) - ^ Jordison, Sam (2005). The Joy of Sects: An A-Z of Cults, Cranks and Religious Eccentrics: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sects But Were Afraid to Ask, pp 127-9, Robson Books. ISBN 1861059051
- Kasriel, Alex (2006). "The joy of sects". The Sun. Retrieved 2007-06-03.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - Kazan, Casey (19 April 2007). "Matrixism -"The Path of the One" Religious Movement". Daily Planet. Retrieved 2007-06-03.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help)CS1 maint: year (link) - ""Nieuw geloof"". Esquire Magazine Netherlands. 24 May 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-14.
English translation: Because there is nothing more fun than discussing a film, 1400 fans of the film have set up a new religion, Matrixism (not to be confused with Marxism). Just like their hero Neo from The Matrix, they release themselves from The Matrix with a red pill.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help)CS1 maint: year (link) - "Matrixism -"The Path of the One"". Esquire Magazine UK. Zinio. January 19, 2007.
The 1,400 worldwide "Matrixists", or "Pathists", cite the three Matrix films as their religious texts. Like Matrix hero Neo, they choose to free themselves from the Matrix
- Kohn, Rachael. The Spirit of Things, Australian Broadcasting Corporation Radio National, August 20 2006.
- Whibley, Amanda (18 November 2005). "God.com: Preaching the Word in a consumer-driven world". University of Western Sydney. Retrieved 2007-03-24.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help)CS1 maint: year (link) - Hofmann, Albert (1980). "From Remedy to Inebriant". LSD: My Problem Child. New York: McGraw-Hill. p. 29. ISBN 978-0070293250.
{{cite book}}: External link in|chapterurl=|chapterurl=ignored (|chapter-url=suggested) (help) - Wachowski Brothers (1999). The Matrix (DVD). Warner Bros.
External links
- "Matrixism: The Path of the One". Retrieved 2007-03-24.