Jedi Q and A...Ask a Jedi

[philosopherthales]

I think basicly star wars was a movie series about good verses bad only to find out that good is related to bad.

This isnt the first faith to be spawned from a good story

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_All_Worlds

I wasn't aware of this. Thanks for bringing it up.

Is Darth Vader like your Satan?

Is Princess Liea like the Virgin Mary?

I don't think either of them existed.

It seems to me like there isn't enough material in the movies for anyone to be able to reconstruct the Jedi code completely enough to actually follow it. So how was it that this Jedi religion came to be? Did Lucas come out with a book of fluff on the subject, or did someone compile everything they could glean and then fill in the rest, or what?

You are right, the movies/books leave much to be desired. Yet, they give allusions to the code directly. Also, they show what the fictional Jedi did. By showing what they did, which was based on their code, they are communicating the actions that should be expected of Jedi. A persons personal morals can be pretty accurately concieved by paying close enough attention to behavior and action. A groups collective morals can be derived the same way.

The Jedi as it is now takes inspiration from a lot of sources. So, there have been filling in the gaps so to speak. What is missing is trying to be developed. There is the idea that we should take the base concepts used for Jedi (i.e.: Taoism, Buddhism, Martial arts, the Force(Ki), etc.) and expand on them based on their original real-life counterparts. For example, study oriental traditional medicine. Indeed, many pieces of the code can be different and still be true to the concept. The code was meant to preserve the heart of the Jedi path and lifestyle in the situation of Star Wars. Our code should be just as adapted to our real life surroundings. We should be true to the source (Star Wars) as much as possible I believe, so that we as a group stick together. Yet, adaption is needed and I trust we can eventually know enough to put together a worthy counterpart to the Star Wars fiction.

There are few versions of a code concieved by real-life Jedi. These are our way of trying to fill in the gaps with regards to a code. The 21 maxims, as posted earlier on the thread, was a list created by a Jedi study group. Here is another example of a document that tries to outline the Jedi path.

The Jedi walks the circle; She lives the Five Practices which enforce the Five Tenets, which nurture the Five Traits, which bring the Five Truths, which counteract the Five Misconceptions.

-The Five Practices; Meditation, Martial Application, Mediation, Awareness, and Self-Discipline.
-The Five Tenets; Peace, Knowledge, Serenity, Harmony, the Force.
-The Five Traits; Reliability, Objectivity, Humility, Patience, Wisdom.
-The Five Truths; Commitment, Self-Honesty, Learning, Sacrifice, and Guidance.
-The Five Misconceptions; Segregation, Religion, Complexity, Star Wars, Infallible.

http://www.freewebs.com/jediunited/JOD.htm

I think it is an interesting lay-out for an outline of the Jedi path.

Note: There is not really any one book of "fluff" that outlines the code that I know of.

 

[Rochir]

Is levitating hamsters considered a sin?

 

[philosopherthales]

Is levitating hamsters considered a sin?

no

 

[TrueQ]

Have you Jedi's got any kind of organization? All I can do is speculate from the movies, but do you have, say, padwan (sp?) learners or a Jedi council and such things? I gather so far that there are factions of some kind, which lend themselves to organization on at least some level.

Also, you guys don't use the word 'younglings' do you? I used that word before the Revenge of the Sith movie, and they said it so much that I can't use it ever again without sounding like an idiot, which really ticks me, since I liked it. Rant, rant, rant!

 

[Rochir]

How do jedi view other religions?

 

[philosopherthales]

Have you Jedi's got any kind of organization? All I can do is speculate from the movies, but do you have, say, padwan (sp?) learners or a Jedi council and such things? I gather so far that there are factions of some kind, which lend themselves to organization on at least some level.

We have "some kind" of organization. This organization is hardly set up to the degree of the movies or to the degree I think it should be. There are a few councils. One is at www.forceacademy.com. The other was recently set up (within two months of now) at www.thejedi.org. Having councils can be seen as organization, yet also disorganization because there are more than one. There is, in fact, a council meeting at www.thejedi.org today at 4:30 Central time. Feel free to join if you want (you have to register with ezboard).

There is also a non-profit organization set up by Brandel Valico (also on the council at thejedi.org).

As far as padawans, there are apprentice-master relationships (some people use the term mentor instead of master) . These are quite common.

There is also a few academies on the internet. The main ones are the Jedirealistacademy.org and one at thejedi.org. A person can sign up for classes (at thejedi.org, classes offered are: adept, creed (code), force, essentials (over-view), meditation, health and personal (studies)). people read lectures, and complete assignments, exams or projects.

That is the extent of organization that exists at this time. Defining the Jedi path still is a subject of much controversy. It is being dealt with slowly. Determining a ranking/hierarchy system has been done, but the ranks aren't exactly universally recognized. Developing an effective training program that trains Jedi to what should be the level of expected knowledge and skills (which would probably have to be off of the internet) has been thrown around, but it doesn't exist as of now.

Also, you guys don't use the word 'younglings' do you? I used that word before the Revenge of the Sith movie, and they said it so much that I can't use it ever again without sounding like an idiot, which really ticks me, since I liked it. Rant, rant, rant!

I have heard younglings used a few times and I have been around for more than 2 years. It probably has become more common since after Revenge of the Sith. I don't remember specifics too well, but I imagine it is mainly done in a joking manner. Linguistic memes...you gotta love ‘em.

 

[philosopherthales]

How do jedi view other religions?

There are a variety of views. For one, there are a lot of religions and a lot of Jedi (all relative of course).

The idea that all religions have truth to them is common. The idea that many paths/lifestyles can lead to the same place/goal is something that I have heard from Jedi. If you think of a city, there are probably thousands of routes to get to the place X from place Y. Some are shorter in length, have faster paces, bumpier, more scenic, less crowded, etc. Still, they all can lead to the same location and get you to your destination.

 

[Rochir]

So what, actually, is the distinguishing characteristic of the Jedi religion, as compared to e.g. pantheism?

 

[philosopherthales]

So what, actually, is the distinguishing characteristic of the Jedi religion, as compared to e.g. pantheism?

That is a very good question. It actually is one that I am stumbling over. I will get you an answer eventually for sure. Like I said before, if not from me, then from someone else. I will a.)research pantheism, b.)try to contact a few people about it and c.)try to figure it out myself. It might take me a bit though. I would like to portray us accurately, so, I am a little hesitant to make too broad of a statement like "it is pantheism" or "it isn't pantheism and heres why...".

I am a little busy. Like I said, a meeting is going to occur at 4:30 CST. The complexity of this discussion was not something that I first thought would occur. This is a good thing, yet, it shows my inadequacy at doing justice to the depth of the issues involved. I am sure that pantheism has indepth philosophy behind it. I am sure that it is somewhat related to Jedi. Yet, the relation (compare/contrast) is hard to describe for me at this moment.

 

[Abbadon]

Well, I have a few contradictions I see here. If the Jedi philosophy is made up, yet, it is based on Christianity, Taoism, and Buddhism - is it really made up (at least, anymore than those religions)? I think the idea of "made up", at least when it comes to it being a negative thing, derives from it being un-true. Well, is it un-true? Can I have an opinion that says it sounds more true to me than those other things you listed. Also, If I follow a hodge-podge of those religions with combinations that I derive myself, isn't that just getting doing the same thing. Making something up?

I'm saying, it's like worshipping Neo from the Matrix, even though the Matrix movies used elements from actual religions. Or practicing Lovecraftian magic. Other religions can at least claim that there's were revealed, or in some cases always around, but those are known to have been created as fiction, even if it was based on actual religions and philosophies.

Eclectics have been around for a while, and they combine different religions and philosophies together for thier own needs, and there are people that discover thier own religions, but there hasn't really been people that would follow a religion, that by it's creator's admission, is a work of fiction.

I don't really know what you are referring to when you use the term "potentium view".

The idea that there isn't really a light or dark side to the force, that there is simply the force, and "light" or "dark" is just a matter of how jedi focus themselves.

My view is that such titles are really rather meaningless. There is only one type of Jedi, and it consists of a rather narrow spectrum of thought and action. I see compassion as something to always follow, and never hatred. The Gray Jedi philosophy contradicts my view of reality pretty heavily. I am more willing to be guided by my own conscience than the will of the force when it comes to moral matters. Frankly, I question the idea of the Force actually having a will.

Though, another way to think of light and dark is "right-hand path" (caring for others, even if at the cost of the self) and "left-hand path" (caring for the self, even if at the cost of others), from what I've gathered. Though, not all religions/philosophies/schools of thought fall into "right" or "left", some call for caring for others as much as the self. Am I not too far off here?

 

[elijah115]

do you know how to use light sabres?

 

[Eudaimonist]

So, what attracted you to Jediism? Why get involved in that religion instead of ones similar in philosophy? (I'm not asking "why get involved in a religion spawned by a work of fiction?" I'll assume that this doesn't matter.)

I have to wonder if the appeal for this religion comes from the appeal of a certain type of hero -- the Medieval hero that is best represented in the West by the Arthurian tales. See here for an interesting article outlining four types of Western heroes. What do you think?

The reason I say this is that Jediism seems to add a "knightly" element to Taoism, Zen, and Shintoism, which may explain its appeal over the other philosophies/religions.

 

[AlexandraB]

Hello everyone.
Jedi spirituality draws heavily from Buddhism as stated before, but let me introduce a new angle...

"Tsenzhab Serkong Rinpoche was a massive man – a monk with shaved head, red robes, and a deeply lined face that made him look more ancient than his years. His humble, wise manner and gentle humor made him appear like the archetypal sage of fables. This quality did not escape the notice of Westerners who met him. Upon seeing him in Dharamsala, for instance, the makers of the popular film Star Wars decided to use him as the model for Yoda, the spiritual guide of the epic. Rinpoche never saw the movie, but would undoubtedly have been amused at the caricature. Rinpoche’s most outstanding feature, however, was his relationship with His Holiness the Dalai Lama."

I'm afraid I don't have enough posts to be able to link you to the url site this is taken from... apparently... but if you want to PM me, I'll gladly let you know the source.



So it is closer to real-life than you think.
In the last British census, an astonishing number put down their religion as 'Jedi'.. if the number increases by the next official census, by the same amount, Jedi will have to be officially recognised and classified as a Religion.

 

[Walruseater]

I just wanted to say that this thread is intriguing. Somehow I figured there might be a thread for the Force, and/or for Jedi beliefs. I think the Force is an intriguing idea, though it's kind of mind-boggling. It makes a good story, anyways.

 

[Sabra]

I've got a question, what is the prophecy (referred to in Episode I, II, and III) about and who is it a reference to?

 

[graysparrow]

I think the OP would do better by studiying a little theology