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How does the Jedi Religion compare to it's fictional counterpart in Star Wars?

Rainbow Mage

Rainbow Mage

Lib Democrat/Agnostic/Epicurean-ish/Buddhist-ish
Since there is a Jedi religion now, does anybody on here know anything about it they could share? Ethics, values, beliefs, etc.? How it compares to it's counterpart in the Star Wars movies?
 
Riverwolf

Riverwolf

Amateur Rambler / Proud Ergi
Premium Member
Well, I'm sure the real life Jedis are far wiser than their fictional counterparts. lol
 
The Sum of Awe

The Sum of Awe

Brought to you by the moment that spacetime began.
Egyptian Phoenix said:
Since there is a Jedi religion now, does anybody on here know anything about it they could share? Ethics, values, beliefs, etc.? How it compares to it's counterpart in the Star Wars movies?
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The ethics vary, but most take a Taoistic branch of ethics, but instead of the Tao's "Being with Nature" the Jedi's say "Being with the Force".


As for its comparison to the Star Wars movies - It doesn't all that much, it completely leaves out the light sabers and FTL travel, etc. :( Sadly. But it does have the Jedi philosophical ideology in it. Perhaps the only thing Jediism really takes from the movie is the Jedi name and philosophy.





I'm a Jedi4Life
 
Shadow Wolf

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
It does follow it pretty good, but of course you have to subtract the psychic abilities. But the basis Lucas used for the Jedi are a few real paths and religions, such as Tao, Buddhism, Bushido, and maybe even Confucianism. I don't remember all of which ones exactly, but the concept for a Jedi was pretty much a blending of philosophies that had existed way before Lucas was even born.
 
Photonic

Photonic

Ad astra!
I actually like the philosophy of Jediism. I find it refreshing and open minded.

Also it's a good middle finger to the government ahahahaha.
 
Otherright

Otherright

Otherright
Photonic said:
I actually like the philosophy of Jediism. I find it refreshing and open minded.
Click to expand...

Then read eastern thought. Its a blatant rip off of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucian thought, etc. I personally find nothing remarkable in it whatsoever. Taking an ancient ideology and adding fictional folk magic effects to it is not at all impressive.
 
Photonic

Photonic

Ad astra!
Otherright said:
Then read eastern thought. Its a blatant rip off of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucian thought, etc. I personally find nothing remarkable in it whatsoever. Taking an ancient ideology and adding fictional folk magic effects to it is not at all impressive.
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Big deal. I like those too. What makes this one any less valid?
 
Otherright

Otherright

Otherright
Photonic said:
Big deal. I like those too. What makes this one any less valid?
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Because those are real philosophies that act as religions. Jediism is science fiction trying to be a philosophy by stealing the ideas of other philosophies and trying to pass them off as something unique.
 
Riverwolf

Riverwolf

Amateur Rambler / Proud Ergi
Premium Member
Otherright said:
Because those are real philosophies that act as religions. Jediism is science fiction trying to be a philosophy by stealing the ideas of other philosophies and trying to pass them off as something unique.
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Dude, the name "Jediism" is taken from the word "Jedi", which doesn't claim to be unique. It's no secret that Lucas based the philosophy on existing religions and philosophies, and I don't think real-life Jedis claim to be unique from those ones, either.

To me, it just seems like a combination of the philosophies using terminology that the people can relate to. I, for one, think that's a good thing.
 
Otherright

Otherright

Otherright
Riverwolf said:
Dude, the name "Jediism" is taken from the word "Jedi", which doesn't claim to be unique. It's no secret that Lucas based the philosophy on existing religions and philosophies, and I don't think real-life Jedis claim to be unique from those ones, either.

To me, it just seems like a combination of the philosophies using terminology that the people can relate to. I, for one, think that's a good thing.
Click to expand...

What is the point of it then? You are going to miss out on the beauty of having a brief connection of realization to what the Tao genuinely is, or the deeper meaning of the four noble truths.

These aspects are shrouded by adding nonsensical myth to something that to many of us is a glimpse into the divinity of humanity. Instead green midgets use middle-speak to convey the thoughts that our own ancient sages shared with us ages ago. That's how your getting you zen? In fantasy? How will you ever know the reality of it?
 
Riverwolf

Riverwolf

Amateur Rambler / Proud Ergi
Premium Member
Otherright said:
What is the point of it then? You are going to miss out on the beauty of having a brief connection of realization to what the Tao genuinely is, or the deeper meaning of the four noble truths.

These aspects are shrouded by adding nonsensical myth to something that to many of us is a glimpse into the divinity of humanity. Instead green midgets use middle-speak to convey the thoughts that our own ancient sages shared with us ages ago. That's how your getting you zen? In fantasy? How will you ever know the reality of it?
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...I get the sense that you don't really like Star Wars, do you?

Mythology is used to explain truths. Does it matter what form it takes? Does it matter what words we use?

The words of the ancient Sages can seem really distant and impersonal to many people. Having the same truths presented in a fresh way can help bring the truths into perspective.
 
Photonic

Photonic

Ad astra!
Otherright said:
What is the point of it then? You are going to miss out on the beauty of having a brief connection of realization to what the Tao genuinely is, or the deeper meaning of the four noble truths.

These aspects are shrouded by adding nonsensical myth to something that to many of us is a glimpse into the divinity of humanity. Instead green midgets use middle-speak to convey the thoughts that our own ancient sages shared with us ages ago. That's how your getting you zen? In fantasy? How will you ever know the reality of it?
Click to expand...

Yea, why do you care how they arrive at the same conclusion?
 
Otherright

Otherright

Otherright
Riverwolf said:
...I get the sense that you don't really like Star Wars, do you?

Mythology is used to explain truths. Does it matter what form it takes? Does it matter what words we use?

The words of the ancient Sages can seem really distant and impersonal to many people. Having the same truths presented in a fresh way can help bring the truths into perspective.
Click to expand...

Its OK, as science fiction. This is just an old argument for me. One of my best friends is
the biggest Star Wars geek I've ever met. He's so bad, as a prank one night, some of our friends created a facebook page for him. The quote was, "A Star Destroyer has 24 windows on each side."

I've always said, "Never get your religion from a science fiction writer." Remember Hubbard. Yeah... When I say this, my friends often remind me I'm a writer, to which I correct, "I don't write religion. I may do research and write an essay on religion, but I don't write religion.

I'm not saying Jediism is a religion, but with its mythological references, it can be. Its dependent on the adherent.
 
Photonic

Photonic

Ad astra!
Otherright said:
Because they don't arrive at the same conclusion.
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Prove they don't. Show me why you remain on the high ground here. Or is this just an unwelcome intruder into your belief system that you despise on principle with no actual reason.

If it was me, I would be happy someone else is studying the tenants of the faith I adhere too, even if it wasn't the exact same.


After all, imitation is the highest form of flattery.
 
Otherright

Otherright

Otherright
Photonic said:
Prove they don't. Show me why you remain on the high ground here. Or is this just an unwelcome intruder into your belief system that you despise on principle with no actual reason.

If it was me, I would be happy someone else is studying the tenants of the faith I adhere too, even if it wasn't the exact same.


After all, imitation is the highest form of flattery.
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Because it is shrouded in myth. Like I said earlier, how will you come to fully understand the Tao or the four noble truths if you are chasing fantasy?

If someone wrote a movie about a knight that slayed dragons and saved the people of his land, and at the end they nailed him to a cross, would you get a better understanding of Christianity?
 
Photonic

Photonic

Ad astra!
Otherright said:
Because it is shrouded in myth. Like I said earlier, how will you come to fully understand the Tao or the four noble truths if you are chasing fantasy?

If someone wrote a movie about a knight that slayed dragons and saved the people of his land, and at the end they nailed him to a cross, would you get a better understanding of Christianity?
Click to expand...

Do you know how easy it would be to turn your very comment in on yourself?


As to the last bit, that doesn't make sense. Unlike Jediism, which has essentially the exact same ideologies in and out of the movies, there is nothing to relate except the cross.
 
Otherright

Otherright

Otherright
Photonic said:
Do you know how easy it would be to turn your very comment in on yourself?


As to the last bit, that doesn't make sense. Unlike Jediism, which has essentially the exact same ideologies in and out of the movies, there is nothing to relate except the cross.
Click to expand...

That is exactly the point. You aren't going to understand eastern thought though Jediism, because it is shrouded in nonsense. The mix and match of what they try to relate, is a bastardization of eastern thought.

You get no closer to understanding eastern thought than you would christianity by the example I provided.
 
Otherright

Otherright

Otherright
Here let me throw you a couple of examples:

[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]"The Force allows us to make choices and make mistakes. It does not interfere, but lets us find out for ourselves what is right or wrong based on the natural order of things including negative or positive consequences to our individual and collective actions."

The 1.5 billion + dharmic adherents call this karma, and have for thousands of years.

[/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]"There is one all powerful force that binds the entire universe together. It is an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together" --George Lucas.

This is an aspect of the Tao.

Stop bastardizing others' philosophies and passing it off as your own, for monetary gain. Some of us take the study of these things seriously. Keep your myth away from our ideologies.
[/FONT]
 
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