I've been reading through some of these posts on the study of the Dark Side, and I think that in the quest for knowledge, sometimes a certain amount of ignorance in certain things is bliss. You can tell a child to not stick his or her hand into the fire. They can either trust you and obey, or they can think you don't know what your talking about and try and catch it and wind up burning themselves to various degrees. Either way, the child learns that putting one's hand in the fire causes pain and harm. But all things considered it would be better if the child had listened in the first place and not burned themselves.

In many respects the Dark Side is simply Self. Selfish actions, Self-Centeredness. The Fear of losing what you think will make you happy and the burning and craving to get more. It is indeed a part of every Human Being. It says \"I'm going to get what I want irregardless of who I have to hurt to get it.\" It holds grudges and does not forgive.It operates through Anger and Hatred. It sees itself as the only true arbiter of right and wrong, it is right and everyone else is wrong (Only the Sith see things in absolutes - Obi-Wan Kenobi). The Dark Side starts ethnic cleansings and genocides in the name of religion. The Dark Side sees what's wrong with everyone else, but remains sinless in its own eyes. The Dark Side refuses to admit it has done anything wrong or could possibly do anything wrong and will kill to protect this false image it has of itself.

I would listen to Master Yoda's warnings about the Dark Side, and heed them well. Don't start down that path. It only leads to one's self destruction. If you doubt this, just check out the local prison populations, or any given day on the news. Too many people give way to the Dark Side and the world shows the scars and wounds from it.

One must admit the Dark Side exists within themselves, (He who says he has no sin deceives himself and the Truth is not within him). But admitting its existence and turning to it are two different things.

Yes, I'm being a bit preachy. I've just seen too many people think they can play with fire without getting burned and then find out they've been consumed before they realize what has happened to them.

In many respects very true, whilst were seemingly in the mood for StarWars quotations (something I personally dislike)

But all things are true to someone, 'Prom A Certain Point Of View'

The Force itself knows no Light or darkside, The Force simply is.

It us humankind that manifests Light Or Dark (or any shade of grey in-between) thru behaviour and action. We all have a Light Side and a Dark Side the level too which one dominantly leans I guess is what 'labels' us.

So yes, you could warn one about the dangers of leaning in one direction, but is this also not true of leaning too far in the other direction? Is it possible to be too Lightside.

If all things are taken in balance and moderation, then surely it is possible to be too light as well as dark.

Without Light, there is no dark, with no dark there is no light, many things have there equal opposites, tall, short, fat thin, good bad/evil, the list goes on.

Preachy is one term, gently reminders never hurt though

Like in the discussion of emotions, an awareness and acknowledgement of the darkside in all of us is prudent. As you suggested yourself, there comes a point when leaning becomes falling, but is it truly an unrecoverable fall? Im not sure it is, but fear of losing something often prevents the recovery, using Starwars again, vader saw the light (it was blue/green and luke was holding it ) but the Emperor, well, im sure he was pretty much a lost cause, as I suggested, his fear would be the loss of power.

MTFBWY - A

Describe a situation where it would be actually harmful to be \"too lightside\" as you put it.

Acting in the Light or acting in the Dark both have their consequences. The consequences of the Darkness are always destructive and harmful.

Jesus said you would know a tree by it's fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. Walking in the Light isn't going to produce harmful results, and walking in darkness isn't going to benefit anyone in the long run.

I can see you're going to follow me around on the forum and make sure I don't cause too much trouble, eh Kana?

I do wonder why you would want to distance yourself from Star Wars. From my point of view, that would be like a Jew trying to distance himself from the Torah or Moses because he thought it hurt the credibility of Judaism to be associated with them.

Another analogy is that it is like climbing out on a limb and trying to saw off the rest of the tree.

The term \"Jedi\" and the belief in the Force as such began with the Star Wars movies. The primary source of instruction about it comes from there as well. Yes the movies may be fiction. Yes, some people may shake their heads and wonder why some people would \"take that stuff so seriously\". But no matter what, that is the way it has been for many religions no matter the source throughout history.

Personally, I used to use quotations and illustrations from Yoda in my sermon and Bible Study illustrations all the time because people could relate to them as a common mythology we all understand and share because there are few people in our American culture and especially my generation who haven't seen those movies.

I would challenge you that if you're going to be a Jedi, then don't be ashamed of it or where it comes from. Be a Jedi.

Two thousand years ago, a group of people chose to follow a man who was homeless, and was constantly butting heads with the religious authorities of his day. So much so that they had him executed as a traitor and enemy of the state by the most humiliating death possible. To continue to proclaim allegiance to the man would likely have seemed outright laughable and I'm sure some people on hearing it shook their heads sadly.

Yet Paul, a man who had been one to arrest and beat these poor fools, not only became one himself but proclaimed proudly that he was not ashamed of that humiliating device of torture known as the cross, because he considered it the power of God for salvation to all who believe. He went to prison for it himself, and was eventually beheaded proclaiming the same message. Today, few people if any remember the people who shook their heads at him. No one can forget St. Paul the Apostle of Jesus Christ.

If you're going to do this thing, then do it. If the force is worthy of your faith, then trust it and don't be ashamed of where it comes from.

Not following anyone anywhere, I just happen to be on earlier than most and get posts in first. Of course if you'd prefer absolutely no-one replies to you then that too is fine and peoples own decision, as you seem to dislike my replies after this, I will reply to you no more.

I think you will find the word Jedi has a number of possible origins, Jediism (as we know it) was in existence long before Mr Lucas bolted a name to it, indeed long before the moving image was dreamt of.

Its not a case of shame etc, it is a simply matter of distinguishing between Jedist and Jedi

These two are not the same.

The Force is comparable, and to many the same as what you might call God or The Holy Spirit (or even the entire Holy Trinity) whilst for others it is Mother Nature. For others, The Force is another one of 'Gods' gifts like gravity etc etc etc. As said elsewhere many times, the force is many different things to many different people, and no person is necessary right or wrong.

Example of being too light... try researching the 'White Knight Syndrome'

MTFBWY - A / MTFSYW / MYGGWY

I didn't say I disliked your replies. And how would it benefit anyone if we always agreed? Those that always agree with one another never grow and stagnate in their knowledge and understanding. \"As iron sharpens iron...\" In order for iron to sharpen iron, there will be much friction and some sparks. It doesn't mean that the sharpening isn't a good thing. Without friction and sparks, it remains dull and useless.

Well I would like to say that in some respects I disagree with you. I disagree that your comment about darksiders dealing in absolutes. I am a darksider and can say with some relative ease that I do not deal in absolutes why because they are follies in the aspect of non adaptions, rarely flexible and rarely and absolute truth.

White Knight Syndrome, as I understand it, has less to do with compassion than it does with maintaining one's image of oneself as \"the good guy.\" This can become dangerous in and of itself when that same person has it proven to them that they are not. This is the Dark Side dressed up in good guy clothing. Not always easy to see, but the consequences of it will follow. Truth will always bear itself out to be Truth.

White Knight Syndrome has nothing to do with it. Even a darksider can help someone without thought of reward. I have and I know seveal others have as well. White Knight Syndrome is more about helping everyone and forgetting about yourself sometimes. And again yes I am being argumenative in the fact that perhaps your misconception whether it be that or not is based on the fact of lack of knowledge and intreptation. Like Master Kana said the Force knows no difference between light and dark the Force is just that the Force that binds all and everything. \"The Force binds us, makes us grow.\" It is in everything and everyone, Light or Dark. Many choose not to recognize it more than just a form of intution. Now for the main condrum. Darkness is but just an absence of light where as light is just but an absence of dark. Both are infinte and patient.

Perhaps I missed this somewhere, but what is your definition of the Dark Side, Mistress Azrel?

Well you know, where there is life everything becomes a potential danger. Even water. Drink too little and you have dehydration, drink too much and you have a brain haemorrage. Even a burnt marsh mallow burnt over a fire can cause cancer. Being \"good\" or \"evil\" is no exception.