Questions that have crossed my mind about Jediism

We actually have a map here - TOTJO Map It's voluntary and only of Totjo people so it's by no means a complete "here are all the Jedi" map, but it's a start.

There's also the list here - Jedi List . It's also voluntary but includes some non-totjo Jedi so it might also help.

Just to help give you an idea.

1. What are the main goals of Jediism? What is it's view on the Force or is it up to the individual to decide?
To live by the Jedi Path. The Jedi Path isn't about you, it's about what you can do for the world around you by improving you.

2. What are it's views on marriage?
Find a partner that you can have a healthy relationship with, live your life. If you need help because things turn badly, seek it out. Etc, etc. Really we don't have anything concrete like "Thou shalt not divorce!"

3. Do Jedi here believe in telekinesis? If so, do they practice it? I hear some have practiced or at least have an interest in it. do they believe in any spiritual or mind powers?
I'm just going to leave this here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHElJ6jj4Ks

4. What are it's views on other religions and can you be both a Jedi and belong to another faith?
Absolutely, I'm Christian Jedi, there are many Pagan Jedi, and we even have Atheists Jedi. Actually ToTJO is unique in the fact that we have forums to help people better explore those areas of our lives through the Jedi Path. It's allowed elsewhere, but nothing quite as organized.

5. Do any practice any form of hypnosis? I know real Jedi don't emulate the Jedi from the films in every single way, but aside from telekinesis, it reminds of when the Jedi use the Jedi Mind Trick and how helps get them out of sticky situations.
Very few do, but we have at least one that I can think of off the top of my head.

6. What martial art do Jedi here usually do?
Up to the individual, though it seems to be a better received as "Choose a Defense Art" which spans all sorts of areas, to include those which are physically non-combative in nature (an example being that you become a lawyer, or you can even find it through journalism, art, etc)

7. What are the views on the afterlife? Is there a specific realm or do they wander as spirits, guiding and watching over others?
Varies from person to person based on their experiences, and sometimes based on their primary faith. Not all who are Jedi ascribe to it as their religion.

8. Are there any physical Jedi temples in any part of the world?
No, but we do have offline meetings, some more regular than others.

9. If the believe there's a dark side, how does one sense it?
Some believe in a dark side, some believe it is a facet of society's understanding for right and wrong, but isn't inherent in "the Force". If you can't tell, we're quite flexible.

10. How can you tell if someone is strong in the Force?
What RyuJin said

I had another question when it came to moral absolutes as it talks about what Jedi believe. It says:

"A Jedi believes In the ethic of reciprocity, and how moral concepts are not absolute but vary by culture, religion and over time."

Now what exactly is that supposed to mean? Moral concepts are not absolute? Maybe some are not and vary with time and cultures but some certainly are such as the murder of innocents, stealing (whether it is ok in your "culture" or not), abusing other people in various forms especially children and old people. Just because these things have been allowed doesn't mean they were ever ok. That one is far too vague and open to interpreting however one wishes.

I think the ones you listed are covered by the Ethic of Reciprocity.

The second part covers things like age that one can sign a contract. The "age of consent" is not the same in every state (USA), let alone every country or during every period. There was a time when it was acceptable for teens to get married. As 40 is no longer considered to be old, this no longer looked upon favorably in western cultures, as life expectancy is now more than twice as long.

I do agree that interpretation of this is not as lenient as some of the other parts of the doctrine, but I think it is more about being aware of how society and its beliefs can change over time rather than just saying "society says it's okay, so it's okay".

Every angle/thought/action/idea/etc cannot be covered no matter how hard we try...

And, you have pulled specific examples, should you wish to discuss how these specific points can be seen and discussed, then that can be done as well...

But, let me take a swing at it..

Now what exactly is that supposed to mean? Moral concepts are not absolute?

Your next statement allows that not all are absolute, correct?

Maybe some are not and vary with time and cultures

So, not all... Murder?

but some certainly are such as the murder of innocents

Who is the innocent you refer? I will take a guess, and assume you mean children?

I think we all agree...

Moving on...

, stealing (whether it is ok in your "culture" or not)

Well, again, ideally, you are correct...

But, I have stolen, and felt bad, paid for my crimes, and been stolen from... A little Karma perhaps? lol...

Being stolen from certainly put things in perspective... lol...

But, I doubt any here would say stealing is good...

, abusing other people in various forms especially children and old people.

Agreed!!

Dang if we are not just moving along!!



Not being snotty, or passive agressive, I am just goofy...

Just because these things have been allowed doesn't mean they were ever ok. That one is far too vague and open to interpreting however one wishes.

I think you are looking at it to narrowly..

How about:

Being gay?
Being black/white/Asian/Spanish?
Donating blood?
The whole vax/antivax argument?
Burkas?
Guns control rights?

Anyone else?

Every one of these, and tons more, are subject to a some type of culture...

If the front page says a Jedi believes so and so, it doesn't actually mean that any specific ones or all Jedi in this place or any other do. This gets back to what I said about mission statements. Yes, many sites have those, but what any one given member believes on any given issue may vary and nobody is expelled for disagreeing with any part of the "official" doctrine.

As for the question of moral absolutes, since this is one that never takes a month to come up all over again, you will find that most disagreement people in a cultural circle have over this is purely semantical. For instance, I reject the notion of absolute morality at any level, because I understand the word absolute to mean just that: absolute - absolved from consideration pertaining to it in any form, including any and all justificatory reasoning or any other discussion or criticism; and I happen to refuse to acknowledge any thought's absoluteness of this sort. Of course, the line you quote goes on to qualify that it means that morality is a matter of cultural context, and here the bit I'd object to is what the word morality even means. If they mean the set of ethics any society abides by, then yes, those do vary with time and culture, however we might feel about that fact in the meantime. To say that something is not strictly right or strictly wrong, however, just because somebody somewhere didn't think of it the way we did, I find is taking it too far, or seeing it too narrowly, if you will. On the other hand, saying that any given action, like physically tormenting minors for one's own delight over their cries of agony, is wrong irrespective of cultural context, doesn't in my view make it wrong "absolutely", because there actually are valid reasons why we find it so objectionable and it is not just a matter of some inherent and undebatable properties of the universe.
I think what the line means to say is that people may come from different backgrounds and have different opinions on things and while we cannot be required to condone, let alone embrace all of them, we ought not presume what is on somebody else's mind before we actually attempt finding out what is... Come to think of it, that sounds very ironic indeed, seeing how it is worded in a way that is itself presuming what every Jedi believes on this issue, effectively violating the thing it is supposed to establish. Go figure