Physical TOTJO Temple in Texas Project

People are more important than the place. I haven't seen a coherent argument for building a temple except from the fact that a lot of people seem to want one.

Why build a library when virtually every city has at least one? As taxpayers you're already paying for one! The same goes for gardens, parks, and venues to meet in.

It just seems greedy to me, or elitist. At best, it is an odd kind of yearning to be able to physically locate a virtual presence.

On the other hand, the things that people want to happen in and around these temples should be encouraged.

Drexid, it sounds like you want to build. So build. Find people who are interested in co-op building and get involved. Report on the experience in your journals. Invite Jedi to join you on co-op builds but remember that it doesn't have to strictly involve "Jedi only". Everyone is a Jedi.

The same thing goes for just about every reason for having a temple. Gardens? Do gardening. Share your experience. Stargazing? Tell us where to go, what to look for. Invite people to join you. Camping/trekking/bushwalking? I'd love to do it. Every experience that brings someone closer to their understanding of the Force should be shared, explained, and encouraged. Having one physical location to do those things would probably weaken the experience, rather than enrich it.

Sorry. This is getting to be a rant now. Drexid, I hope you don't feel that this is only aimed at you!

I think that after all is said and done, everyone here will come to the realization that you need a temple so you can bail out of the rat race. Until that day comes, you will all keep looking out your windows beyond the horizon thinking there has got to be more to life than this.

Yeah, it would be nice to have a physical temple for spiritual retreats or group gatherings, but we tend to be spread so thin that having our own temple that the order owns just wouldn't be practical right now. And instead of trying to force it, it would be better if things just progressed naturally. When enough Jedi gather in one area, maybe they'll start having weekly services in someone's living room. Then maybe they'll rent a small space. Eventually they could raise the funds from the group in the area to fun an actual piece of land, the same way local churches of other denominations handle their own funding. But to just say, "Our headquarters is in Texas, so we should have a temple there" doesn't make sense.

As far as people wanting a place to go for retreats, there are plenty of places around that groups can rent for a weekend or even a full week. Many of them are religiously affiliated, but they tend to allow anyone to rent as long as part of your stay involves a spiritual service of some kind for your group. So if there was a group in one area that wanted to go on a retreat, that would be an option that wouldn't involve owning land that would only be used sporadically.

If I may, perhaps a temple can best be funded by guardians and sentinels performing missions, and by consulars offering facilities within the temple itself that people can use. That is the structure and dynamic of the fictional temple, after all.

Vagabond wrote: If I may, perhaps a temple can best be funded by guardians and sentinels performing missions, and by consulars offering facilities within the temple itself that people can use. That is the structure and dynamic of the fictional temple, after all.

inb4 "we're not fictional Jedi! *flounce*"

Vagabond wrote: If I may, perhaps a temple can best be funded by guardians and sentinels performing missions, and by consulars offering facilities within the temple itself that people can use. That is the structure and dynamic of the fictional temple, after all.

I've avoided becoming involved in this recent discussion, as a. It's irrelevance to where we are NOW as a Temple of Jediism, and b. Someone usually says something I would have before I can post it, and it's worded better.

The members here have real lives, jobs to keep down, bills to pay, families to care for. What many have proposed here is simply unrealistic.

The names you are using in your last post Vagabond, are merely fictional. Although they may be acknowledged and respected elsewhere, their titles and meanings are purely fictional here. You also referenced how things would be done according to a "Fictional Temple, in the mythos of Star Wars.

Jediism's BIGGEST problem are people who cannot not separate the movies and fiction of Star Wars from the Religion of Jediism.....which has little to do with the above mentioned. I've said it many times (here I go again, no offence). The Temple and Jediism would benefit greatly if they separated themselves as much as possible from the aesthetics of Star Wars...

Vagabond wrote: If I may, perhaps a temple can best be funded by guardians and sentinels performing missions, and by consulars offering facilities within the temple itself that people can use. That is the structure and dynamic of the fictional temple, after all.

The fictional Temple was also payed for by the Republic, but as for a real world facility, I don't see people requesting the aid of Jedi, nor people paying for that aid. And I really don't see the Temple charging for it either! I know I do volunteer work, and keep those in my AoR safe as I can, but I would never ask to be paid for that work.

Zenchi wrote:

Vagabond wrote: If I may, perhaps a temple can best be funded by guardians and sentinels performing missions, and by consulars offering facilities within the temple itself that people can use. That is the structure and dynamic of the fictional temple, after all.

I've avoided becoming involved in this recent discussion, as a. It's irrelevance to where we are NOW as a Temple of Jediism, and b. Someone usually says something I would have before I can post it, and it's worded better.

The members here have real lives, jobs to keep down, bills to pay, families to care for. What many have proposed here is simply unrealistic.

The names you are using in your last post Vagabond, are merely fictional. Although they may be acknowledged and respected elsewhere, their titles and meanings are purely fictional here. You also referenced how things would be done according to a "Fictional Temple, in the mythos of Star Wars.

Jediism's BIGGEST problem are people who cannot not separate the movies and fiction of Star Wars from the Religion of Jediism.....which has little to do with the above mentioned. I've said it many times (here I go again, no offence). The Temple and Jediism would benefit greatly if they separated themselves as much as possible from the aesthetics of Star Wars...

Which is impossible so long as we keep the name.

I like the name, and would leave if we attempted to change it....

I was calling myself thatlong before totjo and the online community existed...

It's not impossible, it only takes some effort focusing more on what the Jedi in the movies were based upon instead of the fiction itself, which is to a large extent, in my opinion, crap...

I spent last night reading all the posts I looked at them and woke up this morning and went into meditation. This is an old subject that grew very heated last time. I think multiple Masters and Jedi remember it well...I believe my opinion is still the same as it was then. I think it would be good but, a lit of work and devotion from not just Br. John or Master Jestor but, it would require everybody...honestly, I am uncertain everyone can. I founded my own small church about 2 1/2 yrs. Ago (I have a U.L.C license) I was A LOT of hard work...We never got a "building project" but, we founded the church at my friends house for a short time. We had 3 people to start off with and grew to 10 but, eventually I went to India and the Minister I left with them lost the attention of faithful and when I got back I had to close it...very hard to do. But, I never asked for money, tithes, offerings...NOTHING. What resources I had were solely out of my own expenses.It was a tough one...but, its not impossible. Its just gonna require the entire devotion of TOTO to achieve it.

I completely agree sven, we can't expect john to bail any payments out if we can't afford. It must be a community thing.

As for reasons we want our own place rather than just any old park is for meditation.

There exists methods of meditation which are truly amazing and beneficial. There are even more than just what I've listed.

1. http://news.discovery.com/human/life/worlds-quietest-room-will-drive-you-crazy-in-30-minutes.htm
We could make a sound proof room which allows one to hear your own internal processes as you meditate.

2. http://zrdavis.com/sensory-underload-ninety-minutes-inside-an-isolation-tank/
Isolation tanks are awesome and are notorious for allowing deep mediation. Ive heard it forces you into meditation.

3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsQh1AT6qUE
A giant ferrofluid tree would be good for visual meditation?

4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-MkZfgEDdM
These singing bowls are perfect to induce meditation and calmness.

5. Outside meditation in nature would be another classic approach. Perhaps incense burning? (causes changes in your brain akin to anxiety drugs)

Where else could you find all of these things in one temple?

We could offer all of these for free and receive donations for it all.

This reminds me of the discussions that occur when people plan intentional communities. I don't know why you would want land in the US. It's the most overpriced, overregulated, depressing, police statey, nazi, corporate a-hole place on the planet. For the amount that one person pays in rent for a year you could get great land elsewhere like Ecuador, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, etc. If you had 2 people pool their resources you could probably get twice as much, and so on and so forth.

I used to be one of those people who had to plan everything in advance. Days turn into weeks, weeks to months, months to years. Eventually you hit 65 and waste your whole life for what? Take a look back on your life and ask yourself what you're doing. Is it worth it? Is it really what you want to be doing? Do you enjoy cutting your sleep cycle short with a blaring alarm clock followed by force-feeding yourself, force-evacuating yourself, hurriedly getting ready and rushing off into high-speed traffic so that you can sit at a desk for the next 8 hours doing a job you hate for people you can't stand? Well maybe Cambodia is looking pretty good right about now isn't it?

Cambodia, heck no. I had friends recently visit relatives there and they had to pay off a customs/security agent to board their flight home, and I think you need to be an Indonesian citizen to buy land in Indonesia? PNG might be good if the locals were on side.... and it's close to a 'western' nation if evacuation or specialized medical care is required LOL I'm biased naturally since it would be close to home. What you going to do there Whyte Horse, meditate and survive, or help the locals in some way?

$1,400 isn't over priced in my opinion. The problem with other countries is that cost will be so much to be able to visit.

And with this texas location, there are many tourists.

Drexid wrote: $1,400 isn't over priced in my opinion. The problem with other countries is that cost will be so much to be able to visit.

And with this texas location, there are many tourists.

So do it.

Organise a fundraiser.

Buy some land.

Bring your vision to life.

I hate to put a twist in this but...

I have been thinking, as I get closer to retirement, of buying a plot of land and opening my own church that is incorporated in Illinois. I would be doing it on my own and under my own business name. As a clergy member of TOTJO, I may be able to get a tax break as a church.

It would be a Jedi Temple called M.O.S. Nespin and follow the teachings of the Temple of the Jedi Order. But because I incorporate it in Illinois, it would be separate, and I would own it. It would be like starting your own Universal Life Church. It is your church but you follow a doctrine created by someone else.

Having too many cooks spoil the stew, but feeding a multitude makes the stew very good indeed.

Why is this putting in a twist? This is exactly what SHOULD happen!

You know, I think I just got lost as I read all the posts. I thought I would say it so I could understand it. :laugh:

Connor Lidell wrote: Why is this putting in a twist? This is exactly what SHOULD happen!

That's one opinion, I suppose. Another would be that if it's run just like TOTJO by TOTJO clergy it should maybe probably be a subsidiary of TOTJO, in case of any trademark/copyright/IP (no, not that kind) disputes.