A request

There were forums dedicated to the dark but they were archived. At the time I was against it, but as Jester stated it wasn't being used that often, as we didn't have nearly as many members back then as we do now showing interest...

You're probably not suprised if I say that I am against it. While I believe the Dark Side can and even should be freely discussed like in Mortose journal, I personally wouldn't like to see TOTJO confer and acknowledge titles such as Dark Knight etc. I think that would give the whole Temple a "sinister" appearance and might even lead to a rift in the membership. After all, there are already Sith orders out there were one can seek special training in the Dark Side, as far as I am aware.

Hence the reason I suggested it be more balanced, as I have been a member of all those orders and circles, and they're all unbalanced...

I go back to my statement of "I don't see "light" teachings here...

We are pretty balanced I think...

We are not light enough for some, and not dark enough for others, but yet it seems to work...

In my opinion, the dark forum was s flop, just as a light forum would be... Worse than the SIGs...

Oh sure, some have posted there, but, really, it always sort of peters out.. lol...

If there seems to be a need, we can bring the old forum out of mothballs...

But, I'm not talking about people asking, I'm talking about evidence in the forums that shows it necessary...

Dark posts continually showing up, being active... That kinda stuff...

I'm not sure why a Jedi site would start using 'Dark' titles. Someone who becomes a member here has accepted the doctrine as being the way they wish to live their lives. That is our definition of a Jedi, the training is just there if you wish to further understand the doctrine and The Force.

This is like the discussion that new members bring up about "Why don't we use titles like 'Consular', 'Sentinel' and 'Guardian'?" And the response is always "Why would we ever need to?"

Justify why we need 'Dark', 'Shadow', 'Light' etc. More distinctions by their very nature can be divisive.

Do you believe in the doctrine? Then you're a Jedi. Give whatever 'other' title you want but officiating them just complicates things.

Adder wrote: I'd originally thought that a dark component would be best pitched into the program as a post-apprenticeship optional component. So you'd have no 'dark' initiates/novices/apprentices instead just Jedi ranks, but perhaps a Knight firmaly established in some Jedi identity could potentially choose to specialise in being a Jedi Dark Knight type thing (versus a Dark Jedi Knight). I'm not sure if entry rank's should be focusing on it too much at a Jedi Temple though, irregardless of experience or suitability for a Dark identity/path, else it might deviate too much from Jedi and instead risk membership becoming too diverse (if that is even possible lol) and inherit the conflicting orientations from the fiction!?

Lol, I did some 'Dark Study' that was in the Jedi Holocron (I think) and as I wrote in my concluding remarks, either it is pathetic or that teaching material was just rubbish lol. It's all in my degree journal (and actual) somewhere.

We should have a forum called the dark room where anything someone posts shows up as anonymous.

I wholeheartedly agree with you Akkarin, it was pathetic, and I certainly hope that end of that spectrum isn't judged by such works. Many individuals do not come here to the Temple because of Jediism as a religion, but see this site as a respectable school of thought...

Proteus wrote: I don't see TOTJO teaching...partitioned aspects to something that represents unity between both dark and light...

Jestor wrote: I go back to my statement of "I don't see "light" teachings here...

Um. Forgive me, but most of this stuff seems pretty stereotypically "Light" to me.

scott777ab wrote: How about making a forum area for those who wish to speak more on the dark?
With headings on it saying that nothing in this section of the forum should be considered as sanctioned teaching from TOTJO.
Or something to that nature.
This way those who wish to talk about the dark here can, and those here who wish to read it can, but both will understand that it is not sanctioned teaching. It would give Mortose a place to talk about his views.

But beyond that would it be so bad or hurt the temple here to have more diversity and open new sections for Non-Light Jedi type teaching? What I mean, is TOTJO strong enough at its core to become a place where it could handle a "Dark Side" forum set-up, with new titles. Dark Novice/Dark Apprentice/Dark Knight Etc?

Just a thought that was came to my mind. Just wondering what the council thought of this, and what other members think of a new section for Dark Teaching?

Scott, consider FA for such things.

Ve-Lo-Zi wrote: You're probably not suprised if I say that I am against it. While I believe the Dark Side can and even should be freely discussed like in Mortose journal, I personally wouldn't like to see TOTJO confer and acknowledge titles such as Dark Knight etc. I think that would give the whole Temple a "sinister" appearance and might even lead to a rift in the membership. After all, there are already Sith orders out there were one can seek special training in the Dark Side, as far as I am aware.

I actually agree with you... Shocked?

As for those "orders", they have very little to teach beyond a "dark" themed version of a self help class. Useful for those who cringe at rose painted sugar coated lectures, though not for much else.

Think of the common "Sith" orders as training schools that focus on pragmatism, getting things in life accomplished and becoming a better you through applied selfishness.

Nothing they do or really speak of is all that controversial either...