Robes and Sabers

Streen wrote: I think it's just a personal preference. I mean, [strike]Jediism is based on Star Wars[/strike], lets be honest.

Jediism is developed from the same idea-source that made of Star Wars! We discovered that source trough the movies, not by the movies? There may be some appendixes though.. correct me on my words if needed :blush:

[strike]Most Star Wars Jedi do a really bad job embodying the ideals they supposedly live by. Star Wars is fairly useless as a source for real world Jedi, beyond the largely unreferenced (in-Canon) lore. Perhaps why many of us enforce a fairly manor separation between the ideals, and the cartoons which make passing mentions of them.[/strike]

I love Star Wars. It led me here. That's where the connection ends, for me. I own no robe and no lightsaber. If I did, it would not be because of my path, but because of my entirely seperate love of Star Wars. For me these objects when used by real Jedi only reinforce the idea that this is roleplay, that we believe we are the same as Star Wars Jedi. Force powers, mind tricks. No thanks.

Just a strong philosophy to live by and the rest is up to me. No need for magic tricks or plastic props.

I like the idea of robes being present in official ceremonies, ie. Knightings etc. (assuming others are present, or not). But otherwise I think it can easily come across as a bit gimmicky.

Sabers are down to personal preference. I don't currently own one but I might get one if I ever become a knight. Though by that time I'll probably see it as a bit too materialistic/self rewarding for a knight haha.

tzb wrote: For me these objects when used by real Jedi only reinforce the idea that this is roleplay, that we believe we are the same as Star Wars Jedi.

Ehm, a stupid question of my.. How can you be so sure that people do role play in this community (often), beginning to present time speaking. How many times have you encountered it?

I am a proud Role Player.

I love fiction

I Love Love Love! Star Wars!

It is because of Star Wars that I even found Jediism in the first place (I was googling Real Lightsabers)

I wear Jedi Robes

I play with toy Lightsabers

I also TRAIN with toy lightsabers (They are actually really good training tools! Very Sturdy!)

And because Star Wars played such a big and important role in my discovering of the Jedi Community, friendships, love, Life and Spirituality.....I will always honor it and it's teachings. Even if I have grown out of it's beggining roots it will always be part of my history. I would never deny that and am proud of it. As such, in honor of our roots (Star Wars) I wear Jedi Robes and Lightsaber hilts during Knighting Ceremonies and other Ceremony situations.

And when I go to Gen Con

Just because I am a Jedi dosn't mean I am not other things as well and i am more than happy and willing to enjoy my inner child from time to time.

If outsiders want to say I am a Role Player. I won't discourage it, because I am I am just other things as well.

Aqua wrote:

tzb wrote: For me these objects when used by real Jedi only reinforce the idea that this is roleplay, that we believe we are the same as Star Wars Jedi.

Ehm, a stupid question of my.. How can you be so sure that people do role play in this community (often), beginning to present time speaking. How many times have you encountered it?

Tzb isn't saying that people actually do roleplay, but the presence of costume can appear that roleplay is occurring in Jediism (as part of it). One massive preconception that Jedi deal with all the time is that we are simply 'pretending' because we like the films. Costume of any kind doesn't aid that.

Personally, I am uninterested in any exterior things that relate to my beliefs. I wear a inverted pentagram sometimes to represent Satanism, but mostly you couldn't tell what beliefs I have from the next person on the street. I like that because people don't then make assumptions about me.
At home, I feel these objects..robe, lightsaber etc are unnecessary. I admittedly cringe whenever I see Jedi wear robes and/or lightsaber in public.

I personally wouldn't wear robes or a saber for any spiritual purpose, though I do enjoy LARP and RP, and it's been a big part of my growing up. I've made wonderful friends that way. I just see it as separate from my spirituality.

But I do wonder, why it is so important that others take ~*Real Jedi*~ seriously or understand that they're not RP'ers? Is it about personal reputation not being tarnished? It just seems like it really shouldn't matter too much what others think.

Edan wrote: Tzb isn't saying that people actually do roleplay, but the presence of costume can appear that roleplay is occurring in Jediism (as part of it). One massive preconception that Jedi deal with all the time is that we are simply 'pretending' because we like the films. Costume of any kind doesn't aid that.

Mm.. then I have misread the post.. If I may ask, what would aid? Speaking out words would do?

It's not so much that it's important people know what we are - more that it's important they are not prejudiced against us for things we are not. It means people won't come here due a misconception of what we are, it means people openly mock us for things we are not. And whilst philosophically it might appear it shouldn't matter, we are all of us human. Having someone laugh in your face isn't an easy thing, for many people. Nor having people be dismissive of things we hold central to our beliefs and life as in some way ridiculous.

Everyone so far has said it is not inherently part of Jediism that we have robes and sabers, I agree. So why are those things so commonly associated?

Trying to sum this up.. I'm more interested in trying to avoid or minimise misconceptions than correct them. People going around in robes waving plastic lightsabers doesn't really represent what Jediism is about, for me, too well.

Carli wrote: It just seems like it really shouldn't matter too much what others think.

Word *bows*