Why call yourself a Jedi?

There has long been discussions here about what makes a person a Jedi. What are the base requirements to be a part of that group? What keeps a person from being called something else? Is it simply that they want to be? Can one say that another is not a Jedi? Stuff like that.

I don't want this thread to be about answering those questions. All I want is to ask why YOU call YOURSELF a Jedi. What makes you say that you are a Jedi? If you don't call yourself a Jedi what do you call yourself and why?

This might be asking a lot but I'd like to avoid the "it's all just a label, don't think about it" discussion. There is use in that conversation, but it is meant for another time.

If you call yourself a Jedi, why? If you call yourself something in place of Jedi, why?

Thank you.

I call myself a Jedi because, for lack of a better explanation, it feels right to me. The mashup of philosophy, morality, ethics and faith that resonates with me did not fit in any of the other buckets I have experienced up to this point. Each organized religion I tried would somehow exclude some piece of my personal search for meaning in life.

The dialogue and behavior of the fictional Jedi seems to be inspired by philosophy, science and mythology that fit with my current world view. As I continue to study, I am still finding examples of the fictional Jedi representing real world philosophies that I agree with. I am also able to include aspects of various faiths without the rigid restrictions.

In short, "Jedi" is the easiest way to relate my search for meaning in life to someone else using a popular framework that they are likely at least familiar with.

I call myself a Jedi because it is an elastic term - one that has no fixed meaning and can be chopped and changed to suit the individual. Sure, we all have our differences. But also one thing in common. I am a Jedi.

I call myself a Jedi because for years I tried to fit my own ideas and philosophies into modern religion, and was ultimately disappointed in what I found. I have to say here, I've been disappointed by what I've been reading on this forum for the past ten days, too. In my view, we are all here temporarily, and we should take advantage of what we have and know and feel to somehow better society, directly or indirectly. In meditation, and in searching for the force, I have found the peace I looked for, that had eluded me for so long. Jedi is just a noun, one that had the portent to let others know some of my beliefs.

I call myself a Jedi because I wish to hold myself to a higher standard of living and spirituality expected of a Jedi. By claiming the term for myself, I subconsciously push myself to become a better man and claim control of a life that was beginning to spiral out of control.
Furthermore, I wish to become more spiritual and peaceful to combat my inner darkness and male something of myself. My outlook of the Jedi Order continues to evolve as I grow to love and respect it more by the day.

A lot of the cinema fiction fits my existing path in such a way to facilitate its advancement - but by virtue of the approach taken here... to look deeper beyond the drama alone of course! Perhaps just a future context to explore the material of interest from a galaxy not so far away but generally quite long ago. It's the right blend for my application of effort ie focus, to better arrange information into knowledge... with the hope to perhaps allow wisdom.

I call myself a Jedi because I wish to hold myself to a higher standard of living and spirituality expected of a Jedi.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kDso5ElFRg


Because calling myself a Christian attracts way too many negative vibes and ignorance (FYI, "negative vibes" is spiritual speak for "douchebags". I speak fluent Strine, Netspeak, Guru, and passable English...)


As far as I see it, being a Jedi is about serving others - I don't need to be called a Jedi, and perhaps I'm not one if it turns out that no "groups" say I am, but I'll do my bit as best as I can understand, and (to a certain extent) the "Jedi" community is more aligned with my path than perhaps some others are.



What happens when someone else calling themselves a Jedi does something completely unlike what I strive for?

Do I say
"They are not Real Jedi (TM)"
do I say
"I'm not a Jedi"
or do I say
"Yellow Shelf Potato Boat Kneecap" because words have no fixed meaning and apparently we can just do whatever we want with them.

At the end of the day I think I call myself a Jedi because it allows me to be a part of something more without making me compromise my own morals or philosophies. Nothing I've seen in my time within Jediism has asked me to go against what I determined introspectively to be good. I feel its important that each individual to justify their beliefs outside the confines of any organisation or dogma. It doesn't hurt that I was also heavily inspired by Star Wars as a kid, as I bet a bunch of us were, so becoming part and taking the name of a philosophy that matches naturally with my own means something to me.

I have not yet read the responses so far. I decided that I would answer my own question and then read your responses so that they might not color my own. Here it goes.

I call myself a Jedi because when I read through the Doctrine of this Temple I feel it call to me. I love the inclusiveness, the focus on right thought and right action because it's right and not out of fear of some cosmic reprisal, the idea of connection, the idea that what I view as right and wrong doesn't have to match others, that it's not my place to tell others how to live their lives, and let's be honest, I love Star Wars.

I call myself a Jedi because when I use any other word it just feels wrong. Nothing else fits, or I guess I don't fit into anything else.

I am a Jedi.

Reading some of these threads lately, I really have no idea why. Maybe, it's because I got dropped on my head too many times as an infant. I've considered leaving a few times, but keep coming back. The desire is too strong. I think I'm a Jedi, because it's what fits. I tried to follow Christianity until I was 16 (33 years ago for those keeping track). But when it felt like they were teaching me to hate, and not to love, I turned and never went back. I've considered plenty of times, maybe going back to it, but lately I just see the same old shit I saw when I was 16. I never see messages of love, messages of compassion for the poor, the marginalized. Just a lot of hunger for power.

And I've considered Buddhism. May still consider it, it's the only world religion that hasn't left me cold. Druidism has it's positives it seems as well. Jediism to me seems to be a blend of all, or at least to me it's a blend. I like the concept of no sin. I like the flexibility. Despite all my misgivings, the one thing I'd never lost faith in was the idea there was some higher power. That is what I think the force is, not an intelligent presence, but a connection between all people. I think right now I'm at the point where I'm trying to re-establish that connection, but I've been questioning if it exists any longer. Maybe that's why I think of myself as a Jedi, and why I keep coming back, so I can find that connection even at times when it seems as if I've been cut off from it.