The force

This is my definition of the Force and its not been changed much since I've passed through the IP:

When Jedi speak of the Force it is often in rather nebulous terms. The reason for this is that we really can't know such an all-encompassing idea. Some will call it god. Some will call it love. Others might call it something else entirely I am sure. If you get six Jedi in a room you will likely have 13 different views on what the Force is. So what do I believe it is?

The short answer us that I am not totally sure. I am not sure I will ever truly know or be comfortable that I have a solid answer. Heck, I am not even sure I can know. Which is why I like to use the Star Wars method of divided views on the force. I believe personally that there are two form or aspects to the Force.

The first is the living Force. This is the connection or similarities that all living things have. I link this to the fact that all living things generate some form of electrical impulse and the string theory. The string theory simplified is that at the most basic level all matter is made up of strings of vibrating matter. That the nature of these vibrations is what forms the nature of the atomic particle. Now, how do these things penetrate and unify us? Well, first we have bioelectricity that all living things create. As such we have varied electrical charges within the atoms of our body always seeking balance. Thus we exchange electrons with the world around us all the time.

This we are always connecting and sharing a part of ourselves with everything around us. As such we are all connected and dependent upon each other. Further, we find the vibrations of the string theory to give us all a common base layer. We all supposedly vibrate from within and this when we sense a connection with other living beings or places maybe it is that our vibrations synch or compliment each other and thus we feel close to this being or place than others whose vibrations are not as in tune.

Heck string theory is even a possible explanation for what some term as magic and others would call the word of god/s. In all cases, it is done through speaking certain words and performing particular actions. The words, in particular, are a good focus as they are a form of vibration. Is it possible that what we speak creates a ripple effect that impacts far beyond what we can see? Is it possible that this is how a divine being set the world in motion? Maybe. I am not sure if I believe that myself but on a personal level I believe at the least magical ritual exercises strong emotions allowing your mind to focus elsewhere.

So we have covered the living Force but what is the second. The other form I call the cosmic Force. It is the unifying mind or gestalt to all things. It is the concept of the Force that one might call the will of the Force. Is it a divine being as showing in the Abrahamic and other theistic faiths? Maybe. Is it an energy or another form beyond or comprehension that has sentience? Maybe. Is it simply the ripple effect of our exchange of electrical energy and the vibrations we put forward into this world? Maybe. This aspect is the one that I least understand and doubt I will ever fully grasp. I believe there is some kind of mind or sentience behind it or at least I would like to. However other than vague feeling at observing patterns that may have totally natural explanation (such as ritual achieving desired results) I have no proof of this. So what I do have is a hope of something more. The hope that there is some sort of compassionate driving power behind it all. I acknowledge that there may not be but hope that there is.

So hopefully this long winded ramble has summed up my views on the Force and what it is well enough that they are clear to others. Because at times I am not sure they are clear even to me.

Kyrin Wyldstar wrote: What makes the Bible any sort of authority? It is a collection of mythologies just like any other collection. That aside though, that passage does not even talk about behaviour, it speaks of being passionate or not towards God. In fact you can never be all good or all bad. According to the bible even one bad act allows your judgment by god as being worthy of eternal punishment. And we all fall short, right? You can say you chose the light but don't you still do bad things? So how can you call yourself good? In fact it is impossible to choose light or dark exclusively. We all exist in the Grey whether you like it or not. Its a consequence of existing in this reality of contrasts.

I wish I could answer your questions to your liking, but I'm not an expert on the Bible, just a Christian. I'm learning. As for it being "mythology", I can understand your point of view, as I once thought as you do. But I've seen too much, learned too much, to dismiss the Bible as simply a huge collection of fiction.

I do agree though that no one can be ALL good or ALL bad, but you can choose one or the other, whether you succeed or fail at it. However, bad actions are not what the Bible says deserves eternal punishment, but rather the choice of whether or not to accept Christ as your savior. I know that's a little hard for people to swallow. I didn't believe it for a long time, but according to Christ, there are only 2 commandments: Love God with all your being, and Love one another as you love yourself.

You're right, we all fall short, or in other words, we're all sinners. All we need is to follow those 2 commandments and we're okay. There is nothing we have to do, we need only love.

I'm not trying to be preachy here, I'm just sharing with you what I've learned.

It's weird to even think about my Horoscope. It's Libra. heh. well isn't it a sign that i might be the "Chosen One." I guess I prefer myself to be a Keeper of the Balance after all.

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and I love how a saberstaff represents it. two blades, one hilt. one staff, and a stance that represents an equilibrium.

this is so metal i'm mindblown. =__=|| xD it's very exciting for me too, since I'm a gray and i tend to be sort of like a passive protagonist in life.

OOOH! the cHOSEN ONE! yihihihi... just a little tickle before i rest...

Streen wrote: ... according to Christ, there are only 2 commandments: Love God with all your being, and Love one another as you love yourself.

No, these are just the two most important ones. The commandment about having your village stone any child to death once it disobeys was never cancelled.

All we need is to follow those 2 commandments and we're okay.

Citation, please. I want to know the chapter and verse where it says that this is the only requirement.

There is nothing we have to do, we need only love.

Yea, well, I can't just force feelings out of my being, they develop in relationships. I can perhaps fake a feeling, but then only so well and only for so long. And I'm pretty sure that whoever wrote those commandments knew that, too. It seems that the goal was not to make us love what we cannot, but rather to make us feel guilty about falling short of a deliberately impossible standard, so that we stay dependant and on our knees, servile.
Fortunately for us however, books are books, and much though we may take away from them, none of them are magic. They only dominate our lives to the extent to which we make them do so.

Oh Gisteron, why do you think so little of God?

Matthew 22:37-40(NIV)

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Upon Christ's death on the cross, he fulfilled the original 10 commandments. He died for our sins, so we don't have to follow the old commandments, and simplified them into those two shown above (which you might agree, encapsulate the first 10).

The stoning you mentioned was no law created by God, but by man. Jesus even said, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."

Love for God and others is not the romantic or human-relationship kind of Love you're thinking of. It's about caring for people, which I would think you agree as a Jedi is simple compassion for other human beings. Loving God, I will admit, is not easy, but it's also not impossible. He doesn't need our service, our actions. In fact he doesn't need anything. He's God. He's got it all. He wants it for us. To Love God is to Love oneself, because he loves us more than you can possibly imagine.

If people loved each other the way God loves us, the world would be a very different place.

Oh Gisteron, why do you think so little of God?

Gisteron's statement did not state anything that belittled the Abrahamic god. Forewarning, I believe in that being as the creator and saviour of our souls. But to use the Bible to prove the Bible is a self fulfilling prophesy. To prove something, one must be able to pull facts from beyond written scripture. But, as we learn in our IP, there is no point to faith if one can prove the existence of a personal god, such as the Abrahamic God.

To quote the Bible here:

"We walk by faith, not by sight" 2nd Corinthians 5:7.

That being said, and to bring the topic back onto home turf, I still believe in the Force. In my time identifying as a Jedi and looking for the Force in all things, my life has gotten better. I get along much better with my boss, work is easier (no matter how hard it gets), and my relationships with friends and family is getting stronger and stronger because I'm becoming more of an individual at can debate their opinions in a logical manner, rather than the reactive man I was before.

Yes, I thinkg God is real, but I also think the Force is real, and until given concrete proof either way, this is my path.

Arisaig wrote:

Oh Gisteron, why do you think so little of God?

Gisteron's statement did not state anything that belittled the Abrahamic god. Forewarning, I believe in that being as the creator and saviour of our souls. But to use the Bible to prove the Bible is a self fulfilling prophesy. To prove something, one must be able to pull facts from beyond written scripture. But, as we learn in our IP, there is no point to faith if one can prove the existence of a personal god, such as the Abrahamic God.

To quote the Bible here:

"We walk by faith, not by sight" 2nd Corinthians 5:7.

I'm not using the Bible to prove itself. There's plenty in there to provide proof of its truth. Here's a link that might interest you: Top 10 Reasons the Bible is True

I should point out that if you don't believe in the Bible, then why quote it to support your argument?

I'm not totally against your point of view, however. My life has improved because of being a Jedi too. The Force has guided me for the last 20 years. But it wasn't until I committed to the Light side and to a Christian way of thinking, that things came together for me.

https://youtu.be/BONp7WJ-Pwo