Rank Names and Are They Important

Avalonslight wrote: Or do you change guest to member but not require the application until after completion of the IP in order to become an apprentice? Now that would certainly drop the application processing work load I'm sure!!

But would doing that alleviate the call for the "you shouldn't be a member until you do the work" crowd? I highly doubt that.

I think this is an awesome idea. Let's get rid of the "guest" rank, let everyone be a member from the get go, and only solicit "formal application" upon completion of the IP. Works for me.

Manu wrote:

Avalonslight wrote: Or do you change guest to member but not require the application until after completion of the IP in order to become an apprentice? Now that would certainly drop the application processing work load I'm sure!!

But would doing that alleviate the call for the "you shouldn't be a member until you do the work" crowd? I highly doubt that.

I think this is an awesome idea. Let's get rid of the "guest" rank, let everyone be a member from the get go, and only solicit "formal application" upon completion of the IP. Works for me.

There's a reason the application needs filled out before one can be considered a member of the temple. Several, actually. Not everyone comes here with good or Jedi intentions and to have those people reflected immediately as members could be a big mistake. Not just for forum situations, but possibly even legally.

Besides, I like my new rank and would like to keep it a while longer.

Manu wrote: I think this is an awesome idea. Let's get rid of the "guest" rank, let everyone be a member from the get go, and only solicit "formal application" upon completion of the IP. Works for me.

There are times when churches need to keep solid membership logs. Doing this would make it difficult to really keep track of that.

Not only that, but "Guest" is a great way to interact without joining a church. It's like visiting. I like it when people visit.

For what it's worth, I actually preferred being a "Member" - to me it said "Member of TotJO, vague adherer to Jediism principles" Now thanks to (probably Wes) I'm a "Novice", I have to look like I'm studying something, I'm....striving....for more Jediness.

Still, it's a lot like Carlos says - we use the term Rank, but it's not really Rank. A Knight doesn't get paid more, doesn't have executive authority, isn't *necessarily* a "better" Jedi. They've just...done what they do.


Rank systems...have merit....in certain organisations. Ari mentioned something about armed forces, some others have mentioned Catholic church type scenarios - Neither of which are what Jediism promotes, or what TotJO is.


But...the label is handy.

I know most of the...regular Forum folk by name, and have a rough personal opinion of them, but that has taken...eighteen months.
It can be handy to have a ...rough guide as to who people are and what they do....

Say if a Knight or something comes back from a bit of a hiatus, well I'll have a clue as to who they are. Not that I would necessarily disregard someone not a Knight - but it lets me know "Do I greet this person with a "Welcome back, how are things?" or a "Welcome to TotJO, have you checked out the FAQ?"

Outside of TotJO - Well I may never know who is a student of jediism.

For all Dano knows, I work at the local coffee shop and serve him every morning.

In any case, I don't think it's one of those Big Ticket issues.

If you take a quick moment to jot down 10 things about yourself, or Jediism, your title on this site should not feature (if it does, well then you've got less things to worry about than me, so good on you)

Avalonslight wrote: If I remember correctly, the change from being able to apply for membership on day one to day seven was primarily made to reduce the impending SW fanboy flood resulting from the upcoming move of that time (I believe Ep7), so that the processor would not be processing a gazillion applications for those who never returned. I know I asked in the other thread, if that had made a significant different or not, but I haven't seen a response to that question.

Being one of the processors at that time I can say that while it didn't help stopping the applications that were bogus (i.e.: Darth Boba Fett from Kass City and yes that actually happens) it did make it easier and faster to be able to get to the legitimate applications where people were able to follow directions and showed a sincere interest.

I would say it was extremely helpful and actually eliminated unnecessary wait for those who were serious. Instead of trying to figure out Darth Boba Fett, we could just trash that application and move on. Or put it to the side and ask questions later.

Well, now that I understand the whole administrative issues behind the Guest/Member issue, I think I'll give that topic a rest.

Still, DO the IP. Hahahaha :laugh:

To reply to the OP:

Rank here actually means something. It is a certification level of sorts; everyone at such-and-such rank has undergone such-and-such amount of dedication and training (and hopefully conversation) here at the Temple.

Guests are visiting the place, whether once or habitually, to learn or converse with other people here they might not encounter elsewhere. They are valuable.
Members are members of the Temple of the Jedi Order in the sense that they have chosen to belong here in a more long-term capacity. They are valuable.
Novices and Initiates have started down a path of self-knowledge that will change them, hopefully, on such a level that they will begin to better themselves happily. They are valuable.
Apprentices continue that path. They, too, are valuable.
Knights guide others along this path while still walking it, secure in knowing that the only true knowledge is that we are still ignorant of so many things we could be learning. They are valuable as well.

I hope you've noticed the trend.

Manu wrote:
Still, DO the IP. Hahahaha :laugh:

Totally. At my own plodding pace, lol. I like to do things when I'm happy to do then, rather because I feel like I "should." So next time I wanna read something meaty and heavy, I'll reach for Ye Olde Lesson One and do the next chunk. And I'll enjoy it and learn more than if it wasn't fun.

JamesSand wrote: For all Dano knows, I work at the local coffee shop and serve him every morning.

If that's true, kudos for the smiley faces in my crema. See if you can get the TotJo symbol going.

I want us to accept everyone and it has become rather apparent that the difference between guest and member is inclusion VS welcome outsider.
Whether that kind of treatment is real or imagined is less relevant than the fact that the feeling exists.

That said, there's a reason those levels exist. A person who desires to belong to a religious organization but does not want to even understand the basics of it should be a guest. To be a member one should be familiar with the group and it's ideas.

I rather like the idea of there being a small Jediism 101 type lesson before membership. Honestly, I feel like it should aid in people's decision to become members since it's goal should be to inform them about what they are agreeing to become a member of. It should be short and simple. Just enough to give them an idea of what we're about and let us know that they know.