Re:"The Force" and it's Knights

If you're seeing this again I accidentally posted this in the wrong section lol

"I've been thinking a lot about this before asking. It's a two-fold question. I looked at some things dealing with "jediism" being questioned as a legal faith to obtain exempt status. Beyond the legal question thougg, it still begs to be answered.. and I can kind of see why they would to..

What IS "The Force" to us? A literal Truth, the "cornerstone" of our reality, or a figurative concept of our philosophical ideas?

The other question following naturally is what are we to this "Force"? As knights and as individual beings..

I have my own thoughts but I wanted this to be a real discussion before I put my two cents in with everyone else's. Maybe we were denied status for legal reasons, but this happening occurred for reasons beyond legality.. IMO

Thoughts, Ideas, Questions? Speak your mind.."

If you'll have a look at our Doctrine, you'll realize that it is loose. It is loose for a reason. Many of the people who arrive here at the Temple of the Jedi Order come with histories in other religions. Histories where everything is defined, everything is boxed, and as a consequence there is a general lack of freedom and movement. Because of this, the general feeling is that their historical religion did not "speak" to them.
Here we don't define too many things. We value exploration and the capacity and responsibility of each person within our order to do their own searching and discovery of meaning and practice

Rosalyn J wrote: If you'll have a look at our Doctrine, you'll realize that it is loose. It is loose for a reason. Many of the people who arrive here at the Temple of the Jedi Order come with histories in other religions. Histories where everything is defined, everything is boxed, and as a consequence there is a general lack of freedom and movement. Because of this, the general feeling is that their historical religion did not "speak" to them.
Here we don't define too many things. We value exploration and the capacity and responsibility of each person within our order to do their own searching and discovery of meaning and practice

I mean this in the strict sense of defining only as something real to us or not. Something to be explored and letting It define itself. Something that has been continuously explored over the millennia. Religious codes and doctrines have entrapped us with forms of the truth. Boxed us in. When the Truth is supposed to free us. I've always taken that from the lessons put in the fictional stories..

The strict Jedi religion, and it's dedication to the Republic as an Order, hindered it from actually following The Force. They were bound to Jedi truths instead of living in the Truth. As a consequence they contributed to the imbalance and suffering in the galaxy..

Jaedon Adar-Barnaby wrote: What IS "The Force" to us? A literal Truth, the "cornerstone" of our reality, or a figurative concept of our philosophical ideas?

The other question following naturally is what are we to this "Force"? As knights and as individual beings..

Thoughts, Ideas, Questions? Speak your mind.."

Hey the force can be defined as everything... We are nothing to the force but we ourselves are as valuable as a supernova..

Though we cause destruction we create. Life is order and destruction is chaos. So we humans are governed by the celestial forces beyond our control. Yet we also govern the celestial forces.

Thanks

I think this is a special question, and as such, deserves a special answer.

I wouldn't dare say I have the answer though; it seems that answer is for you to find out. That is your Path; "figuring out the Force" and getting 'closer; to it that is.

The Force can be all of those things, a combination, or none at all- but whatever it is, we commonly know it as Ways of the Force...

Remember, it has been said that the Ways of the Force are many, but the Path is one; step by step, we each follow the Force onwards and upwards . in our own ways.

Also, (on a more "religious" or "fiction" based tip) look at the Code; Fae Coven said that the Code is an encapsulation of a Jedi's relationship to the Force.

It has five lines- maybe that's a hint towards the manifold experience of something?

Who knows? Only you can know anything yourself; meditate on the Jedi Code, and the Light of the Force will surely find you.

MTFBWY

One of my joys in my own jedi ism is the ability to practice what I choose. Secondly this gives every one else the same freedoms I use. When the two , (seem) to not match conflict occurs. I also subscribe to a, for me, simple idea, the no contest contest. No way am I in contest with you for any reason way shape or form. This nulls the conflict that often occurs. For me. In this light , then I can steadily stand on the fact that your force and my force are not the same , and that's ok! They will not and can not, we are entirely two difrent hearts with verrrry difrent paths. When I say no contest I mean I can encourage you to keep seeking the force , your force as I seek mine . We both begin to grow in this light. That's my focus , to grow. NOT to fight argue or even ever tell you your right or wrong. The ability to use the syncretism in our faith the way we do frees many on a daily basis.
Go figure , a religion that says , you go .., be you, find out who you is, and be it , build it and ..... enjoy it. Do it. Share it with others . That's acceptance in a difrent way I was used to. ( blew my mind) what a FORCE

I don't mean to be contentious. However, there are some things that we can't avoid. Biggest of all is that in reality we can't have our own truth. Anymore than we can declare a tree as a blade of grass.

I can give my experience of what I mean..

When I was about 10. I learned how to Astral project. Actually, I just so happened to discover it. I had never heard of astral projection. All I knew was I could observe the waking world while sleep. I assumed I was in the spiritual world. It started with simple tests and games to see how real my experience was.. when I finally felt comfortable with traveling. I ventured out into my neighborhood. I thought I was in for a peaceful drifting. Until I ran into something evil.

All I can tell is that it was pitch black. Beady, cold eyes. And a bark that sounded more like a shotgun blast than an actual animal. Given my Christian background. I could only describe it as a Hell Hound.. Sometimes I ask myself, "What was it really?" "What is it made of? Where did it come from? What was it even doing there? How does it function? Is it attracted to some things and repelled by others?"

Needless to say though, I never did try to investigate as fear gripped me like nothing I've ever known in life. However, investigating these other sides of reality is an inherent part of our study I believe. If we are to understand the whole of The Force anyway. It's essence and the things that are manifested because of it..

Religion and Philosophy would argue all day about the interpretation of that one event. A truly scientific study, truth seeking, would seek to recreate the event to study it further.. and I believe if we, scientifically, get closer to The Force. It would come closer to us..

Biggest of all is that in reality we can't have our own truth. Anymore than we can declare a tree as a blade of grass...


Out of curiosity ... do u think a blade of grass is a tree ?


Which is grass which is tree ? Many would trample on it in passing. There is a cedar there . That's my yard. That's my cedar. To a mower it's just grass ... to me it's a tree ...

I am not sure if this is relevant, but I feel it has some place in this thread.

When George Lucas was interviewed about the creation of Star Wars and the Jedi Knights, he admitted he wanted to get people curious and asking questions... NOT starting a religion, but just getting people more curious about wandering into inquiring about the mysteries of the Universe.

That's where I feel "Jedi" takes us... it's not THE answer... it's just the gateway, the threshold, where we get good at asking the right questions.

There is a general ethical code attached to it, but it is greatly fluid, on purpose.