Doctrine Discussion: Betterment of the World

Hello Stephen,
You sure gave us some material to think about
You are right, doing the right thing should be the minimum, but sometimes the minimum can be awfully hard to achieve and someone's minimum wil not be the next guy's. The battle against the darkness within ourselves is neverending and some of us can do some real damage if they stop guarding their soul or if they loose their connexion to the force. Our responsibility goes to ourselves first because we are the precious tool through which the world can be change. Once you attain inner peace you will turn inexorably towards the exterior.

However, the danger is to besome too self centered and often, the more we take time for ourselves, the more time we need to take in order to feel good. Whereas, sometimes, in the midst of a very rough year we find ways too restore our forces that we could not fathom in a period of peace. Basicaly, the bigger the trial you undergo, the bigger responsibilities you can take aside of yourself afterwards.

But as the task is neverending and infinite, it is very easy to get lost in the illusion of reality, by fighting to change the exterior. So my question is where is the balance between taking care of the inner and of the outer world? And how do you know when it is time to do one or the other? Even more important : is there an exterior world? Isn't that true that everything we perceive exist inside our consciousness and nowhere else?

I would be glad to know your take on these questions

Hi Kit. I have no useful reply to your question with regards to my own response to doctrine; but as an ecologist, 100% of my productive time is spent working with people. The best way that I've found to protect people, beasties, and nature together, is to get some legislation in place before whole communities are forcibly displaced because they can no-longer live in a collapsed ecosystem. People seem to need laws to live well with nature; but there are some exceptional people and societies out there.

Twigga wrote: I have no useful reply.

I think it was.
A Jedi is supposed to be humble and think of something more than themselves.
I refuse to congratulate or praise people that write things along the lines of
I make this world and everyone in it better because I have improved myself.
It sounds egotistical and arrogant to me.
I do agree with what Flojade wrote.
Life is a struggle. If it is easy what effort is being made?

Few things of worth are accomplished in life without risk or hard work?
- Qui-Gon Jinn

Hello again,

With your permission I wanted to share some additionnal thoughts inspired by Stephen's messages about the world's betterment.

In the first lesson "Myth" (from the IP) they say that the trial comes to the hero when he/she is ready, and he/she doesn't have to make a whole lot of efforts to pass the test because it usually happens in his or her field of competence. In that perspective, is the hero a hero if he/she stays in his/her comfort zone? Should we try to go out of our comfort zone? But then we wouldn't not be ready and would probably fail the trial, isn't it?

Maybe another way is to work on yourself in order to never have the impression to make an effort. Instead of going outside our comfort zone, it would mean expanding our comfort zone to be able to undertake responsibilities without loosing the connexion to the force.

But there is one last thing. The same amount of good and evil exists within each action we take and the brightest light casts the darkest shadows. During a war, both sides think they are good but the force flows through both of them because in the end there is no good or evil, there is only the force that accepts all within it.
If I act, I say that the world needs to be changed and by saying that, I cut myself from the force who made the world perfect. If I don't act, I accept the world but I reject my own existence. So what is left? Maybe the answer lies in the buddisth principle (read slowly) "act without caring for the result" or even "act accepting all results". But in that case how do I know what's important to act upon? Probably that it has no importance, because you should do what the force tells your heart.

It sounds like "no effort" to me but really I'll be happy if you tell me I am wrong

Haha sorry of course there is an effort to make! Accepting everything is not an easy challenge...

Wonderful! A question I have been on a journey for the last several months. I've been spending less time on this temple and have been weekly voluntary work at a church in their soup kitchen on Wednesdays. Now, I have been doing this for months now and have got to learn some of the people we help who come regularly to the feed the church puts on. Now, I am not certain "servant hood" in this manner is bettering ALL of humanity but, it does help make a full belly and hopefully a thankful heart to someone who is hungry.

I've also been cleaning up my community by picking up garbage I find laying around in my community. It may not seem like much but, I think some of these things anyone could do and are good for bettering the world.

Oh oops I forgot to answer the sanctity of all life. I believe every Jedi should give a level of respect to all living things. But, it does make me think a little about that cow that was killed to make my McDonald's cheese burger and I could easily become a vegan based off that statement and documentaries I've watched like, "What the Health" I guess it really depends on your thoughts on the Sanctity of life what does this mean to you and why?

Sven One, I think that is an amazing thing you're doing.
Rendering Aid, Providing Support and Public Service are a Jedi's Responsibility.
You are living the phrase, " Set a good example. "

To honour all life...
Does not mean stop eating meat. Meat is part of a balanced diet.
It does mean stopping cruelty to animals, or are things like dog fighting ok?
To be honest, the sarcasm and ridicule at the start of this discussion showed a lack of respect for other peoples ideals.
I will apologise if I misinterpreted what was written.

Agreeing with Stephen about honoring life doesn't mean to stop eating meet, but stopping animal cruelty. Living in a very rural area, and around farms, I find it's important to take the utmost care of crops and livestock alike. The animals that we use to provide our own meet are well fed, sheltered, and cared for as if they were our own pets. They are not abused, neglected, or pumped full of lethal or vicious chemicals such as most major cooperation "farms" would do. Plus, providing food is the primary reason for most farm life. It would be unlikely they could reproduce and survive on their own. We provide the animals with care, they provide us food. The Force binds us all.