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Post by tanath on Feb 23, 2007 16:47:20 GMT -5
I'm sure everyone heard the story a few years ago about the Australia census, and how people wrote in "Jedi" as their religion in an attempt to get it declared an official religion. Emails were circulating, stating that if 10,000 people entered Jedi, then the government would grant it official status. Well, in fact, over 70,000 people noted themselves at being Jedi. Wow.
The reality is that the Bureau of Statistics have no power whatsoever to legitimize any religion. They just count people.
Well, I had planned to do a little overview on the state of modern-day Jediism, but I was actually surprised to find pretty much nothing. I thought there would be at least a webpage or two dedicated to the new Jedi religion. Only a few abandoned message boards.
I guess this isn't the newest up-and-coming faith after all. File this under 'useless trivia'.
~Terri Paajanen
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Post by Senbecc on Feb 23, 2007 20:59:10 GMT -5
I'm sure everyone heard the story a few years ago about the Australia census, and how people wrote in "Jedi" as their religion in an attempt to get it declared an official religion. Emails were circulating, stating that if 10,000 people entered Jedi, then the government would grant it official status. Well, in fact, over 70,000 people noted themselves at being Jedi. Wow. The reality is that the Bureau of Statistics have no power whatsoever to legitimize any religion. They just count people. Well, I had planned to do a little overview on the state of modern-day Jediism, but I was actually surprised to find pretty much nothing. I thought there would be at least a webpage or two dedicated to the new Jedi religion. Only a few abandoned message boards. I guess this isn't the newest up-and-coming faith after all. File this under 'useless trivia'. ~Terri Paajanen I was on Timerift a while back and there was a kid who thought he was a Jedi...I kinda stoped taking that site seriously after that, but yeah I've met one of these people lol. I don't know some peoples kids eh? |
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Post by tanath on Feb 23, 2007 21:49:32 GMT -5
hey, if scientology can be based completely on the sci-fi books some guy wrote then why can't people base a religion on star wars?
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Post by Der Trommler on Feb 23, 2007 23:24:30 GMT -5
Sure.....I'm good for that...forget being Celtic or a Druid or Pagan!!! Let's all become Jedi! "THIS IS THE SITE YOU ARE LOOKING FOR!
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Post by KittyLane on Feb 23, 2007 23:46:29 GMT -5
From The Jediism Way site. It's current and seems pretty serious.  Jediism is a religion based around the Force. Jediism members believe in the Force as our religion and the Jedi path as our philosophy and way of life. There are a number of people here who mix their current religion with the Jedi path. All are welcome at Jediism to discuss any and all issues; however, our focus here is Jediism. To be a member of Jediism you must first of all be a Jedi which takes dedication to yourself and to those around you. Many people ask, how can Jediism be a religion? The definition of religion states that religion is a group of people who share a common belief. The Force is our religion and in that, it is not a question of belief in a God or not, for us it simply doesn't come into play as we believe the guidance of the Force will bring us to a course of right action. As a result some have been guided to a belief in a God and others have not, but all believe that the Force will set them on their best path possible. We all walk our own path in Jediism. That is to say, none of us all believe and interpret the exact same things on many aspects of the Jedi path. On this website you will find a basic description of what a Jedi is and what it means to be a member of Jediism. Throughout this site you will find the foundation of the house, from there it is up to the individual to build the house on top of the foundation. Jediism offers many different features throughout the website. The largest section is the forum, which is where all of the discussions take place. As you look through the website, you will see it is more then just a website, it is a community. We are all friends and we welcome anyone and everyone to join in with us with open arms. Included with the forum is a very nice and easy to use chat room. All you have to do to use the chat room is register to use the forum and you can use the same login information to enter the chat room. This will give members a great opportunity to really get to know each other on a more personal level. Jediism also has a Blog section that allows users to post their own writings, thoughts, or anything else on their mind. Jediism is for everyone so we want to offer as many different options as possible for Jediism members to say what is on their mind. We strive to give our members every opportunity to post or get their thoughts out there for others to read. We encourage you to look around and if you like what you see and Jediism is who you are then come on in. Throughout this website you will find the foundations of Jediism and a Jedi which will help you in deciding if this is the path for you. If Jediism isn’t your religion but you would like to get in on some great discussions and get to know some great people then come on in. All are welcome!! www.thejediismway.org/index.html |
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Post by KittyLane on Feb 23, 2007 23:48:14 GMT -5
The Force... Part I: An Introduction Many of you reading this already know what The Force is, you may already know that it is an energy field that is scientifically provable. However The Force is deeper than just energy, it is spiritual in nature. The Force connects all living things, gives animation to the universe, and provides a template for existence. Yet those explanations are to broad to go into any real detail on. To put it simply The Force is that so called "Mystical", "Holy", or "Unexplainable" energy found in nearly every religion and science philosophy. It's a blanket term for those energies, as each of them is interconnected and each can be converted between each other and shares the same properties. These properties are that this energy Guides, Invigorates or is Generated by life, it may be used or tapped into with proper training, and is infinite in its potential. Just knowing this you now know what the Force is, but there is so much more. Part II: Other Names for the Force Before going any further it is prudent to list some of the other possible names for The Force. Some may disagree on some of these references, others may wish to include others, but these are some of the more popular ones. Chi, Pharahna, Tao, Vigor, Life, Mana, Holy Spirit, Spirit, Higher Energy, Enlightening Energy, as well as many others. Part III: The Force, building block for reality It is a belief of some students of The Force that it is the building block for all of reality. This reasoning comes from the difficulty of detecting the Force it's self, but the ease of detecting it's presence during scientific experiments and meditation! This could be because The Force is energy so minute that it is the basic building block particle/wave/energy of all reality. The Jury may still be out on this, but this could explain why The Force allows some people the use of telepathy, seeing of the past and future, and even the ability to alter the physical world around them. Others may never find these abilities and yet still have a relationship with The Force and not be able to explain it guiding them out of a dangerous situation, to beneficial situations, or altering their state of mind. If the Force is the basic building block of reality this then provides an easily acceptable reason for why it allows such capabilities. Part IV: Aspects of the Force There are many aspects of The Force, yet there are 3 widely accepted aspects used for interpretation of The Force. These aspects are in no way separate from The Force, yet they help with explaining how The Force works and acts within daily life. These aspects are The Personal Force, The Living Force, and The Unifying or Guiding Force. www.thejediismway.org/force.html |
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Post by KittyLane on Feb 23, 2007 23:50:13 GMT -5
Jediism - History of Jediism Jediism is a very personal and individualistic religion but as you look through the website you will see there are many different paths in Jediism. Some of the members here follow very different paths in life though here at Jediism many of us share similar viewpoints. First, there is only the Force. This is the foundation of Jediism. The Force is our religion and in that, it is not a question of belief in a God or not, for us it simply doesn't come into play as we believe the guidance of the Force will bring us to a course of right action. As a result some have been guided to a belief in a God and others have not, but all believe that the Force will set them on their best path possible. The root of the word Jediism is Jedi. To find out more about what a Jedi is and learn what Jedi believe and do, please continue on to the section about Jedi. Jediism does not require prayer, worship, or other such actions as some other religions might. Instead of ceremonies, members of Jediism share common beliefs and ideals. One of the definitions for religion is a sharing of common beliefs and that's exactly what makes Jediism a religion. Our fundamental belief in The Force is the overall common belief shared by all Jediism members. You will also find other belief systems in the forum; however this site is solely intended for discussing Jediism, although all views and people of differing beliefs are welcome on the Forum and Blogs and currently do participate. As mentioned before, it is our views of the Force that make Jediism what it is. In the Jedi Community you will find many Christian Jedi, Muslim Jedi, Jewish Jedi, and many other faiths incorporated with the Jedi path. What separates us all is how we feel about the Force. There are certain core views and beliefs that must be present for someone to be able to call themselves a Jedi that you can learn about in the Jedi section. What unites all of us is our beliefs/philosophies of the Jedi path. There is definitely some room for debate in what exactly is the Jedi beliefs and philosophies but this is not part of the religious aspect. As you look through the website and forum we hope that this helps you understand Jediism. If you have any further questions please do not hesitate using the contact us form on the homepage of the website or else post some questions in the forum. We hope you find what you are looking for and if Jediism can help you out that journey we welcome you!!
What is a Jedi? - Jedi Code - Jedi Truisms
What is a Jedi? I don’t know how many times this question has been asked in multiple forums and by multiple people ranging from newcomers to people who have called themselves Jedi for years. There are two things that need to be stated up front before we start discussing what a Jedi is. The first thing is, the Jedi’s path is a way of living, thinking, and believing. It is an individualistic path; therefore it is impossible to lay out a detailed road map and say every Jedi does X, Y, and Z. The second thing is that we all come from very different lives, histories, and locations. Customs, beliefs, and other factors will be different from society to society, and sometimes these differences will be great. As Jedi, we need to remember that just because something is wrong, disgusting, and etc. to us, doesn’t mean people in a different cultures don’t look at what we do and say the same thing. As mentioned above, the life of a Jedi is a very individualist path, however, there is a foundation which a majority of Jedi share, whether it is openly stated or kept to private. The Jedi Way is much like a house. Every house must have a foundation in order for the house to stand. If there is no foundation or if the foundation is faulty the house will fall. When the foundation is sturdy the house will be strong and will stand for all time. Each house has the commonality of the foundation, however, above that foundation, is where everything changes. Each house is different in its own way. Some houses are shaped differently, have different colors, are designed differently inside, and etc. Even though each house is different and unique does not mean it still does not share the same aspects in a foundation. Below you will find the foundation of a Jedi. -A Jedi knows, is, and works with and within The Force. A Jedi studies the Force, uses, and helps the growth of the Force. A Jedi is to be guided, influenced, and helped by the Force and also relies on the Force.
-A Jedi follows the Jedi code, or a code that contains the same lessons and principals of the Jedi code.
-A Jedi must contain the qualities found in the Truisms or Maxims. For these are the qualities that show who we are through actions and words. However they may be worded through different versions and personal interpretations these qualities still must be present in all Jedi.
-A Jedi works to preserve individual freedom. Freedom is the ability to choose for yourself. Countries have laws in place to protect freedoms of the individual, however at times those laws step beyond that ability. It is our duty through the Truisms to peacefully and lawfully work towards changing that, with what ability we have. To take away someone else’s choice is against what the Jedi stand for.
Now it is known that not every Jedi will agree with everything mentioned here. However, we feel this is what makes up the foundation of a Jedi. As you can see there is room for interpretation and above this it is your own path, however, what you see above must be present for a Jedi to be a Jedi.www.thejediismway.org/jedi.html |
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Post by tanath on Feb 24, 2007 0:55:06 GMT -5
hmmm......like i said; who's to say you can't base a religion off of star wars?
are there any pagan jedis here?
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Post by KittyLane on Feb 24, 2007 8:21:12 GMT -5
i have only heard about it, never actually met one. but that site has a forum. maybe i should invite one here to chat.
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Post by Der Trommler on Feb 24, 2007 12:23:16 GMT -5
Actually, the things George Lucas based Jedi off does, in fact, have some credibility to it. Mitochlorions (spelling?) are based on science. Kai powers are powers that are focused energies in the body, when focused, can do some amazing things. You know what? I'm a Jedi!
I felt a disturbance in the Force!
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Post by Zowwiee ™ on Feb 24, 2007 17:24:44 GMT -5
wow thats so cool.
The Force is with you. lol.
I sounds really interesting though.
x
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Post by tanath on Feb 24, 2007 19:27:40 GMT -5
Actually, the things George Lucas based Jedi off does, in fact, have some credibility to it. Mitochlorions (spelling?) are based on science. Kai powers are powers that are focused energies in the body, when focused, can do some amazing things. You know what? I'm a Jedi!
I felt a disturbance in the Force! that's cool. i've never seen any of the star wars movies, so i don't know anything about what a jedi is supposed to be. i just thought it was an interesting post an decided to share. welcome all jedis  |
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niamh
Philosopher
Posts: 242
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Post by niamh on Feb 25, 2007 16:52:39 GMT -5
Actually, the things George Lucas based Jedi off does, in fact, have some credibility to it. Mitochlorions (spelling?) are based on science. Kai powers are powers that are focused energies in the body, when focused, can do some amazing things. You know what? I'm a Jedi!
I felt a disturbance in the Force! that's cool. i've never seen any of the star wars movies, so i don't know anything about what a jedi is supposed to be. i just thought it was an interesting post an decided to share. welcome all jedis your not on your own babe.mark wen he found out id never watched any of those star...wars things movies..ya lol he wouldnt look at me for ages...lol i dont get the big deal..lol!but anyway tehehe lov nia* |
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Post by Senbecc on Feb 25, 2007 17:37:53 GMT -5
that's cool. i've never seen any of the star wars movies, so i don't know anything about what a jedi is supposed to be. i just thought it was an interesting post an decided to share. welcome all jedis your not on your own babe.mark wen he found out id never watched any of those star...wars things movies..ya lol he wouldnt look at me for ages...lol i dont get the big deal..lol!but anyway tehehe lov nia* That I got a kick out of!  I don't know, I suppose my hang up is that Jedi's are characters in a sci-fi movie...Does this take away from the paths validity? Probably not, any path that roots it's self in truth and seeks to expand spirit is valid in my eyes, I have even seen a "superfriends pantheon"...And it's followers were pretty serious too. What would it be like I wonder to ritually invoke Super-man?   |
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Post by tanath on Feb 25, 2007 20:55:06 GMT -5
that's cool. i've never seen any of the star wars movies, so i don't know anything about what a jedi is supposed to be. i just thought it was an interesting post an decided to share. welcome all jedis your not on your own babe.mark wen he found out id never watched any of those star...wars things movies..ya lol he wouldnt look at me for ages...lol i dont get the big deal..lol!but anyway tehehe lov nia* my ex tried to get me to watch star wars. didn't happen. i'm a trekkie and i'm not about to betray that but watching star wars  |
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