[Announcements] 2015 Year End Report

I think I apologized in the body of this, but, the influx from the movies, and other projects I had going on, some STILL going on, made me a bit late... Not to mention the remodeling of my house a bit, which also limited my time, but, hey, they wife is happy, and that is kinda important too...

So, I have a procedure in mind to make this happen a little quicker next year, but as we grow, and things become ever larger, it creates more work, and more typing, and I'll be honest, Im not that great a typer or speller... lol...

Forgive any inconsistencies of flow, and let make sure to add to this thread, any things that you feel needed mentioned from 2015...

2015 has come and gone…

Over a month gone, at this point…

I hope everyone had a good holiday, and a good start to the New Year…

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Thanks you to everyone who has made TOTJO (TotJO to some, lol I’m looking at you Akkarin… ...) what it is... Knights, members, and even the guests... We are getting bigger, and better… I, and others on the Council used to know everyone by name, and be able to talk to each and everyone of you… Now, as duties get greater and greater, and membership larger, it seems we have less time for the ‘funner’ stuff of silly conversations, and instead spend our time ‘in the machine’ of TOTJO… But, never let that dissuade you from reaching out to us if you have a question, comment, suggestion, or anything… We do take every comment under consideration, but some stay under consideration less than others...

Every person here is integral to TOTJO, you all are the nuts and bolts of this virtual sanctuary, and without you, it would be 6-10 people sitting around, talking ourselves to death, lol…

We all have the power to help another, be it clicking a ‘like’ on the TOTJO wall, saying hello in the introductions ( the MOST important job here I feel), answering new people questions (there is always someone newer than you), or, challenging someone to think harder in their beliefs, or statements…

Something that has popped up lately, I like to call “censorship versus trolling”, and, as a ‘spirit of the law’ community, the line between them is thin…

So, when you come across a particularly difficult to understand/talk to person, what better time to use the patience a Jedi is supposed to be famous for, or to ‘turn the other cheek’... Just some advice…

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As has become our custom, and for the newer folks, this is a yearly compilation of TOTJO… Our fourth edition of this yearly report, and they still dont have anyone volunteering to do this who can make gooder sentences than me… Crazy, eh?

We try to only hit the highs, but, we can not shy away from the lows, as they are where many lessons come from, but we also do not like to dwell on them… (Shouldnt dwell on the good either, but I digress, )....

We just celebrated our 10th year, and things are just crazy at this point… Here are the past Year End Reports should you want to read them over - https://www.templeofthejediorder.org/forum/114-Announcements/109372-year-end-reports

The new movie created a rush on us at Christmas time, and we are still seeing higher numbers than previous years… We felt the surge, but, we did not topple from the volume, lol…

New to this year, I have ask the various departments to give me some input on the Year End Report, and have spoilered each section for ‘compactness', lol…

Even my own, to be fair, lol…

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Membership Affairs

Warning: Spoiler!

With all that in mind, here are our membership numbers…

We started the year with member “aikinr” #19521, and ended the year with member “Joshua Samuel” #24807, meaning 5,283 new accounts were created…
Previous years:
3472 in 2014
3363 in 2013
3842 in 2012

Around 1800 more accounts created in 2015 versus last year… I am sure that movie was a big part… On a side note, am I still the only one to not have seen it? lol…

We made some changes last year to our membership process, to newer folks, it has always been this way, but prior to July 2015, there was no ‘7 day wait’, and on January 1 of 2015, we removed the Oath as a requirement of membership…

Announcments on TOTJO changes can be found here -

Some changes are constant, like FAQ and the IP changes, and therefore have ‘stickyed’ threads, others like the Application Changes are temporary, and only need one time posts… But, as always, if you have a question, please feel free to ask someone… Not me, I am just the janitor, but, someone…

Point being, that due to the changes, our membership numbers are going to not be in line with previous years…

A long time ago, in a thread conversation, membership numbers were discussed and in that discussion, it was alluded to that we might do like the Catholics, and count every single person who ever made an account as a member, I am probably still registered as one (a Catholic), and I have been a PureLand Jedi for 6 years….

Well, we kinda do, not 'everyone who joined the site is a member', but rather every truthful application is... And, not showing up every day, does not mean one is not a member, some are off on their “Hero’s Adventure”, (hopefully) learning the “messages” they are trying to learn that the online environment cannot provide… lol… We do NOT have a total count of members, because really, that is unimportant, and your faith is only important to you… We are just here to help facilitate that… So, while we keep track to a point, yesterday’s numbers really mean little… Just some facts and figures to amuse us for a minute, lol... And, site activity is fairly easy to see, lol...

And have been moving forward with that in mind… With an application and oath, you could be a member in one day, and then never return… So we included the wait, and that cut down on the ‘fly-by-nighters’, lol...

Now that that has been said, here are our membership numbers:

Of the 5,283 accounts:

801 membership applications (685 in 2014, 698 in 2013, 810 in 2012)

Our tighter requirements made every application turned in a member… Previous years, we would get an application or no Oath… so, for example, in 2014, of the 685 applications filled out, only 495 actually did everything correctly…

So, our membership numbers are actually double… But, as you can all see, we dont have 800+ people posting daily… Activity is another issue…

So, of the 801 new Members,;
90 have become Novices, of them;
6 became Initiate, of that;
2 Became Apprentice (wave to Martalina and blackdraco)

Pretty quick slim down, wasn’t it?

lol…

Again, thank you to everyone who has made an account on the website, and we look forward to another year!

Keep up the good work!

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Finances

Warning: Spoiler!

We finished another year in the ‘black’, while not ready to build that building we all would like to see someday, being in the positive, and not asking Br. John to keep the site alive is an awesome thing… in the not-too-distant past, this was the case, Br. John footing the bill to keep us up and running… But, thanks to the generous monetary donations, we are getting further and further from that….

So, we started the year with a balance of $697.03 and finished up with $789.40 after taking out for the expenses of running the site of $565.41… Meaning that we ended on a positive note of $92.37… Combining that, with operation costs, donations came to $657.78 for the year!! YAY!! Go team TOTJO!!

I see many names, and some repeatedly… I, and everyone on the site who finds their way here, appreciate your donation…

We also had a first this year, Kit (formerly Kamizu) made some craft items for auction and so we created TOTJO eBay store for the purpose of an auction on those items… J_Roz (formerly Jedi_Roz), knowing her way around eBay very well, helped to set up our account, and get things listed, and keep us running smoothly there… We have some more items on the way, so keep your eyes out for that…

Thank you to you two, and to everyone who has donated time and/or money to the operations of TOTJO…

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Knight Secretary (secretary to the Knights)

Warning: Spoiler!

Adhara wrote: This is the second year in which the Knights regularly came together in meetings to discuss recent topics, exchange ideas and solve problems. Most of this is 'work behind the scenes' which keeps the temple running as smoothly as it does. Critique and comments are welcome and appreciated.
We've had 6 meetings this year. The most obvious results are the changes of the Simple Oath and the Solemn Vow.

This year, 27 Novices completed the IP and earned the rank Initiate.
Of those, 18 Initiates became Apprentices
Competent Apprenticed to Darren
Atticus509 Apprenticed to tzb
r3dleader Apprenticed to Rosalyn J
Jack.Troutman Apprenticed to Reliah
Senan Apprenticed to tzb
Slebo Apprenticed to MrBruno
Rick D Apprenticed to Cabur Senar
Mael Apprenticed to Cabur Senar
blackdraco Apprenticed to LTK
Cyan Sarden Apprenticed to carlos.martinez3
The Dude Apprenticed to J.K. Barger
Xaii Apprenticed to Akkarin
Goken Apprenticed to Edan
Jeffery Williams Apprenticed to Firewolf
Loudzoo Apprenticed to Proteus
BeBe Apprenticed to Adhara
Raxicorico Apprenticed to Desolous
MrBruno Apprenticed to Rosalyn J

Furthermore the following Apprenticeships were formed:
Lightstrider Apprenticed to Edan
jontix Apprenticed to Wescli Wardest
Klyde Apprenticed to V-tog
Metsu Desal Apprenticed to Brenna
Ratcliffe Apprenticed to Adder
baru Apprenticed to RyuJin
Alastor Apprenticed to Darren

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Youth Officers

Warning: Spoiler!

Edan wrote: This year has been quite a busy one for us Youth Officers, especially in the last few months of the year.

Much of what we do goes unnoticed because it is hidden; for those who don’t know under 18s have the Young Jedi League, a closed forum just for them to discuss subjects and ask questions to each other, and to us. Sometimes they might not venture out of that forum so it’s nice to give them somewhere to talk comfortably.

During last year we endeavoured to both increase the participation of minors, and to put a bigger emphasis on internet safety.

Last year messages to parents and guardians were stepped up. We warn our younger members that we may do so because we generally expect that they make their parents/guardians aware they are here, but last year saw the introduction of the systematic emailing of parents and guardians. Although we do not contact them all, we now contact a much higher proportion of them in the hope that it may make both minors and their parents more aware, especially with regards to internet safety.

For this purpose, a new email account was created youth.officer@templeofthejediorder.org. If any member, minor or parent has questions or queries they are welcome to address them to that email address.

The Youth FAQ was also redrafted to make the information within it clearer and to help better answer some of the common questions.

In November a closed Youth Group was created; because many of the younger members do not participate much in the main forum, getting information to them can be hard. Having notifications go to them directly has helped facilitate the spread of useful information. It has also had the side effect of encouraging members to talk more, which is great, although it is still in its infant stage.
At the end of December two active members of the youth forum were made ‘prefects’, to help Jestor and I out in pointing minors to the right places for information, and to keep a look out where ages and dates of birth were being posted. I would like to thank them both for their hard work already.

To further this, moderators and knights were all regularly reminded to keep a watch out for younger members who might need a helping hand.

Lastly, as begun in 2014, both Jestor and I have been posting discussion topics and thoughts into the Youth Forum to encourage participation. Although it is usually quite quiet as the number of younger members is much lower than the number of adults, it has brought some life and and discussion to a previously even quieter place.

I would like to thank everybody who helped make our jobs easier this year by directing minors to the right places for information, we are very grateful for your help.

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Clerical Affairs

Warning: Spoiler!

”Rosalyn J” wrote: As of the writing of this section of the report, on 1/18/16, there have been 85 sermons given with 36 given as a part of a live service for the year 2015. We have seen considerable growth in the number of sermons as more and more people are encouraged to share their understanding of aspects of Jediism and life in general. We cannot wait to see what the nuggets of knowledge 2016 has in store for us. We thank everyone for their contribution and we look forward to seeing more and more. Special thanks to MrBruno who has been helping by reminding everyone of upcoming sermons.

”Alexandre Orion” wrote: Temple of the Jedi Order : Clergy Sector
Year-End Report for 2015

In addition to the Clerical Handbook project and the Oath of Confidentiality, we have put in place an interview for seminarians having recently concluded their initial Seminary studies.

In the beginning of the year, it came to our attention that some clergy were a bit under-educated in the finer skills of compassionate communication with and about others. The following exercises where then created to inspire a more humane foundation to a minister's mode of interaction with people. These lessons were created in January, and were available as 'optional lessons' to all of our learners in the Seminary during the period from March to May, whilst they were pending Council approval. Final Council approval (vote by consent) came between 9 April and 12 May 2015. These lesson became officially part of the Seminary programme on 17 May 2015 :
(Lesson VII of the programme) Empathy – from a conference based on his book “Empathy : Handbook for Revolution”given by social historian Roman Krznaric at the RSA (Royal Society for the Arts Manufacture & Commerce) on 16 February 2012.

(Lesson VIII of the programme) Vulnerability – from a conference by Brené Brown, based on her work in qualitative research in Social Work and her books “The Gifts of Imperfection” and “Daring Greatly”, before the RSA on 4 July 2013.

(Lesson IX of the programme) The Soul – also a conference at the RSA of 31 March 2014, during the course of which Dr. Iain McGilchrist (author or “The Master and His Emissary”) explores the question as to whether “the soul” has been rendered a redundant concept by modern science, or would this be a category error ?

(Lesson X of the programme) Short Essay – these are a series of six open-ended essay questions for the synthesis of the ideas in the preceding lessons.

So far, feedback from these lesson has been largely positive. These scholars from whose work the lessons are drawn explicitly raise more questions than they provide answers to, thus enticing us to explore these domains in our own lives – thus better preparing us to help others engage with such existential explorations. This is, after all, the primary mission of the Jedi Clergy.

Respectfully submitted,

Alexandre Orion, Pastor

”Alexandre Orion” wrote: There were six ministers licensed in 2015 :

Steamboat28 : 17 January
Cabur Senaar : 29 January
J. K. Barger : 14 February
Ratcliffe : 01 April
Rosalyn J : 01 April
MrBruno : 25 June

Of these, two have been ordained Deacon :

Rosalyn J : 06 August
Cabur Senaar : 04 December

”V-Tog” wrote: Seminary Enrollment and Engagement

In the year of 2015, 15 members began training in the Seminary, and a total of 24 members were actively engaged in Seminary studies (i.e. completed one or more Seminary lessons).

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Public/Media Relations

In chronological order

March 2015

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-31795408


May 2015
This article was removed from the web, and we cannot find it any longer… Should someone find it, let me know via PM, and I will edit this…

June 2015

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thethinkingatheist/2015/06/09/jediism-and-the-religions-of-film-1


December 2015

www.lm-magazine.com/blog/2015/12/01/alexandre-orion/

http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/weddings/75249092/Meet-the-Kiwi-with-a-Jedi-romance-that-rivals-Princess-Leia-and-Han-Solo

http://www.guidelive.com/star-wars/2015/12/16/real-life-jedis-worship-force-probably-think

https://www.templeofthejediorder.org/forum/jedi-in-the-news/112566-totjo-on-the-front-page-of-the-beaumont-enterprise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emPkkwf-a3Y

http://www.bigissue.com/features/6072/how-do-jedi-celebrate-christmas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h1A2WGqEo8


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For some reason, I was more disorganized than previous years…

Probably because I am not used to asking for help, and I just ask each person directly what I need to know, this year, I sent out PMs, and receive replies via PM, posts in forum, and email… lol… None of them were in the same spot… And some, like the library, had little to no movement, so they told me ‘nothing to report’...

And, I forget who said what… :blush:

So, NEXT year, I will have my stuff a little more organized, and this should not be such an ordeal, lol…

As always, I am sure I have missed something, so I ask that you post any memories (or reports from you department heads) in this thread…

Thank you, all of you, for being you…

And, May the Force Be With You…

Jestor wrote:

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TotJO to some, lol I’m looking at you Akkarin… ...

Akkarin wrote:

2015 has been the busiest year by far for the Public Relations and Marketing department. There have been over 100 separate inquiries this year which covers everything from professional media publications to student projects and some more personal enquiries. Of course the film has helped boost interest towards the end of the year and there is not doubt that similar boost will occur for as long as Star Wars remains in the popular imagination.

The range of media publications we've been involved with range from TV appearances, radio broadcasts and a number of online and print news articles.

The department has also been gifted with the arrival of Brenna who will assist Akkarin in running things

On the merchandise side of things, we've had our first fundraising auctions and Kamizu has set up a TotJO section on her shop for your merchandise needs

A selection of the media publications:

Cabur:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emPkkwf-a3Y

Wescli, Brenna, John:
http://www.guidelive.com/star-wars/2015/12/16/real-life-jedis-worship-force-probably-think

Warning: Spoiler!

This is a Jedi love story, and I promise it's not as painfully awkward as Attack of the Clones.

A long, long time ago (well, three years) in a galaxy far, far away (well, New Zealand), Brenna Cavell was scanning the Internet.

She came across a belief system that seemed familiar, but she hadn't heard of it before: Jediism. Out of curiosity, she signed up with the Beaumont-based Temple of the Jedi Order, a community of thousands of Jedis who believe in the Force as the most powerful entity in the universe.

"It was kind of like coming home," Cavell said. "It was more of discovering the beliefs I had."



Three years earlier on the other side of the planet, Clint West, of Arlington, was looking up schematics for the Millennium Falcon when he found the temple. He liked the ideas about the Force as a way to interpret universal truths, but went back and forth on joining at first.

Today, he's a Jedi Knight and a member of the council in the temple.

The two met online soon after she joined. They hit it off immediately and started chatting regularly. He's retired military. She's a life coach. He flew to New Zealand to visit. She flew to North Texas to stay.

Six months ago, they were married in a Frisco chapel.

"It was a real connection based on shared values," Brenna Cavell, now Brenna West, said. "It was honestly kind of strange."

Yes, there are Jedis in Texas. Yes, they are for real. And no, they can't lift X-Wing fighters out of a swamp.

Their ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is.

John Henry Phelan is the 55-year old Jedi in Beaumont who founded the Temple of the Jedi Order 10 years ago this month. He was raised Catholic, but was always asking questions about the faith in Sunday school. Then, when he was 17, he saw Star Wars.

"I felt like I'd been to an uplifting church service," Phelan said.

Decades later, he found a community of Jedis online and decided that following in the very real steps of fictitious on-screen Jedi was right for him.

His temple recently received 501(c)(3) status, making it the first Jedi organization in the world to be government-recognized, Phelan said, but estimating how many Jedis are out there is difficult. Just like there are Christians who only show up to church on Christmas and Easter, some Jedis only participate occasionally.

The U.S. Census Bureau has not tracked religious affiliation since 1957, but a 2011 census in the UK claimed that 176,632 people identified as Jedi. (That number was down from 330,000 in 2001.)

Phelan said the faith is a mix of religious doctrines, something that could resemble a hodge-podge of Zen Taoist Universalism.

"There is extreme misunderstanding about what being a real Jedi is," Phelan said. "I can almost guarantee you it's not what you think it is."

But first, a quick primer on the Force.

"The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together."

— Obi-Wan Kenobi

The Force can mean a lot of things to a lot of people, but Phelan said the idea is that is an energy that goes beyond a deity. It's similar to one's internal sense of wrong and right.

"It could be the force of good people united for a good cause," Phelan said. "I think it's that and more."




If that sounds nebulous and hard to describe, that's OK. Jedis believe the Force is incomprehensible in its entirety.

"Whether you believe in God or Allah or whatever, the Force is how you may interpret it," Clint West said. "That is a unique and personal relationship between you and what you believe in."

Consider a cloud, Phelan said. You can see what it is, but have you ever seen two identical clouds? They're ever-moving, ever-changing and constantly adapting. The Force is the same way.

Phelan said the Force is "beyond theism and beyond atheism." It is understood by Jedis as "underlying, fundamental nature of the universe," according to the temple's doctrine.

"You can call it whatever you want. You can call it the Force, you can call it God, you can call it the Tao," Brenna West said. "It's all the same thing."
So then what is Jediism?

Phelan's Temple of the Jedi Order has a lengthy doctrine on its website. It boils down the faith to three tenets: focus, knowledge and wisdom. Jedis do not worship George Lucas or the Star Wars films or any other imagined deity. (And don't come near here with that midi-chlorian malarkey.) Instead, the faith is more spiritual.

On the site's forum, Jedis discuss theology, meditation, philosophy and other religious topics. Weekly sermons are posted for members to read. Live chats happen all the time where Jedis around the world can digitally connect about their faith.

"We have wonderful debates," Clint West said. "Everything from gun control to what syrup is best for pancakes."

Brenna West said she uses apps like Skype, Google Hangout and WhatsApp daily to connect with Jedis around the country. They don't wear robes to work every day — although many have them in the closet at home — but use the Jedi Code as a guide in their daily lives.

There is no Emotion, there is Peace.
There is no Ignorance, there is Knowledge.
There is no Passion, there is Serenity.
There is no Chaos, there is Harmony.
There is no Death, there is the Force.

After joining the forums on the Temple of the Jedi Order website, Clint West said, wannabe-Jedis must wait seven days before submitting an application for membership. There is then a time-consuming program the young Jedis must complete. That program is reviewed by the council and all Jedi Knights before the applicant becomes an initiate. Jedis may then, if they wish, become an apprentice to a training master and apply for the status of Jedi Knight.

"It's an ongoing, every day journey," Clint West said. "We try to live our lives in that way. Be true to yourself and the community. It boils down to 'Be a good person.'"
Yes, there's also a dark side, but not in the evil, kill-all-Jedi kind of way.

Phelan said there are also Sith out there, a few of whom participate in the forums on the Temple of the Jedi Order.

But they're not the Force-choking, Darth-naming baddies of the Star Wars movies.



In real life, the difference between a Jedi and a Sith is a little more subtle.

Imagine you're on an airplane, and the pilot hits some turbulence, causing the oxygen masks to deploy. Are you the kind of person that fixes your mask first? Or do you take a risk to help those around you before taking care of your mask?

A Sith is more focused on the inner struggle of the Force. They want to protect themselves and their families before looking to others. The Jedi, on the other hand, are more focused on outward charity and generosity, Phelan said.

"The difference is extraordinarily subtle. A good Sith can make the best Jedi," Phelan said.
Isn't this just based off a fictional movie? How can you take it seriously?

Brenna West said she's nervous about The Force Awakens, but not because it will change her faith. She's a fan of the films, like many Jedis, but the fictional movies don't have much impact on the non-fictional spirituality of Jediism.

"They do not have a trademark on real Jedi," Phelan said. "We're not fictional Jedi. I'm a real Jedi."

Like Phelan, Brenna West was raised Catholic and said she appreciates that the focus of Jediism isn't tied to a mythological narrative. Instead, a Jedi's relationship with the Force is one that transcends the scriptural stories of Christianity, Judaism, Islam and other major religions.

"It doesn't focus on the mythology," Brenna West said. "There's one river and many wells."

Jediism is only inspired by the Star Wars movies, Phelan said. The films are like parables. They're legends, nothing more.

"The rabbit didn't really talk to the turtle as far as I know, but it teaches a lesson," Phelan said. "We have really dedicated members who have maybe seen a film. We have very, very active members that don't particularly care for Star Wars."

Akkarin:
http://www.bigissue.com/features/6072/how-do-jedi-celebrate-christmas

Warning: Spoiler!

What does it mean to be a Jedi? And what are the religious roots of the Force? The Big Issue searches the galaxy for answers...


Our Vader who art in heaven… Cinema chains recently provoked outrage when they banned an advert made by the Church of England (CoE). The clip in question contained various people reciting lines from the Lord’s Prayer, including Big Issue columnist Justin Welby, which the church hoped to screen ahead of the new Star Wars film.

“The prospect of a multi-generational cultural event offered by Star Wars: The Force Awakens (pictured below) was too good an opportunity to miss and we are bewildered by the decision of the cinemas,” said the CoE’s director of communications, Reverend Arun Arora.

Digital City Media, which handles advertising for Cineworld, Odeon and Vue, claimed that they reject all political or religious ads on the basis that “some – unintentionally or otherwise – could cause offence to those of differing political persuasions, as well as to those of differing faiths and indeed of no faith”.

Princess Leia herself, Carrie Fisher, thought it was crazy that people could have been offended, saying they should instead “get a life”, while a comment on the matter was even squeezed out of our own Prime Minister, who declared the whole situation as being “ridiculous”.

David Cameron has a point – if cinemas want to shy away from political or religious content, they should stay well clear of Star Wars. “The films are absolutely political and religious, and have their origins in very specific political and religious questions,” says Chris Taylor, deputy editor of the tech news site Mashable, whose book explains How Star Wars Conquered the Universe.

“Politically speaking, it was a reaction to the Vietnam War – the Empire represents the US military, the rebels represent the Vietcong – but because it is clothed in space fantasy, with World War Two-style costuming, nobody noticed. Certainly the Americans didn’t notice the very subversive, left-wing political concept behind it all.

“As for the religious concept, the Force is all religions boiled down to the most simple concept that George Lucas could create.”

In the original film, Obi Wan Kenobi tells Luke Skywalker: “The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It’s an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together.”

Those 28 words, which Alec Guinness delivers as if their corniness is a low point in his career, became the foundation that the entire mythology of the Star Wars universe is built upon.

“I don’t think George Lucas gets enough credit for coming up with the concept,” Taylor says. “Wars of religion have been fought for centuries to try to get to something like this, an ultimate description of religion – just a basic ethereal notion that there’s something else out there.”

So what are the origins of the Force? George Lucas’ first film, THX 1138, set in an emotionless future, contained a scene referring to a “force” that did not make the final cut. This in turn was an echo of an influential, if seldom seen, Canadian short called 21-87 (as a nod to the film, Princess Leia’s prison cell on the Death Star is number 2187). Over disconnected footage in 21-87, a voice speaks: “Many people feel that in the contemplation of nature and in communication with other living things, they become aware of some kind of force.”

From an early age Lucas had questioned his religious upbringing. “He was raised a Methodist, mostly by his housekeeper, Tilly,” Taylor says. “He asked his mother at 10 years old, ‘Why are there so many religions but only one God?’ So he was obviously quite precocious in his religious thinking.”

Perhaps Lucas’ greatest achievement is to come up with a science-fiction based spirituality but not end up becoming like Scientology’s founder L Ron Hubbard, despite the fact that fellow film director Francis Ford Coppola had suggested they start their own religion.

“Coppola often had his tongue in his cheek but as Lucas often said, Francis is the kind of guy to find a parade and then jump out in front of it,” says Taylor. “If Lucas had said, ‘That’s not a bad idea’, Coppola would have been all over it and there would be real Jedi temples right now.”

Well, speaking of temples, one of the many churches that has sprung up from the Star Wars saga is the Temple of the Jedi Order. I dropped them an email and the mysterious Akkarin responded, saying he would be delighted to talk to The Big Issue. I am not sure what planet he comes from but wherever it is, the locals speak with an apologetically posh English accent.
What does it mean to be a Jedi?

“A Jedi is someone who pursues what is most meaningful for themselves within a broader context of recognising how other people also find meaning in other things,” answers Akkarin.

Following a religion derived from a science fiction film seems ludicrous but according to official statistics, there are more Jedi in the UK than any other country – certainly in this part of the galaxy. In the 2001 census more people identified themselves as Jedi than Jewish in Britain. It was listed as our fourth largest religion, ahead of Buddhism and Sikhism.

The total number (suspiciously concentrated in university towns such as Brighton, Cambridge and Oxford) was 390,127 – or 0.8 per cent of the population in England and Wales. In Scotland the figure was only 0.3 per cent, however a Freedom of Information Request in 2009 revealed that eight police officers from the Strathclyde force had entered Jedi in their diversity forms.

By the 2011 census, numbers of Jedi had declined by more than half but those numbers could climb again given the reawakening interest in all things Star Wars. While the vast majority of recorded Jedi were demonstrating that they did not take the census very seriously, a number of people like Akkarin take the messages from the films to heart and live by that philosophy.

“I don’t know of any Jedi who actually believes Star Wars is literally true,” Akkarin points out. “At the Temple of the Jedi Order we base our interpretation of Jediism not so much on the films but on the inspirations George Lucas drew upon. It has its Christian backgrounds but a lot of the ideas are inspired by Eastern religions such as Buddhism, in particular Zen and Daoism.”
Star Wars and a sense of belonging

Is the Force just another word for faith? “A connection between people is a good way of describing it. At the Temple we don’t offer a very strict definition of the Force, we leave it broad to allow people their own interpretation,” says Akkarin.

The Temple’s doctrine was originally adapted from a humanist website. Akkarin is keen to point out one of their teachings: “Jedi believe in the ethic of reciprocity, and how moral concepts are not absolute but vary by culture, religion and over time.

“If anything, the worst thing about the films is…”

Jar Jar Binks?

“Okay, the second worst thing about the films is the very black and white distinction between good and evil. That does not exist in the real world. I’m not going to call out other Jedi churches but some of them do have a stronger focus on being on the light side or the dark side.”

Other Jedi denominations include the Jedi Church and the Church of the Jedi but Akkarin was attracted to the Temple’s humanist doctrine. “I looked at it and went okay, this all sort of makes sense. Most people have the same kind of reaction. The Temple seemed like a place I could belong.”

The sense of belonging is important. Somebody who followed the spiritual philosophy of Star Wars may have been the victim of general mocking before the internet allowed those with similar views to connect and form communities. The Star Wars special editions were released in 1997, just as the world wide web was taking off. The forums fans formed to debate the unwelcome excess of CGI have evolved into networks that can debate more serious subjects, as well as speculation about the storyline of Star Wars VII.

Simon Brew, who founded the entertainment news site Den of Geek, has used their reach to tackle issues beyond its pop culture news remit. “After the suicide of Robin Williams I cancelled our lead feature and just put a post about what you could do if you’re feeling depressed,” Brew says. “I’d never seen a response like it. We followed it up last Christmas, putting a letter to readers about being lonely at that time of year. Again, the response… I know it sounds mawkish but I had to wipe tears out of my eyes reading the comments.”

Brew subsequently launched a Geeks Vs Loneliness campaign, publishing a post every Friday dealing with issues such as depression, bullying and anxiety. “We’ve kept it simple,” he says. “We worked out you don’t need fireworks and klaxons. It’s not a magic wand, sometimes you just need to be there.”

Apart from the advice found in the columns, readers leave comments offering mutual support. With Christmas being a time many people can feel especially isolated, Brew is planning to spread the message via a viral video, hoping to get figures from the world of geek such as Neil Gaiman and Brian Cox to recite lines from It Feels Like Christmas, a song from the festive masterpiece, The Muppet Christmas Carol.

“We know that 20,000 people read the letter last Christmas,” Brew says. “You come in for a bit of Star Wars then you see a post that might apply to you. Sometimes people seek out stuff when they’re nearer the end of their tether than the start. Community bothers me more than finding more readers, if people can feel they have a virtual safe space.”

Obviously every Star Wars fan is getting what they have long wished for this Christmas, a brand new film. But apart from that, how do Jedi celebrate Christmas?

“Most people would do what every other family would do even though they’re Jedi,” Akkarin says. They might just get more Star Wars toys too? “Quite possibly. Interestingly, in 2005 when we filed to become a company, the papers were submitted a few days before Christmas and we actually became officially recognised as a church on Christmas Day. On special days, like the anniversary day, we might hold a ceremony where you can sit down in front of your computer and be part of a live service.”

Despite the Temple’s origins being in science fiction, Akkarin emphasises that Jedi are humans like the rest of us. So who is he exactly?

“I am a student at Canterbury University,” says Akkarin, real name Michael Kitchen. “I’m 23 and I also have a part-time job as a sales assistant.”

What are you studying?

“Religious studies with philosophy.”

Do your classmates know you are a Jedi?

“Not really. I tend not to bring it up. It’s the sort of thing that could prove problematic.”

But from his description of Jediism, the Temple’s doctrine and Lucas’ liberal ideology, it seems many of us could be Jedi, we just don’t know it.

“May the Force be with you,” Kitchen says, signing off. “That is something we did adopt from the films.”

Alexandre Orion
http://www.bienpublic.com/edition-dijon-ville/2015/08/20/un-maitre-jedi-a-dijon

Warning: Spoiler!

Et si les chevaliers jedi – personnages emblématiques de Star Wars – existaient réellement ? Ils sont une dizaine en France et, justement, l’un d’eux habite Dijon. À 48 ans, si Benjamin-Alexandre Miller, né aux États-Unis, se revendique comme chevalier jedi (personnage de guerrier-philosophe œuvrant pour la paix dans les films Star Wars ), ce n’est pas pour faire des roulades, sabre laser à la main : « Je ne vais pas dans les dojos m’entraîner aux arts martiaux », précise-t-il. Pourtant pas besoin d’être un inconditionnel de la saga pour être un jedi.

« Je ne suis fan de rien. Oui, j’ai aimé cette histoire, j’étais gamin et j’avais les jouets du film, mais La Guerre des étoiles n’est pas un texte sacré. On ne prie pas l’autel de Yoda et on ne considère pas George Lucas comme un prophète. »
Comprendre le mythe pour maîtriser la force

C’est en 1988 qu’il découvre “la voie du jedi” en regardant une série d’interviews sur la télévision publique, consacrées au mythologue Américain Joseph Campbell, dont s’est inspiré George Lucas pour ses films.

« La voie du jedi telle que nous la pratiquons s’éloigne de La Guerre des étoiles mais peu de la base mythologique et héroïque de Campbell. »

C’est en 2012 qu’il s’inscrit sur “Temple of the jedi order”, (temple de l’ordre jedi) un forum international qui regroupe tous les membres d’une même religion : le jediisme. En Angleterre, ce culte compte environ deux mille disciples. Bien que notre chevalier n’imagine pas déplacer un vaisseau spatial par la pensée, il croit pourtant dans l’existence de la force. « Elle est indescriptible, indéfinissable et pour autant tout en surgit et tout y retourne. »

Chez Benjamin-Alexandre Miller, croyance et philosophie se mélangent pour former un mode de vie à part entière. Sa quête contre le côté obscur est spirituelle. « Il est en nous, et c’est l’ignorance de cette part sombre qui crée les problèmes sociaux. On veut tous se considérer comme bon, mais le mal fait partie de l’être humain. » Si cette vision peut paraître pessimiste, il reconnaît que l’homme est créatif, brillant, capable de merveilles et sur la bonne voie.

Un jedi est donc avant tout un philosophe « J’ai étudié la philosophie et la littérature à l’université et j’aime beaucoup les pensées de Montaigne, Pascal ou encore le taoïsme (une doctrine chinoise). »

Pour autant, tous les prétendants ne peuvent pas devenir maîtres jedi, une initiation est nécessaire, comme celle que le maître procure à son padawan dans les films.
Un long parcours initiatique

« Le nom est célèbre donc beaucoup viennent nous voir. J’ai sept apprentis, quatre ont déjà été adoubés, il y a aussi un autre Dijonnais mais qui ne souhaite pas devenir chevalier. » Avoir des apprentis est logique, comme une relation de professeur à élève. L’initiation est composée d’enseignements philosophiques, d’éthique et de l’étude de nombreux ­mythes.

Un apprentissage long puisque Benjamin-Alexandre Miller assure avoir écrit déjà quatre livres avant d’être ordonné maître.

Finalement, c’est lui qui, d’un ton calme et posé, résume le mieux ce que peut être un jedi dans le monde réel : « Ce n’est pas le sabre laser qui fait le chevalier ni sa robe mais son cœur, son âme, et la façon dont il ressent la vie ».

Avant de reprendre sa route, notre jedi lance en souriant « que la force soit avec vous ». Avant d’ajouter immédiatement « je l’ai fait exprès ; normalement, je le dis rarement ».

Library

Not much to report for the library. A book of "extracts" from Alan Watts' The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing who you are has been added to IP lesson 2 .

There is also an academic publication due out this year (it was due out last year but has been delayed) so watch for the post of when that arrives in a few months time!

There is also another book due out later this year which is an updated version of the old Way of Jediism (2010). This should be out pretty soon and currently the plan is to update it every couple of years with all the updates to our structure and procedures etc.