Warrior-Priests

"It seems that priests today are focused on irrelevant issues and go all-out to display a pious demeanor. As they strive they become soft and gentle, and because of this there are none who attain true enlightenment. It is unseemly that they encourage warriors to follow the same path. This leads a warrior to follow two paths and turns him into a useless coward. Unless a warrior is totally committed to bushido, he is of no consequence. Old men and retired warriors may follow the priest's path, but not active warriors."
I realize this quote is from an ancient book, but I think some of you can see how it is still relevant. One might replace the word bushido with the Force, or priest with Jedi. However you decide to interpret it, I hope no one takes it personally.

Opinions vary, lol...

I think it is very possible to become that way, even in the Jedi community.
Many people believe I am too militaristic, and that may be true in their eyes. And I recognize that. So to help me along and create the possibility of having more balance in my life, or a more well-rounded knowledge and skill set to pull from so that a better balance in life may be achieved, I have spent my free time studying the Seminary courses and clerical workings.

Often, people pursue what they feel connected to and love. This can cause people to become specialized and then lean more heavily on one aspect over all others. Where it is not necessarily bad, it does pull them further from a balanced center.

But as Jestor said, opinions vary… and that is my variation.

Priests.. warriors... just words. I'm me, and beyond that I'm an expression of the Force. To talk in general terms about any group of people based solely on their vocation is a mistake, it seems to me.

But I guess if forced to use these sorts of terms, before I am a warrior or a priest I am a Jedi. Jedi don't strive to be soft and gentle, unless we are starting out from a point of being rigid and hard. We work to find balance and harmony.

Some priests perhaps, but not most from my experience with the religious and religious leaders.

Many priests I have personally met and watched sermons from, push their congregations to take action on the issues that are both important to the church (congregation), and the followers themselves. These include things such as taking action on helping the impoverished, hungry, and less than fortunate. It includes things such as defending ones family and ones country from threats (both foreign and domestic), and things such as living with honor and acting with courage when one is called to be courageous.

I'm sorry you have met and watched sermons from more passive priests, but I can say from my experience that they are most definitely in the minority.

There are several examples of Warrior Priests/Monks:

Sohei
Teutonic Knights
Yamabushi warrior monk
Catholic Lay Brothers
Warrior Monks in Germany
Crusader Knights

One could argue any "radical" religious person willing to fight for their religion.

Maybe as we gain wisdom and insight we see the center path and learn a more balanced and less extreme or violent approach which could b e perceived as soft and gentle.

Streen wrote: "It seems that priests today are focused on irrelevant issues and go all-out to display a pious demeanor. As they strive they become soft and gentle, and because of this there are none who attain true enlightenment. It is unseemly that they encourage warriors to follow the same path. This leads a warrior to follow two paths and turns him into a useless coward. Unless a warrior is totally committed to bushido, he is of no consequence. Old men and retired warriors may follow the priest's path, but not active warriors."

—The Hagakure

I realize this quote is from an ancient book, but I think some of you can see how it is still relevant. One might replace the word bushido with the Force, or priest with Jedi. However you decide to interpret it, I hope no one takes it personally.

Are "soft" and "gentle" the correct translations? English is much more adaptable and words that have specific meanings in other languages do not necessarily have specific meanings in our's. "Soft" could perhaps mean fickle, and "gentle" might mean "too accommodating of failure".

That point will need further clarification, but assuming they are the appropriate words...

I do not agree at all with this quote.

The author presumes that being "soft" and "gentle" means you cannot reach full enlightenment (though what the author actually means is "What I think classifies as being enlightened"). Both Jesus and the Buddha would seem to be individuals capable of reaching what we might call "enlightenment" and they did so very gently. Whatever violence either may have ever caused one would not describe them as "warriors" (of physical war).

Assuming also that the path the priests follow is one of softness and gentleness then why would that ever be a bad thing to educate warriors with? If someone had to fight, would you rather they did it because they enjoyed fighting and killing? Or would you rather that they did it out of necessity and wept at the destruction caused? Gentler and softer soldiers and fighters everywhere in the world would probably reduce the amount of total and collateral damage caused by conflicts.

Why does pursuing softness and gentleness, while also martial combat turn you into a coward?

Like I said... if "soft" and "gentle" are the appropriate translations then I very much disagree with what this person has said.

Akkarin wrote: If someone had to fight, would you rather they did it because they enjoyed fighting and killing? Or would you rather that they did it out of necessity and wept at the destruction caused? Gentler and softer soldiers and fighters everywhere in the world would probably reduce the amount of total and collateral damage caused by conflicts.

While no leader wants his troops to revel in bloodshed, his soldiers cannot fear it either.

Softer gentler soldiers would just cause more dead soldiers.

Better policy’s to deal with conflict are needed if we want less collateral damage. If you want to bring your boys home once the fighting is over, they better carry the spirit of the bayonet fighter with them as they fulfill the task that was assigned them.

And that is why soldiers train soldiers and priest should advise politicians.

I am not a soldier, nor have I been in the military, but I do not see teaching softness and gentleness would also mean you couldn't teach someone not to fear death and dying.

The very excellent service last night: http://www.templeofthejediorder.org/sermons/2139-death

Is an excellent example of this. There are also lots of sermons we have that teach softness and gentleness, all of these sermons are written by people that would probably be considered as being priestly if not fully fledged priests.

We all have our own interpretation of the Jedi path, that's the beauty of it to my mind.

"Warriors, warriors we call ourselves. We fight for splendid virtue, for high endeavor, for sublime wisdom, therefore we call ourselves warriors." - Aunguttara Nikaya