Warrior-Priests

One of my favorite lines from the movie "pacific rim"

"Do not mistake my calm demeanor for weakness"...that short simple line spoke volumes about the commander...he did not back down from a fight, did not fear it, he had the wisdom and restraint to fight when it was necessary and to not hold back ...

Another good line of his:"I carry nothing with me into the drift, no fear, no memories, just the mission at hand"...when he enters battle he enters with a clear mind and a singular focus...to end the battle...

How do you know how gentle, peaceful, and priestly some of the best warriors in history were or were not when they were not in battle?

Within the nature of yin and yang, there are many people today who listen to very violent and angry metal music yet are very socially passive and peaceful in character. The music they listen to is a vehicle to vent their aggression through, often helping them maintain themselves as level-headed. On the flip-side there are very docile, philosophical and deep-minded people who are typically quite feared because of how quiet they are. People know that they think a lot and can become very clever and could easily build up anger inside of them over time. When it comes time to fight, they can be some of the most vicious and smart fighters you'll see.

Proteus wrote: How do you know how gentle, peaceful, and priestly some of the best warriors in history were or were not when they were not in battle?

Within the nature of yin and yang, there are many people today who listen to very violent and angry metal music yet are very socially passive and peaceful in character. The music they listen to is a vehicle to vent their aggression through, often helping them maintain themselves as level-headed. On the flip-side there are very docile, philosophical and deep-minded people who are typically quite feared because of how quiet they are. People know that they think a lot and can become very clever and could easily build up anger inside of them over time. When it comes time to fight, they can be some of the most vicious and smart fighters you'll see.

All through school people would keep a good distance from me until they got to know me....one day we were talking about it and they said that as a general rule: " always be afraid of the quiet ones, you never know where their mind is"...as for me..I always ignore that rule and am usually the first to make friends with the quiet ones (we have the preference for quiet in common)

Lets not assume soft and gentle is easy, so it might be a comment on the level of dedication rather then the actual concepts of soft and easy.

Though the discussion reminds me of 'Walk softly and carry a big stick'!? I like the idea of efficiency and precision... which would tend towards 'softness'.... but ramp up when required to achieve the desired (wise) effect.

Since the quote mentions enlightenment, one possible perspective of enlightenment is that it has a triune base nature of empty essence, radiant nature and all-encompassing compassionate resonance... all very soft things perhaps!, but the nature seems to represent the ground state of it - and not its active form. For me, the application of that ground state to the environment is the purpose of my Jedi path ie using the Force, not just trying to dissolve back into it.

Nor does he rejoice in victory.
How could he rejoice in victory and delight in the slaughter of men?
He enters a battle gravely,with sorrow and with great compassion,
As if he were attending a funeral. 

And that is why I'm somber after a fight, why I become disappointed with myself...
While there is a part of me that is thrilled with it that part is not in charge...

I may have something to contribute to this conversation, although I always caveat with "Your mileage may vary." I am speaking on my personal experiences alone.

I've been under oath since I was an adult, and have had the privilege of working closely with all branches of America's military, as well as the warrior traditions from many other nations and peoples. I will not say that Warrior = Combat Soldier by necessity, though. People have certainly been one or the other for as long as the path and the profession have existed, though I DO believe that walking the path aids the profession.

With those two caveats explicitly stated, I would like to start by saying that I enjoy my job. Not because I am afforded certain grave responsibilities or because of the tools I am given to perform my duties. Both are poor reasons to want to be in the profession of arms. The prime component for me is the opportunity to represent the values and ethics of my people through actions holding serious consequence. The concept of a nation, a country, nationalism, implies that we are unified by something we value - the common life we all share, a certain set of basic principles we may not quite understand, or even simply an adherence to the laws that act as representatives of our value system. It is difficult to really nail down exactly what it is...but there it is. The point is this - true warriors act on behalf of the intangibles of the world - not for personal gain, fame, glory, or need. That does not, in any way, imply only violent acts. When I stated above that being a warrior aids in the profession of arms, I meant that because of the severity of the things a soldier is asked to do...acting on principle is one of the only things that brings a soldier back to his people intact. Warrior codes, creeds, and rules of engagement are guides to those principles he or she represents. Adherence to them implies that you act on behalf of a value system, not your own motivations. When soldiers kill out of hate or anger alone, outside the purview of their status as an agent of their society...that's when they are in real jeopardy. They can truly damage their soul.

Codes and ROE are certainly there to protect people, most notably their adherents. When you take the various Jedi Codes as examples, you see a focus on the self. By focusing on self and right action, that translates to the world around the Jedi who lives by it. Most often for the positive. The Code speaks to those common beliefs we share, regardless of where we come from or who we are. In any given situation, a thousand choices abound and we could go down many paths...the Code does not address any of them specifically because it isn't designed to do so - The Jedi Code is the star field by which we orient and navigate.

Back to the Warrior-Priest. Depending on how you define either, I think the author of the original quote Streen used meant that it is folly for the adherent to represent their chosen principles merely in superficial ways. Acting in a gentle way, defined as we know it, is not a detractor for the warrior. A warrior's gentleness in adhering to principle is. The calling of the Warrior's Path requires a deep commitment to the societal values it espouses...public appearance and self-aggrandazing should not be the warrior's focus. While the Soldier acts on behalf of the physical realm, and the Priest on behalf of the spiritual one, the Warrior is called to act for both - often an impossibly difficult task.

And now to go full-on nerd:

I'm reminded of a quote from the Lord of the Rings, when Denethor is questioning Gandalf's motivations in mixing into Gondor's affairs. Gandalf reminds him that while Denethor is the Steward of Gondor, Gandalf is a steward of something higher.

"The rule of no realm is mine, but all worthy things that are in peril as the world now stands, those are my care. And for my part, I shall not wholly fail in my task if anything passes through this night that can still grow fair or bear fruit and flower again in days to come. For I too am a steward. Did you not know?" - Gandalf/The Return of the King/J.R.R. Tolkien


Gandalf is tasked with acting as agent for all things good...a representative for the Valar. Not as merely a defender of the realm, as Denethor is. Or as a spiritual adviser to those who DO act...but as an active agent of principle and duty. He will do whatever he can to preserve and protect all 'that can still grow fair' . The melding of acting for the tangible and intangible. A warrior. Tolkien got it.

I would like to say 2 things...

1 - Reacher, THANK YOU! nothing else need be said.

2 - Example of a Warrior Priest

Although I don't agree with some of his thoughts and methods, he is an example of a Warrior Priest.

Whilst we romanticize the old Samurai, I'm reminded that their descendants bombed my country Australia, tortured and executed our Prisoner of Wars. All unprovicated.

I would have preferred some softness and compassion, instead of the suicidal bombing.

Even now the Japanese are pretending like it never happened. Our foreign born Prime Minister recently praised the Japanese for how they tortured Australians. Truly it's dark days for us here, with this idiot in charge.

Recently big ears committed our country to the war in Iraq, because the USA said Jump and he asked how high.

He didn't pause. He didn't find it difficult to send more young people to their deaths.

The point of my post...well it's 2014 and I think we've had enough glorifying of the warrior.

It takes much more courage to start thinking about peace.