If we had to change...

Senan wrote:
I think you're taking the point too far here. The teachings of Jesus Christ produce "Christians". People who follow the teachings have become easy to identify and associate with their faith. Jediism produces "Jedi". It is simply a matter of convenience while communicating. It's easier to use terms we are already familiar with than try to define and then adopt new ones. We are not trying to actively recruit people, but at the same time we don't need to be camouflaging ourselves either.

LOL, perhaps I am taking it to far. Its just how I feel. I have actually struggled with this very point. Jesus Christ produced teachings. His teachings were followed by others and thus his disciples were called "Christ"-ians and that body encompassed the spirituality of Christianity. But Jedi was actually a term that existed way before "Jediism" did. It evolved backwards. First was the term for the disciple, "Jedi" and then the term for the body that encompassed the spirituality was created "Jediism" and then the teachings were created to define those terms. It was not the teachings that made the term Jedi a common name, it was a movie. And some might say the movies had teachings, but not really. It had a few quick maxims that were more specific to the fictional Jedi than could be applied in real life. So the term and the teachings were fictional ones use to define a fictional way of life before it was used in any sort of sense to define a real spirituality. It leaves the term Jedi something not original nor unique to this path. In fact its a stolen term re-used to define something completely different than its originally intended purpose. Its the very reason I have never publicly called myself Jedi in reference to my spirituality.

The spirituality practiced here at this temple for example, is nothing remotely similar to what the Jedi practice in the Movies. Sure there are some shadows of similarity but they are in no way the same. I find it frustrating that many cant separate their spirituality from the movies themselves. Jedi of the movies dedicate their entire lives to the order as monks, they are forbidden possessions and attachment of any personal nature. They work in service to the galactic govt as peacekeepers and mediators. They practice mastery of light sword techniques and supernatural powers like mind manipulation and acrobatics and telekinesis. Real Jedi do none of these things but I think that many are so enamored with those things that they cant separate a true spiritual path from the imaginary one of the movies. They want to fly and use telekinesis an subdue bad guys with light sabers. I think the best thing that "Jediism" could do is separate themselves from these movie terms. It would quickly weed out the chaff and leave the true disciples behind. Just my humble thoughts though...

I don't think it would bother me much. As long as we stayed together...

My vote is for Wayfarer. Pretty BA!

Cabur Senaar wrote: Also, The Order of Wayfarer Knights is the best new name ever. Or, at least a close second to Shadows of Zenchi.

Wayfarer Knights of the Zenchi Shadow? :woohoo:

Kyrin Wyldstar wrote: They practice mastery of light sword techniques and supernatural powers like mind manipulation and acrobatics and telekinesis. Real Jedi do none of these things but I think that many are so enamored with those things that they cant separate a true spiritual path from the imaginary one of the movies. They want to fly and use telekinesis an subdue bad guys with light sabers. I think the best thing that "Jediism" could do is separate themselves from these movie terms. It would quickly weed out the chaff and leave the true disciples behind. Just my humble thoughts though...

While I totally agree with the issues of being enamored and tying to the movies to closely, I do disagree with the idea that we may one day move things with our mind, because even though all the youtube videos out there have been disproven it doesn't change the fact that it may someday happen. I mean it technically happens now. There is a special microsoft hololens project where you can look at a spot, give a voice command and a robot will move to where you are looking and perform commands there without you touching or doing a thing. As technology improves, as science continues to evolve I could see one day down the road where a couple implants later and you can move around small objects with just your mind and some special particle fields and so forth and to us in the year 2016 compared to those who have that technology in the year 2200 we could say they had special powers, even though we scoff at things like a holo lens being just technology and computers, how would that look to someone from the year 1200?

I do think that with proper meditation and practice and discipline mixed with science evolution we could very will be similar in nature, but by no means the same someday. Keep in mind just because the star wars movies were "a long time ago in a galaxy far far away" their technology is way beyond ours in the story line, anything is possible to connect the two.

Now not trying to make an argument that we should try and be real life jedi from the star wars movies, but more to the point of don't discredit the possible, we have a very long way to go and some of those possibilities may not be possible within our lifetime, it may be possible within our children's and so forth. On the chance that it is, would you be so strong to discredit it now, or just be truthful in the fact that it may be possible one day with proper training and discipline and exploration of the sciences. Jediism is still only 23ish years old, there's still so much to figure out and explore and understand, i mean compared to the thousands of years of other spiritualistic beliefs it seems silly to say that anything is impossible at this point.

Tellahane wrote: While I totally agree with the issues of being enamored and tying to the movies to closely, I do disagree with the idea that we may one day move things with our mind, because even though all the youtube videos out there have been disproven it doesn't change the fact that it may someday happen.

I never said the future is limited from that possibility. Who knows where technology can go. But how is that relevant to the Jedi Spirituality? I guess I'm not sure what you are defending here? Are you trying to say that as a part of Jedi spirituality it is necessary or relevant for one to pursue these sorts of abilities? Do you feel that you are lacking in some way in your spiritual pursuit because you currently don't possess the ability to move things with your mind? Is this what a Jedi should aspire to in your mind?

i like the term zenchi, derived from Zen, and Chi. Wayfarer is also a decently good one.

it seems to me that Jedi-ism, as it is thusfar blossoming into, stems primarily from buddhism, taoism, and space-new-age parts and pieces and such, with possibly a light sauce of core christian elements. From there, other ideologies are amended onto this, as preferred by each individual (im not sure about judaism or islam, because well, they are rather implicitly insular, and apparently insist on standing quite singularly)

Summed up in 3 quick and dirty words, Jedi-ism is 'new-age galactic buddhism'. If 'Jedi' and its variations was suddenly off-limits to us via corporate whim-fringement laws, then i think we would trudge along starting from that descriptor, somehow.

極教
Jídào ~ most indepth path

Not quite 'jedi' though... and I just googled it to find it is "an umbrella term for the Japanese yakuza", gulp, scratch that perhaps!

極體
Jí tǐ ~ most indepth structure of personal experience

or

極代
Jí dài ~ most indepth generation, or utmost era

Kyrin Wyldstar wrote: Why is there such attachment to these terms, Force and Jedi? Why do we allow them to define us and why do we fight so hard to keep them? If this is in question, as it seems to be just based on recent conversations here, why not be proactive and enact change now? I saw somewhere that someone at the temple had questioned our legal integrity over this issue simply because the use of the terms were in question. Why put ourselves through this? If we truly hold no attachement to the movies to define our spirituality what does a name even mean? After all we all know what attachment leads to, right?

As a Satanist, many people tell me that if I don't believe in a literal Satan why would I use the name? Simple fact is, that for Satanists everywhere that name has been adopted to create new meanings. 'Jedi' has been adopted to produce new meanings for those who use it. It is as much our word now as it is for its previous/existing use.

Rebekka wrote: it seems to me that Jedi-ism, as it is thusfar blossoming into, stems primarily from buddhism, taoism [...] Jedi-ism is 'new-age galactic buddhism'.

Far more Taoism than Buddhism, imho. Many of the core principles of Buddhism have no equivalent in Jediism - most Taoist principles do.