Can't be a Jedi if you support Trump...?

Honestly, politics is a trade steeped in dishonesty and greed.
Anything political is intrinsically un-Jedi-like, no matter what anus is used as the example.
(there is a reason the Jedi Order and High Council preferred to stay out of the fallacious dealings of the Senate)

Now the issues ineffectively addressed by politics, such as climate change and international diplomacy, those are matters we might concern ourselves with.
These issues exist independently of the morally-decayed realm of politics, and affect us all in one way or another, directly and indirectly.

But the so-called political "leaders", regardless of any partisan affiliation, are as unworthy of respect as the lowliest criminal.
As far as I am concerned, politicians and the media (and it's pundits) are vultures and bottom-feeders, making a dishonest living off of distorting the truth in their own favor and appealing to people's prejudices.

Truth exists independently of the political realm.

CaesarEJW wrote: Anything political is intrinsically un-Jedi-like, no matter what anus is used as the example...
The so-called political "leaders", regardless of any partisan affiliation, are as unworthy of respect as the lowliest criminal.
As far as I am concerned, politicians and the media (and it's pundits) are vultures and bottom-feeders, making a dishonest living off of distorting the truth in their own favor and appealing to people's prejudices.

No anuses to be used here, but it seems a bit reductive and lazy to just typecast every politician as criminal. Is it that only evil people in your opinion become politicians or that becoming a politician makes everyone evil?

To me, it seems more like politicians realize their constituents are too lazy to be educated and involved in the political process. Politicians know they will be elected if they tell us what we want to hear, and we let them do so.

I'm more likely to agree with someone who comes to a totally different conclusion if they do so with strong reasoning rather than someone with similar views to me who does so for the wrong reasons. Jediism (as steam pointed out) is explicitly political, so reading into George Lucas' fiction for counterexamples doesn't abridge what we do believe here.

Cyan Sarden wrote: Ignoring all the movie references here (which, in my book, have nothing to do with real-life Jediism): I think a Jedi knight should strive to have a balanced mind, should try to be a role-model to others, a mediator and a man of peace. Is any of this possible if one is involved in politics or radically chooses sides? I doubt it. Personally I know I wouldn't be able to. If others manage to achieve this: hats off!

ahhh... you say movie references but then you say "Jedi knight". Come now... You're on a website called Temple of the Jedi Order. References should be expected at this point. We simply draw a line distinguishing real world from fantasy. However, drawing parallels and inspiration from fiction is what EVERY religion does. If we do not do this it's almost like denying TOTJO's fundamental identity as a religion.

With that being said, one should seek balance in ALL THINGS. This includes ideology and political views. If one cannot get involved in anything, be it politics, sports, career, activism, marriage, parenthood, etc. without seeking balance then I don't understand how a person calls themselves a Jedi. One of the things I didn't like in Christianity was how many people seemed to act and dress up for that one day a week, and the religion didn't seem to permeate the rest of their lives. They knew how a Christian was supposed to act and that's how they acted when they were in church, and to a certain degree, around other members of that church. This isn't true for everyone, of course. However, the purpose of religion is beliefs and practices that support one's spiritual journey, which... is the growth and maturity of one's character.

The beliefs can be figments of the imagination. The practices can be repetitious cultural events simply invoked almost by muscle memory. But that character... who you are inside... whether hero or villain. That person is who you take with you, no matter who you are, no matter what you do, no matter where you go. There is no escaping that person. And that person interacts with the world around them. That person can either make things better in their environment, or they can make things worse. They can balance situations for greater good, or throw off the balance for self interest.

This question, at its heart, is the idea of what one fundamentally believes as a Jedi. Who are you, inside. Who are you really? Do you know? There are certain things we, as Jedi, not we as individuals, but things we corporately agree upon, as stated in our doctrines. How can one be a Jedi if they reject those principles? And if one says "oh well, I just don't apply those principles to X" then I think it's more than fair to ask why. Wouldn't you agree?

A Catholic priest molests children. Should they be a catholic priest? Are they a Catholic? Are they a Christian? Was this simply a mistake? Or is it a lifestyle they're simply trying to hide? And maybe the Catholic church protects them because, on some level, they understand that such a perversion may be a byproduct of the unnatural celibate lifestyle they impose upon ordained priests; because THEY deemed it to be more holy and sacred and divine, even though the God that they believe in gave men and women clear physical traits, chemical, and psychological programming to be fruitful and multiply.

And yes... there is a balance between masculine and feminine. There is a balance but we are on one side or the other. This is natural. Being completely in the middle, would obviously not be natural. So what makes us one side versus the other? What "force" drives us to be masculine or feminine? And what is the magic of the two coming together? This is why, in my very humble opinion, debates are not to be avoided but encouraged! These exchange of ideas or not unlike the exchange of ideas in nature when bees pollinate flowers. And we all know what happens if they stop. Do you want to live in that world?

Human intercourse is also like this. Not to be crass, but it can be slow and soft. But it can also be fast and rough. It's validity doesn't depend on style but rather on "substance". I think sometimes we think too much on how things look; too much on disagreement as if the act of disagreeing is wrong or bad or something to detest. I think it is the opposite. I love the fact that you may have different views than me. I love the fact that you have different ideas swimming around in your head. I love the fact that my brothers and sisters in the Jedi order are not carbon copies of any one person. It is our differences that are beautiful and those differences need to be expressed just as differences in species are expressed in nature.

Peace is not found simply by ignoring differences and acting as if it doesn't matter. Peace is found through understanding, making sure both sides are heard, respected, and ultimately finding common ground leading to compromise where there is an exchange, not only of ideas, but solutions.

_Vergere_ wrote: Would it be wrong to suggest that Jedi should be apolitical?

In my experience, people who fancy themselves "apolitical" are usually grossly underestimating their own potential for creating an impact in the world.

Of course, I absolutely agree all human beings should be well versed in critical thinking to avoid the mistake of becoming a political party fanatic. It's safe to say that all sides of the political spectrum has their good people, their crazy ones, and their corrupt ones.

In other words, we should each closely examine what we believe and why. But at the end of the day, you take a stand and make a choice. You test it, gather feedback and if needed, shift directions. But burying your head in the sand thinking politics does not affect you or is unimportant is cowardice. And cowardice is convenient... until it's not. And then, it's too late.

Manu wrote: In other words, we should each closely examine what we believe and why. But at the end of the day, you take a stand and make a choice. You test it, gather feedback and if needed, shift directions. But burying your head in the sand thinking politics does not affect you or is unimportant is cowardice. And cowardice is convenient... until it's not. And then, it's too late.

Dude... very well said. Powerful even.

Manu wrote: In other words, we should each closely examine what we believe and why. But at the end of the day, you take a stand and make a choice. You test it, gather feedback and if needed, shift directions. But burying your head in the sand thinking politics does not affect you or is unimportant is cowardice. And cowardice is convenient... until it's not. And then, it's too late.

I agree with ZealotX. That was terrific, Manu.

Thank you.

Vote for Manu.

Alright... So.... about yesterday....


Let's go back to what Kenobi said:
Anakin, my allegiance is to the Republic, to democracy!
Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader: If you're not with me, then you're my enemy.
Obi-Wan Kenobi: Only a Sith deals in absolutes. I will do what I must.


What we saw at the capitol yesterday was a mob seeking to undo a democratic and fair election. I fully support extensive investigation of voting so that everyone can be on the same page with exactly what happened; so that people aren't doing what Trump did on the phone with Georgia officials, where he seemed to believe and embrace rumors and conspiracy theories (as long as they benefitted him).

But what happened yesterday...

Imagine if you were there, hypothetically inside the fictional Star Wars universe, at the time when Palpatine LEGALLY gained control of the Senate. What would you do? People can pretend not to be political as if it doesn't matter, but it does. It does because it affects the lives of millions of people. What would the United States even be if we allowed a person to simply stay in office because they didn't like the results of the election?

Crazy.

And if he could prove that the election was stolen then he would have proved it in court. You don't get to lose in court and still have your way like you still won; like some kind of child.


We are political in so much that, at the very least, we should uphold and defend democracy. So when it comes to Trump supporters, which has become a cult of personality, we have now seen the full result of how very un-American and undemocratic this can be. The image of a man replacing the American flag with a Trump flag should be seared into our memories forever. As a failure. It should have never gotten that far. And although I do feel like saying "I told you so" like a machine gun aimed at many people who have defended the Trump cult, I will not. Instead, I only ask that those of good conscience, if they see a person under the Trump indoctrination... to intellectually defend democracy and the Constitution of the United States.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zLiYwUG7Uo&ab_channel=CNN

This makes BLM look like cub scouts in comparison

The good news is that Trump resigned in reaction to the property damage and violence. Dealing with absolutes and charging into secure property is not the wisest move no matter what side you are on.