I have read the UJ plan carefully, and let it go through my mind. I have to be honest, I did not find it an easy read. I found it quite heavy. Although the UJ and what I experienced as the Roman Catholic Church are not to be compared, the feeling I recieved inside was similar. The RC Church has a multi-hundred page \"Ius Canonici\", which advises, warns and threatens. All too often I have had to watch good Catholics being excommunicated, humiliated or excluded because of differing views. The UJ has certainly a heavy disciplinery accent, which causes a strong sense of respect.
I can also understand the idea behind all of this, the idea of an established, serious Jedi Community. It somehow reminds me of the Jedi community presented in the Star Wars saga. The problem I see here, is that we already live in an established society full or regulations, warnings, guidelines... . At least for me, this is quite enough to be getting on with. As Jedi we have to our best in the society we find ourselves in, trying to respect and uphold that society. If the Jedi were organised with a power authority, this would present each Jedi with the dilemma of who has primary authority: the state or the UJ. Because do not think that society will idley sit back and watch a strongly organised \"belief group\" grow on their doorstep.
An important point mentioned in the description was the free room which each group would still retain. I was disturbed, just recently (as Master Jidun and Br.John also pointed out), that a leading member of the UJ attacked our liberty to quote scripture. To change would mean to loose our syncretistic identity. I think it would slowly kill me if I could not be myself.
The author of the TOTJO simple and solemn oath, the liturgy book, holy days, the FAQ and the Canon Law. Ordinant of GM Mark and Master Jestor.
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