Ok, this may seem a bit redundant and useless, but I wanted to flesh out my ideas for any Temple that may be created.
Insomnia is one way to let the mind wander and go over all of the data one has received. I find myself drifting through various ideas that are going through my head.
First and foremost, the idea of being a Jedi itself. Yes, Jediism is loosely based within the fiction that Lucas created, but it's ideals are so much more than that. It is a framework in which we can better our own lives and the lives of those around us. It is a way to find peace with one's self and one's surroundings.
Secondly, the idea of unification. For some reason unfathomable to me, mankind loathes the idea of cooperation and sharing of ideas. Unification of the various Jedi orders is a rather lofty goal, and a worthy one, at that, but it requires two mindsets that are all but extinct in this modern world: cooperation and selflessness. Unification would be a great step forward in proving the legitimacy of Jediism (and even Sithism) to the world, so that instead of people looking at us like we have lost our minds, they would look at us with respect.
Third, and most lengthy, is the idea of a physical temple. This one idea has kept me up countless nights. I have the ideas, and I have the determination to make it happen, but something keeps holding me back. Now, I am by no means an expert on anything Jedi-related, but it is a common fact that a group is much more than just the sum of it's parts. I've seen quite a few questions posed that bear direct and honest answers:
Self-sustainment seems to be one of the biggest things we tend to think about. Arguably, the first 1 to 3 years would be based solely on survival. We can't sustain something that is failing after three years. The first three years would be solely focused on building none but the most basic buildings needed for survival: i.e. housing, storage, etc. etc. The gardens that both feed the Temple and provide a source of beauty would also be started at this time.
After three years, we would be growing enough foodstuffs that we would be able to store a significant portion for hard times, and still be able to sell whatever is left. At the beginning of the fourth year, we could build the library, which not only would house the written works of philosophers, astronomers, scientists, and metaphysicists, but also our own writings as well. There would also be a significant computer presence in the area (more on that a bit later).
After the library is built (no more that midway through the fifth year, no later than the beginning of the sixth year), we can begin planning and construction of the Academy itself. I use the term academy, because, quite simply, the entire complex would be considered the Temple. The Academy would have to be welcoming to anyone of any faith, while still retaining our "style" as Jedi. The Academy itself would house not only the various worship centers, but also house as the administrative headquarters for the Academy. The Academy will be the greatest undertaking of the Temple since it's conception.
After the Academy is built and is functional (no later than the seventh year), we can begin to work for the future. We can build an orphanage/school, where we can help the orphans and abandoned of the world. By this time, we should be well set up with the community projects and the like, so we can afford to transport children who are from nearby countries (or states if in the USA) so that they would have a place to call home. These children would never know anything but love, since that is one of the primary emotions of the Jedi Path: love for mankind in it's entirety. Once we have the orphanage/school built, we can petition for grants by the government which would help with the financial situation quite a bit.
Now, just from what I've described, the Temple would sound like a major city in and of itself, but it isn't. In keeping with TOTJO's symbol, the Temple would be arranged in a similar fashion: the Academy would be in the place of the 16-pointed start, each of the white points of the five pointed star would be a separate building (housing, storage, orphanage/school, etc.) Yes, it seems like quite a few buildings, but the dark areas of the symbol would be nothing but gardens: food, meditation, or pure aesthetic gardens.
As I mentioned earlier, there will be technology at the Temple. It's an unavoidable fact of life that technology is here to stay. Many of the things we do would be done by hand, so that Initiates, Apprentices, and Younglings (from the orphanage) would learn the value of good, hard work. But, technology would enable us to open the world to the students and allow them to see exactly what they can help alleviate. Instead of technology ruling our lives, we are allowing it to augment a life worth living. We are not trying to close ourselves off from the world, we are seeking our own place in the world, without relying on ones and zeros to "spread the message" about Jediism.
I will be the first one to admit, I'm not a likely candidate to lead the Temple. I haven't been granted the rank of Apprentice, so my credibility has not been built with TOTJO, yet. Therein lies the biggest issue: support. Many of us are close-minded about the Temple because we honestly believe that we aren't ready for it. In my opinion, that's a platitude, born out of fear. We will keep telling ourselves that until someone goes out into the world and actually succeeds in creating it. The Temple does not have to be lavish, but it will be lavished with all of our love, because it is born out of our love for each other, and for mankind in general. It will grow, expand, be used as an example (both good and bad), and in the end, will rival anything that any religion has ever had, simply because we love it so much. I know that, since this is in my journal, and is quite simply, my simple ravings about things outside of my control, there will not be any replies to this, so I simply ask that anyone who reads this and finds it either interesting or plausible, send me a PM with ideas or encouragement. It would be most helpful.
