As Jedi we believe in The Force. But I ask you, which 'The Force' exactly do you believe in?
I myself don't 'believe' in it per se. For me it is something quite different that is best left to another, more specific, discussion. But even though what I 'believe' 'The Force' to be might be one thing, what you believe it is might be something completely different. Some think it is literally an 'energy field', some think it take sides, light and dark, and some think that it is an idea - such as myself
If, however, this were some fundamental unyielding idea then we would surely have, for starters at least, some consensus of what it was, but also if others disagreed they would be wrong and any further pursuit of the idea would be met with rebuttal. If such a thing were fundamental, as a community and as an organised Temple, we simply wouldn't be able to function
And what of people and communities outside of the Jedi communtity or, more specifically, at this Temple? Well to begin with we each of us have different views about the world than our neighbours and that will be true wherever you move to...
But do those different views stop us from working together? From shopping at the same shops, working at the same jobs? I would hardly think so...
So you must therefore ask yourself. What importance is this 'fundamental belief'? Could it be that actually it isn't really important at all?
The following is used mainly for another point but I think it has relevance here
If I was to hold up a pen in front of you and ask:
"What is it?"
I would presume someone, aside from perhaps looking at me strangely, would reply:
"A pen."
The issue arises however that 'pen' is not what it is... 'pen' is a sound. What I am holding is not a sound. You see simply saying 'pen' doesn't tell me anything more about what it is that I'm holding than simply saying nothing. If someone wanted to 'tell me' what it was then a better way of doing so would be to take the pen and start writing. That tells me much more about what 'it is'
The importance of what something 'is' is not in its name but in what it does
In that way 'The Force' is largely irrelevant, because it is not simply that it is there that brings any importance, but how we behave based on that
Indeed it is not so much what anyone believes in but rather how they act that really matters. That is not to say that we shouldn't ignore our motives and intentions but that in a world where only our actions are seen by others, these must be our highest priority
I would much rather be friends with a kind Christian or Muslim or Hindu or any other of a multitude of different faiths than being friends to an unkind Jedi. The fact that we have 'similar' beliefs is irrelevant to me when I look at them and find that their actions do not portray them in the kindest of lights
The important thing is not to be the best Jedi you can be. But to instead be the best person you can be.
