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the_ignored
SFN Addict
2562 Posts |
 Posted - 05/20/2002 : 09:26:18
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Check this out:
http://www.borderlandnews.com/stories/living/20020517-197936.shtml
Those characters even have their own web page
http://www.jediism.org/
How serious are they?
quote:
Jediism is not the same as that which is portrayed within the Star Wars Saga by George Lucas and Lucasfilm LTD. George Lucas' Jedi™ are fictional characters that exist within a literary and cinematic universe. The Jedi™ discussed within this website refer to factual people within this world that live or lived their lives according to Jediism, of which we recognize and work together as a community to both cultivate and celebrate. Jedi™ Apprentices, Knights, Commanders, Scholars, Masters, Scribes and High Councilors embrace Jediism as a real living, breathing religion, and sincerely strive to seek out and emulate real life examples of Jediism in the long rich history of mankind. Jediism bases less of its focus on myth and fiction, and more upon those real life examples of Jediism.
Well, I'll say one thing, they're more open minded than most religions. quote:
We recognize that many times the answers to mankind's problems comes from within the purified hearts of genuine seekers of truth. Theology, philosophy and religious doctrine can facilitate this process, but we believe that it would be a futile exercise for any belief system to claim to hold all the answers to all the serious questions posed to seekers of truth in the 21st century. Jediism may help facilitate this process, yet we also acknowledge that it is up to the true believer who applies the universal truths inherent within Jediism to find the answers they seek.
If they opened a theme park, do you think it'd do better than the one being built by Answers in Genesis? (if they ever hear of this, I'm sure they'd use it as an example of how "evolutionary" thinking leads to false religion!) 
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jmcginn
Skeptic Friend
343 Posts |
 Posted - 05/20/2002 : 11:07:09 [Permalink]
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I have to say that the really scary part of this is the following:
quote:
Pastor Alex Garcia of Mount Franklin Baptist Church is skeptical about an upstart faith that doesn't find its roots in an ancient text like the Bible but found its beginnings just over two decades ago on celluloid.
"It's as if people are looking for a cause to believe in. They want so desperately to have meaning and a purpose in their lives," Garcia said. "But we all know this can be just mental suicide."
Films like the "Star Wars" saga and "The Matrix" that have saviorlike characters are weak substitutes for the real deal, Garcia added.
"I know I would die for my faith, but I don't think people would die for this," Garcia said. "It's just like we tell our children: This is just entertainment; it's just a fantasy."
shiver :(
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Wiley
Skeptic Friend
68 Posts |
Posted - 05/20/2002 : 12:33:23 [Permalink]
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I think it was Steven Spielberg who, after reading the script for Star Wars, said something like "George, screw the movie. If you really want to make money, turn this "Force" crap into a religion."
Just think, we came so close to a new L.Ron.
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Lars_H
SFN Regular
Germany
630 Posts |
Posted - 05/20/2002 : 13:23:41 [Permalink]
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Jediism and jokes aside Star Wars is a religion.
To be exact Star Wars is many different religions, myths, sagas and stories. Lucas just took parts from many different sources and put them back together after an ancient recipes as told in cookbooks like "The hero with a thousand faces". Then he changed the setting into a spaceopera / science-fiction serial.
The same things that fascinated people about the likes of Boewolf, Heracles and Siegfried attracts them now to Star Wars. And deep down they dont't care that there is no such things as a Force and that in space you can't really hear engines scream. Just like they did not care about the non-existance of dragons.
Many of the essential parts of religion that you might find your self missing in the Star Wars religion are not necessary for it to work. The Star Wars myth is far more successful than the likes of scientology ever could be.
Lucas recipe is the future and we might se more like it in the future. "The Matrix" uses a similar plan and because of it's ambigious setting is far closer to traditional religions.
Maybee the skeptics in few centuries will have to argue that the Matrix triology was not infact a literally account. I can see my spiritual descendants showing believers of the future books of Philip K. Dick like I today point to myths of Mithras when trying to argue that Jesus or Neo was just another myth.
Religions like "Star Wars" and "The Matrix" are the future! (They and those awaiting the second coming of Elvis)
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