|
10
Nerd-Its
|
|
current event
by Putting "Jedi Knight" down on an official census survey for one's religious preference may have seemed amusing at the time. As previously reported, whether humorous or serious, Britain's collected data indicated it was their fourth largest religion according to the 2001 census. Regardless, these modern Jedi are about to take their movement another step further with the establishment of a Jedi Academy in Surrey, England. Followers can attend the Church of the Jedi, which promises to teach technology, martial arts, the light saber and meditation. The creator says, "We are not extremists, we are not psychotics and we are not a cult. This is a treatment plan to better your life. It is exploiting the best parts of your life. You can follow it completely or at you own pace. We open our doors to anyone."
Perhaps its a good time to review the question - what is a cult?
Add a Comment (15)
Email This
Message Author
You know, if you read through the teachings, it sounds kind of cool. If there was a Jedi church nearby with well versed instructors on all topics available, I wouldn't mind sitting in on some of their lectures. The problem would be walking in and finding some 15 year old pretending he/she is an expert on personal finances because they spent an evening skimming articles on the motley fool, and the likelihood that any service would have a high probability of ending in all participants whacking at each other with their homemade foam lightsabers.
I agree. What differentiates this from any other "self-help" organization, such as AA or Al-Anon?
It seems obvious to me the key aspect of being a "cult" is the separation from society. In other words, the effects or extent of the organization's practices need to be +so weird, illegal or destructive that those participating regularly are no longer able (or no longer choose) to be a part of the community at large.
So cult or not ... nobody seems to be willing to call it a religion. Everyone seems comfortable with calling it a "self help" organization - but that is not what they are calling it.
Isn't the "religion" classification just a subset of the "self-help organization" classification? (Well, those that aim/claim to help people, at least...)
Martial Arts, technology, light saber, meditation...sounds like the AV Club meets the Tai Chi class and they formed Wicca to me.
In an abstract way, I see pieces of the Jedi belief system sort of aligned with the Wiccan beliefs, with the natural forces and energies of the universe able to be channeled to and from individuals in levels determined either by birthright and/or the application of much discipline.
There's something I don't understand about the Jedi concept of 'The Force" though, and also about some concepts of the Wicca ideas on Karma. In order to have any force that affects a man's destiny; it would seem like that force has to have a direction. In order to have a constant influential direction, it seems like that force would also have to have a consciousness in order to maintain that influential direction, or as in the case with Karma, allow things to "come back at you threefold". (How does it know?) You see what I'm getting at here. Why is that any different really from the beginning concepts of a god?
Personally, from reading the text in the provided website, I think the Jedi Church is a tongue-in-cheek stab at mainstream religion that went much farther in terms of supposed followers than the 'leaders' ever dreamed. But that aside; in theory, it has all the trappings of a decent religion at first glance.
Personally, from reading the text in the provided website, I think the Jedi Church is a tongue-in-cheek stab at mainstream religion that went much farther in terms of supposed followers than the 'leaders' ever dreamed. But that aside; in theory, it has all the trappings of a decent religion at first glance.
Right - so why should Scientologists be granted religious status but Jedis get scoffed at?
What I don't get is how mainstream religions can laugh off Scientology and Jedi as religious farces and yet not recognize that same perspective against their own faith.
Right - so why should Scientologists be granted religious status but Jedis get scoffed at?
When you think about it, almost all developing religions were scoffed at in the beginning phases of their history. The Jedi movement just hasn't been around long enough to have weathered the times, maybe. The Jedis will just have to stand for their beliefs just like any other established religion had to do. If the supposed numbers truly continue, maybe they will eventually be granted religious status (whatever that means.) You have to remember that most mainstream religions by far, predate the governments they derive their "status" from. At this point I'm sure the governments in the U.K. are just waiting for it to go away, or not paying much attention at all, despite the census data. Does anyone know how you "apply" for religious status? Have the Jedis actually done this? What does George Lucas think?
Then again it could be because.....
"By religion I mean Christianity, by Christianity I mean Protestantism, by Protestantism I mean the Church of England as established by law."
Henry Fielding, 18th. century novelist, in Tom Jones, book 3, chap. 3.
RSS
Cult? by Eye.Of.Sage :: NR6 :: on 22 February 2008
If we categorize Jedi fans, such as these, as a cult, then we must also consider Trekkies as a group of cult. We can then group Fraternities and Sororities as cults too. {A cult of Alcohol beverages}
Being extreme fans of Star War does not mean they are a cult. It just means they need to find a friend or a job.
RE: Cult? by ldsudduth :: NR7 :: on 22 February 2008
yup..I agree..this is a 'club'..not a cult.
To misquote the Breakfast Club:
"It's a social club...demented and sad...but social.".
They're no more a cult than the gaming club I belonged to in college, or the sci-fi club I belonged to that has an annual convention every year.
Rev. Jim Jones...Elizabeth Clare Prophet..Rev. Sun Myung Moon--those are 'typically defined' cults. Draw what you will from them; I don't personally like that word (and I'm one of the resident Evangelical Christians here). Rather, I prefer to say that they have 'beliefs different from my own'. Even Brandon here (sorry to take your name in vain dude) belongs to a group typically called a 'cult' by many.
RE: Cult? by VnutZ :: NR8 :: on 22 February 2008
Sooooo ... scientologists. Sci-Fi fans? :-)
RE: Cult? by ldsudduth :: NR7 :: on 22 February 2008
Sooooo ... scientologists. Sci-Fi fans? :-)
Just because their religion was made up by a sci-fi author (and kind of a cheesy one at the--ever read Mission: Earth?)..and it's principal work 'Dianetics' first appeared in 'Astounding Science Fiction' in 1950...?
And then there is this wierdness-though in my younger days, having a bevy of hot-pants clad ladies catering to my every whim would have appealed to me.
RE: Cult? by VnutZ :: NR8 :: on 22 February 2008
Well - I suppose the question was more would you truly grant it [scientology / jedi] a religious status based on what they are founded on?
RE: Cult? by ldsudduth :: NR7 :: on 22 February 2008
personally? no...
By definition--I believe they do fit the definition.
Legally---I'm not qualified to answer that.
RE: Cult? by VnutZ :: NR8 :: on 22 February 2008
Just for the sake of argument ... consider rephrasing that statement like:
If we categorize Jesus or Joseph Smith followers, such as these, as a cult, then we must also consider Christians or Mormons as a group of cult. We can then group Jews and Muslims as cults too. {A cult of Yaweh and Mohammed followers}
Being extreme followers of Prophets does not mean they are a religion.