[thechat] Jedi Knight now an official religion in the UK...
Erika Meyer
emeyer at lclark.edu
Mon Oct 8 16:45:24 CDT 2001
http://www.shavenwookie.com/rimrun/oct98.html
Just found this on google; it's a comparison between Jedi training
and Wiccan belief. I've never claimed to be "Wiccan." But I do live
another kind of "neo-pagan" spirituality, and I see more similarity
than difference amongst nature "religions."
Also, I see more similarity than difference amongst monotheistic
religions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam).
For example, one notable characteristic of monotheistic religions is
patriarchy. Another notable characteristic of monotheistic religions
is a reverence for the "written" word.
As for pagan or nature-based religions, they tend to have more of a
balance of power between the masculine and feminine, and the written
word assumes a lesser significance. Image, sound, and natural
experience have far greater weight.
Of course, there isn't always a strong line. Indigenous peoples have
a history of mixing traditional nature-based religions with
Christianity. So we get stuff like Santeria, the Native American
Church, hybrid Catholicism in the US Southwest,(& perhaps Ireland?),
etc.
Personally, I think the Jedi thing was a hybrid as well. It was
mysticism mixed with western rationalism. Star Wars was a hero's
journey chock-full of boys and toys.
Anyway, nature-based religions survived amongst people for whom the
oral tradition was strong, and (written) literacy not so strong.
In those communities, knowledge comes from heart & spirit as well as
from the head. Intuitive knowledge is valued along with rational
knowledge.
"The Force" is difficult to understand intellectually. You have to feel it.
Erika
--
More information about the thechat
mailing list