[thechat] Jedi Knight now an official religion in the UK...

[Erika Meyer]

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
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