The Star Wars movies do not in any way legitimise nor negate the legitimacy of the Jedi Church. They are merely a discussion point.?

On average, everyone strongly agrees with nonconsensus between 613 voters.

Reasons To Disagree

Jedi should refrain from defending themselves. Defending oneself only feeds what you do not want to become more powerful.

without the movies there would be no religion.

the book's and movies helped use relise that the force existed.

Without George Lucas, we would even know about the Force.

I would say the movies distract from the legitamy of the religion as a whole, because it makes it somewhat commercialised. In truth, the movies are superfluous to the underlying beliefs of the church, despite providing popularity and publicity.

I think they are more than a discussion point, as if it weren't for the movies we wouldn't have all the knowledge we now do about the force. We would know it was there, but we wouldn't necessarily understand it.

Star Wars movies is a graphical representation of the GOOD vs EVIL of the JEDI council and its people to attract people

The movies were certainly a very potent way of jelling many people with similar philosophy but no organisation together. So in that way they had a profound impact on the creation of the Church of the Jedi and that should not be forgotten.

No. The star wars Tell the whole story of The chosen one, who will bring balance to the force.

The Star Wars movies, while providing a light to the path of the Jedi and gave it a name it can also be a distraction that makes the religion seem less that what it is. As a Jedi we seek understanding of the Force, protect life, and explore the universe the Force has provided. We must take care to not be defined by the media that presents the tennants of Jedi order solely based on a story meant to entertain. A Jedi should be vigilant in avoiding fanaticism so that the Jedi order can distinguish itself from the media depiction.

The movies and books are essential to our belief.

i loving star wars and the religon is based on the films jedi, so i think i slightly disagree

They are the basis of our religion. The jedi code comes from them.

thay are what made the church form but it would have under another name if not so as the face would have dune what it must

Without it being made then how could you have known what to llok for?

Honestly Jedi is only from the movies. The philosiphy behind the church could be of any name. But to use the movies as a main discussion point leads to pure fiction removing the main ideals from the conversation

we are all the same way the movie are a bit the same but not all of it is real

Star wars is like the bible man.

george lucas is a prophet and the movies are his way of sharing his prophecies to the world.

The movies fuel beliefs within this religion and are at the heart of most teachings

Given that a great many people only ever heard of the Force THROUGH the SW movies, I think trying to distance itself from the movies is more like cutting off the nose to spite the face. Acknowledge the larger origin and find strength in that.

Let's be honest here. This 'religon' wouldn't even exist with George Lucas's films

The visual guides of the histories of a galaxy far far away. Let us not forget their sacrafices

I think they make our religion more accessible and wide spread

Reasons To Agree

Less than that lol

They are just movies

The movies, books and graphic novels are our parables that is all. The Jedi Church is here for all that believe there is a power to all life in the Universe and have not found the answer in any of the other religions. I do hesitate at calling it a religion though, it is more a philosophy on how one should live their life..a bit like Buddhism on that count.

They just gave it a name

It's science fiction. 'Jedi' is a popular and recognizable term meaning, for us, Force-adepts.

Jedi is a free word. Lukas only have leaned it. In Slovenian language it means: food. (I'm Austrian, but I found in a Slovenian trains dinner-car the word Jedi for food. So Lukas has leaned it as many other words for his movies from a foreign language.)

The Jedi Church is an attempt to organize and recruit Jedi. It doesn't really have anything to do with Star Wars or any other movies. Many different movies, books or other forms of story telling may express concepts and ideals of The Force.

I guess you could call Star Wars the basis of our legends, the beginnings of our lessons in the faith. Just the same as the stories told in any other religous writings.

You should also add the games, like knights of the old republic.

They are less than that

I learned of the Jedai/Djedi initially through researching ancient egyptian history - where do you think George Lucas first got his ideas from? However, for understanding the concept through a form of entertainment, I would recommend the books over the movies.

they r fantasy movies and have very little to do with the jedi religion

exactly just like fiddler on the roof is for the Jews

The movies just gave the way of life we live a name that we all know and understand.

i want be evil jedi I AM SITH I WILL USE MY ANGER TO LEARN THE DARK SIDE OF THE FORCE..I WANT TO MASTER MY FORCE STRANGE AND FORCE LIGHTNING SO THAT I MAY DOMINATE THOSE WHO WISH TO DESTROY ME

just a more foundation of topic

The star wars mythos is the basis for the language we use to discuss and unite our spiritual beliefs. Like any myth, the charachters and story are used as metaphor for deeper understanding of concepts that may be difficult to put into words. Archetypes in the jungian sense of the word.

People who went to see the passion of the christ didn't state that the film was proof of their beliefs and it should be no different in ours or any other religion.

They are a recount of the stories from great Jedi Knights and the tragedy of Anakin Skywalker.

They're merely a tool to help us form our faith.

Science fiction based on the reality of the Force

i agree

The movie shouldn't be considered the "bible" of Jedi. It is Hollywood's interpretation of Jediism. Much like the OBAMAnation that happened during the election, some what missleading and full of "hollywood" facts.

The quickest way to negate a belife is to wrie a work of fiction. I therefore deny starwars all but the premise of the force

Exactly. It is merely an example of how the Force is recognized. In the Star Wars movies, it is a perfect example of how this Energy that connects everything, or more importantly IS everything, can be adopted in pop culture, transcending the intellectual or spiritual connotations that previously qualified It.

Just because the Star Wars movies give a title to the Force, it does not mean that it only existed after these movies were shown.

i pissed on my starwars dvd because i was so outraged by the way they potrayed us jedi and our ways. i felt sickened by the blatent, badly used references to my firm belief. xoxox

There is more to everything, than people could know.

While the films are the roots of the church they are merely a point of reference

True Believers do not even have to discuss this point.

The movies, books and graphic novels are our parables that is all. The Jedi Church is here for all that believe there is a power to all life in the Universe and have not found the answer in any of the other religions. I do hesitate at calling it a religion though, it is more a philosophy on how one should live their life..a bit like Buddhism on that count.

They're movies that were made to make money. No one should take them seriously.

they just popularize the belief. true followers have always known what they have felt. the movies have just proveided some mainstream to help people come togeather

NOW LETS KICK SOME DARK SIDE BUTT !!!

the force exists in every one of us, this has been scientifically proven, although the "midichlorians" were given an alternative name. these give life and if you will power or even chi. so the films although fictional are just stories to help understand ways in which we can use our own minds to help less fortunate.

The story of Adam & Eve is to Christianity as the story of Anakin & Obi-Wan is to the Jedi.

those who try to negate us with the thing that made us are surely those need to be brought back to the path of the light side

I agree that they do not negate the legitimacy of the Jedi Church.

And what a discussion point they are.

Movies are movies. SW just brought to light a religious belief system idea that is present in or absent in many of the world's belief systems. The movies give an example of how, in a different time and place, an existence of life forms could effectively implement this type of belief system as their spiritual pathway. Because we are in another time and place in the universe from them, does not mean we could not apply the same principles with success. Faith is very personal and should be inviolate. Light sabres and Xwings have nothing to do with it.

its like christians say that the lion the witch and the wardrobe shows christianity

The movies/books/etc are our constantly evolving Bible.

The Force was around before the Star wars movies.

It was a movie so, no.

Yes. The movies just help us to describe what we believe in life.

A rose by any other name smells just as sweet. Whether its "the force" a "universally present energy", or an omnipresent being doesn't matter. Nor does it matter whether we are called monks, jedi, acolytes, or nutjobs. We share a unified feeling through a unified network of philosophy and faith in something we know is in all of us. So what if the only people open minded wise or intelligent enough are people like us who enjoy a good scifi....

The Star Wars movies simply illustrate principles of religions far older than Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Scientology or other widely accepted teachings. Saying our religion is fake because there is a set of movies that reflects some of our beliefs is like saying Christianity is fake because of the Left Behind series.

The movies are just that - movies. Jediism is not based on the movies, no matter how much the fans wish it to be so.

It is belief that all this are one. To feel the energy around hou and use it for the greater good. Many have thought this WAY BEFORE the movies.

Star Wars doesn't legitimize the Jedi Church. Mentioning that you are a Jedi brings Ideas of movie characters and role play. Star Wars doesn't negate the Jedi Church because Jedi Have been around for far longer than the movie. In my opinion The Force is God/Allah/Yahweh etc. People have viewed the story of God in different ways throughout history. It has manifested in the various religions of the world. To me the Jedi simply encompasses the best of these religions. We are also compelled by our belief to take action in our lives and be instruments of the Force, not passively letting it "work in mysterious ways."

They show a point of view the force. They don't have all the points of views.

Jediism is a belief, a philosophy that applies to us everyday. The movies are entertainment and a discussion point. The games could also be considered for discussion.

sounds good to me

The Films may act as a guide to understanding the origins of the Church, but they are moot when regarding our intent and message.

They are movies not documentaries

Could be like some story's in the bible. reference,heroes and villains.

Good to use as examples for those who don't understand, but for those who do understand will seek the truth for themselves and free themselves from the limitations of the movies

That depends on how you define the Jedi Church. As an entity such as this website, the Jedi Church (this website) has only been around for 17 years, since 2003. Plus however long people congregated outside of this current website as it is now. One would presume if this websites existence was the entirety of the Jedi Church and nothing came before it, that the Church was based upon the stories within the books and movies which came before it. If the Jedi Church has been around longer, then either it went by a different name or it's name was taken for use in these stories. Either way they are both related in some fashion and neither one legitimizes nor negates the legitimacy of the other.

Holywood just jumped on the bandwagon