Temple of The Jedi Order as a Religious Cult
Colorful lightsabers and old Yoda may be among the first things one thinks of when they hear about the Temple of the Jedi Order. To the members of the First International Church of Jediism, however, the Temple holds much more importance and its teachings are far more serious than outsiders may imagine. Those both inside the church and outside the church may have doubts on whether the Jedi Order is a true religion or not. More importantly than if a religion feels like a religion, Yinger gave a functional definition for what constitutes a religion. Yinger pushed that a religion “can be defined as a system of beliefs and practices by means of which a group of people struggles with these ultimate problems …show more content…
It also fills a functional role in the lives of the members. Now that the Temple of the Jedi Order has been defined as a religion, another question presents itself. What type of religious organization is the Temple? According to Niebuhr, “the reemergence of a sect is an attempt to recapture and reassert the faith commitment to social justice and the equality of all people under God” (Roberts, 172). A sect is often a smaller organization than a church and seeks to meet certain needs. As evidenced in previous arguments, the Jedi seek to protect and help all people, especially those in need. Sociologist Max Weber asserted that a Sect involves three things; voluntary membership, members from a limited source, and required …show more content…
This model presupposes that “individuals are seeking meaning in life, and they consciously join groups that they believe may fulfill their needs” (Roberts, 139). The Temple of the Jedi Order is unique, but also holds many elements from familiar religions such as “Buddhism, Christianity… other Religions ' universal truths and a combination of martial arts and the Code of Chivalry” (Temple, Google+ INFO). This familiar aspect can be appealing as it seeks to unite individuals and most world religions through a single entity, the Force. Active Choice also requires individuals, “to give the faith a fair chance”, and to “thrust themselves into the roles and behaviors of the group” (Roberts, 139). People who decide to join the Temple of the Jedi Order do this. Before beginning lessons, or courses in the religion, guests must sign up to become members before they are granted access to the lessons. The more a member studies and completes in the lessons, the more the member will know about the religion and the
Colorful lightsabers and old Yoda may be among the first things one thinks of when they hear about the Temple of the Jedi Order. To the members of the First International Church of Jediism, however, the Temple holds much more importance and its teachings are far more serious than outsiders may imagine. Those both inside the church and outside the church may have doubts on whether the Jedi Order is a true religion or not. More importantly than if a religion feels like a religion, Yinger gave a functional definition for what constitutes a religion. Yinger pushed that a religion “can be defined as a system of beliefs and practices by means of which a group of people struggles with these ultimate problems …show more content…
It also fills a functional role in the lives of the members. Now that the Temple of the Jedi Order has been defined as a religion, another question presents itself. What type of religious organization is the Temple? According to Niebuhr, “the reemergence of a sect is an attempt to recapture and reassert the faith commitment to social justice and the equality of all people under God” (Roberts, 172). A sect is often a smaller organization than a church and seeks to meet certain needs. As evidenced in previous arguments, the Jedi seek to protect and help all people, especially those in need. Sociologist Max Weber asserted that a Sect involves three things; voluntary membership, members from a limited source, and required …show more content…
This model presupposes that “individuals are seeking meaning in life, and they consciously join groups that they believe may fulfill their needs” (Roberts, 139). The Temple of the Jedi Order is unique, but also holds many elements from familiar religions such as “Buddhism, Christianity… other Religions ' universal truths and a combination of martial arts and the Code of Chivalry” (Temple, Google+ INFO). This familiar aspect can be appealing as it seeks to unite individuals and most world religions through a single entity, the Force. Active Choice also requires individuals, “to give the faith a fair chance”, and to “thrust themselves into the roles and behaviors of the group” (Roberts, 139). People who decide to join the Temple of the Jedi Order do this. Before beginning lessons, or courses in the religion, guests must sign up to become members before they are granted access to the lessons. The more a member studies and completes in the lessons, the more the member will know about the religion and the