Ok, lets start in the order of questions.
1. So, is a result of this Jedi Wide project a giving the Book? That's nice, much more interesting than other projects before, and much more realistic. In this way I agree. Because I want to write a book for many years, but I have no time for it. But there is still many nuances...
Jedi Gatherings? What do you mean? Disaster Relief teams? I don't think, that one book can do it. But taking part in some kind of charity is more real. BTW, we (my brothers and sisters from Temple of Light) do it from time to time even at this days - going to children's Homes, helping the sick, and other. Ok, in any case, I think we'll find best application of the revenue anyway.
2. Ok, I agree
Basics are just that- a basic outline that we can all agree "Without meeting these standards you simply are not a Jedi"
But where the Rubicon FROM common standards applicable to all TO special features of each community? Even if there will be the Book, we may not agree in many questions about how to be a Jedi.
3. About voting procedure. I don't believe in democracy))) Do not understand me wrong. I'll explain) You are described voting procedure as it is in ordinary democracy state system. Even Aristotle for a many centuries ago said, that democracy is one of the worst state system. And all our beliefs in democracy based on deliberate misrepresentation and manipulating by our governments (World Secret Government, Comm 300 - there are many names in Conspiracy Theory, but the fact is - our understanding of democracy is incomplete). What says Aristotle (and this is universal simple genial basics that are unbroken across the centuries):
Good state system (pursued the common good, regardless of whether the ruling one, few or many):
Government alone. Monarchy - a form of government in which the whole supreme power is belong to the monarch.
Ruled by the few. Aristocracy (Greek aristokratia - the power of the best) - a form of government in which the supreme power belongs to the aristocracy, the wisest.
The rights of many. Polity - Aristotle believed that form the very best. But the possibility of establishing a Polity in contemporary Greece, according to Aristotle, is small. This idealistic Utopia. In a Polity the state is ruled by a majority in interest of the common good. All wise. All interested in the common good. All are fully conscious unity.
Bad state system (pursued particular selfish purposes):
Government alone. Tyranny - a deviation from the monarchy.
Ruled by the few. Oligarchy - a deviation from the aristocracy.
The rights of many. Democracy - a deviation from the Polity. Among the bad state system, Aristotle gave preference to her, considering it the most bearable. In democracy the wisest man have the same strength of vote as some beggar or as some fool. Whose number is greater is every society? The wise men, intellectual elite? Or the average consumers?
This is the depthless translate, you should read Aristotle by yourself in english - and you'll understand all.
And why the democracy is not so effective in voting procedure you suggest for achieving most proper result? It's simple. Very simple. For example, I am an expert in Eastern Martial Arts, I start to study them in school (now I'm 28), studied Kyokushin Karate, Kung-Fu (Wushu) Dragon Style, Viet Vo Dao, took part in training workshops/seminars of other styles. Now I have a great experience, I understand subtle and most delicate features of Martial Arts (MA). I do not know anyone else in our region (among russian-speaking SW-fandom) who are practicing MA at the same level and have teaching followers for a many years (may be there is 1-3 persons but in completely different sphere of activity).
So, what if I'll vote 1 against 5. Who will be right? Me? Or 5 voters that are far from real MA?
It's only one example to show how hard to come to a compromise. I know top leaders of our region, I know their experience and they know mine. We know spheres of competence each other. We are communicating from time to time, we read each other articles, interesting in each other last investigation.
But when there in internet appears some 12-years old boy called himself by the nick "Jedi Master"... that is sad story. Truly, I'm tired to show everyone my abilities and knowledges and tired to tell about my experience to get appropriate authority in their eyes. I do not want to prove anything. I know, where and how I can find new worthwhile knowledges. And I share my experience and knowledges to those who are ready to take it.
That's all...
4. The legitimate question is - why do you write to this forum? Do you speak to someone else from russian-speaking community about this? (I see you on some other forum, but I don't remember where) And do you know the structure of russian-speaking SW-community? If you don't - it will be pleasure for me to tell you history of our fandom (in the main events of course). Some information you can find here http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Саберфайтинг
So, you must address your proposition to biggest communities in the relevant field. As I said before, we have very different aims and ideology. So, you have to know to whom of us you can speak about this.
Jedi Heritage - is just simple project on free-forum-service, not even community. Some time ago Joey Nebari gather around herself some people. But the community do not have strong concrete aim. And now, when Joey departed from affairs, disappeared, the Jedi Heritage forum is dying. There are some young users. And my friend and colleague from another community - Algan - posts some useful information there. And no one else. I did not visited this forum for a long time, I wrote it off. And exactly Algan ask me to review your post here. So... I'm here. But this is not the right place, where you should give your proposition.
5. Lets move to the next questions.
to establish what a Jedi Knight is
to create an additional set of standards to add to the list regarding Jedi Masters
You know, I must show my regalia again)) But I'll be short. I have many years of experience in eastern philosophy, esoteric, spiritual practices, and education of psychologists (systemology and psychology of relations). BUT! It's funny))) I do not explore anything new! The more I try to understand how to create ideal Rank system - the more I come to existed for a centuries knowledges. And our current 7-levels system have confirmations in philosophy, in eastern practices, in esoteric, in religions, even in scientific psychology! Yes, the names of levels may be different, but the meanings - are the same everywhere.
That is our Rank system: http://jedi-temple.info/index.php?id=56
There is a short information about foundation: http://jedi-temple.info/forum/viewtopic … amp;t=1904
As usually, you may ask me to translate at least first link to understand information better (the second link is too big, sorry)) and my english is not so good).
It's not so hard to understand this universal 7-levels system. All genius is simple)) Of course, it have some nuances in relation to Jedi 7 Ranks, that require attention, additional knowledges (at least about 7-chakra system or 7 levels of relationship from psychology). And, of course, it require more time to go from knowing it to using it in your life.
So, you can see, as for our Order, we have unbroken standards of Jedi Knight for a long time. And our standards are strong! My people are some of the best among jedi communities. But, by reason of another specificity of other communities, another field of their interests popularization of this universal Rank system goes very hardly. Some leaders agree with this system. But they already have their own, based (like classes in school) on levels of their specific bank of knowledges. That is the most common case. Also, there is even when some leaders do not accept this system, because they have political differences with us)) Some, the youngest, think that they are smartest than all, and try to re-invent the wheel)))
As you can see, we did a huge work during many years to adapt universal spiritual laws of our Universe to Jedi Rank system. So, I'm sorry, I'll discuss this Rank system only with those people, who have the similar level of experience and knowledge.
I'll share my knowledges about this question with your communities, listen their comments. Probably, some of them may be useful for improving our Rank system. But, as I said, I explored a huge tons of information even from english-speaking communities before, and even at this days I did not seen that there appears something fundamental new.
0. That is my honest position. Yes, it is in some kind skeptic. But I think, I earn the right to be as I am. If someone is able to tell me something interesting, something new, something useful - I'll certainly hear him. So that is why I was asked in previous post - who will discuss and what will be discussed.
(I'd like to have all members on the forum by the end of the month).
Look at it this way: An individual in the Jedi Community steps up and says "I AM NOW THE JEDI MONARCH OF ALL JEDI AND THIS IS HOW A JEDI SHOULD ACT, THUS THIS IS LAW." No one would take them seriously. But to have members of the Jedi Community who are respected come together and establish a baseline for each school to build off of-that's a different story. Which is why the process is democratic.
I didn't said about a monarchy or dictatorship))) I believe in democracy among equals. I mean exactly - equals! 