So I was thinking about Jedis and mental illness tonight

[Rabrrrrrr]

I was at a panel discussion with three of the world's most revered and renown performance and ritual scholars - well, revered in the liberal academic smart world, not the *-like literalist "We actually ARE interpreting Scripture but our fundamentalist belief structure refuses to admit that we are interpreting it, so we're gonna say that we're just doing a plain reading and letting the text speak for itself" kind of "scholars" - anyway -

so I'm in the front row and I see a pencil on the floor in front of the platform.

And I think, "If I were a Jedi, I could make that pencil come to me."

Then I thought to myself, "What it would be like being around a Jedi who had that illness in which anything out of place really bothers them? They'd be using the force to level frames, move pillows, pick up papers and pencils and junk from the floor, move furniture, etc., and even walking around town they'd be pushing trash bins around so they line up with the light poles and the curbs and would align rows of newspaper vending machines, etc. etc. etc."

And I thought that as distracting as it could be to be with someone who is like that, but who is without the Jedi powers, it would be WAY worse being with someone who was that way AND was a Jedi.

[Gildor Inglorion]

1. A Jedi, by virtue of his/her extensive training...

would be able to overcome the urge to trivialize the Force in such a manner. Nevertheless, he or she would still yearn to pick up, straighten out, etc., and would do so, but only in complete privacy. Or if something was really, REALLY out of place. Or if asked to.

[EstimatedProphet]

2. Dude. Lay off the drugs, man.

Seriously. I'm worried about you.

[Rabrrrrrr]

3. Drug free for many years

Like Zappa said, real creativity comes from within, not from drugs.

Though I will disagree with him as I have to admit there is a certain KIND of creativity that only comes from, say, absynthe or LSD, but one has to be creative to begin with.

[EstimatedProphet]

4. Cool

You have to admit, your post would be a stoner's dream...:)

[Rabrrrrrr]

8. I just like to think about stuff

Like George Carlin does.

:-)

but thanks - that's a nice compliment. I've long appreciated the aesthetics of stoners and those who enjoy the "WOW!" effect of the drugs (as opposed to the deadening, let me escape from reality effect, which is a dangerous reason to do drugs of any kind, even religion).

[Beware the Beast Man]

5. I'm sure in a galaxy far far away...

there are support groups for obsessive-compulsive Jedi

[DS1]

6. What if you had a mental illness, and wanted to get that pencil

but due to some crossed cables in your head, the pencil snapped itself twice and each lecturer got one third in their left eye.

[Rabrrrrrr]

7. That would be something!

I wonder if the Jedi have protocols in place for what to do with a child who is obviously strong in the force, but severely mentally retarded. Or for whatever reason, utterly unable to have any control. I mean, they could be a total danger to everything and every one. What do you do?

[FDRrocks]

9. I don't think the Jedi Council would accept and train an OCD person

You have to be all like... in balance with nature... or whatever those hippies are about at the JC.

At the same time, the Sith would probably just kill them for being annoyingly obsessive.

[DS1]

10. I dunno, after powering down their lightsabers 7 times in a row

for so many years, eventually they're gonna slip and slice themselves in two. Nature will find a way.

[Rabrrrrrr]

11. LOL!

"Oh, wait, I flicked the switch too slowly and it's not quite settled in it's holster right - let me do that again - hold on... I want to get this just right...I, oops, let me just move that trash bin over a bit. Hey, Yoda, your sash isn't tied even, let me fix that for you...just wait a bit, look, this is important people..hey, that plant container should be moved about a half inch left, don't you think? Let me get that while I ... dammit, I had the lightsaber at an angle more than 45 degrees when I powered down and I hate doing that, let me just power it up again... STOP LAUGHING! I didn't laugh when you went back for a seventh on ribs, Mr. "Stuff My Face" Windu, so shut up...oh, now I'm in a shadow. Dammit..."

[Liberal Christian]

12. So, is it a Jedi thing to completely ignore the speakers???

Huh?? Huh???

[Rabrrrrrr]

13. No, that was before they started speaking

So I didn't ignore them at all.

Actually took copious amounts of notes. :-)

I mean, it was Tom Driver for God's sake. Like I'm not gonna listen.

[Rabrrrrrr]

14. Besides, they weren't speaking of jedi things, so a jedi doesn't

have to listen.

[Liberal Christian]

15. True

It would be different if Driver had at least a Jedi christology.

[Rabrrrrrr]

16. That was really the biggest disappointment, and of course

the reason I was never such a Driver fan to begin with is his low Jedi christology.

And at a seminary, of all places.

Thankfully I have my shrine at home, so I did some Yoda rosaries and cleansed myself.

[DerekG]

17. Perhaps they could use their mind powers on Bush...

It does hold powerful sway over the weak-minded.

Picture this:

Jedi (waves hand): You will pull the troops out of Iraq.
Bush (with glazed eyes): I will pull the troops out of Iraq.
Jedi: You will resign from the office of president.
Bush: I will resign from the office of president.
Jedi: You will give your family's fortune to the poor.
Bush: I will give my family's fortune to the poor.
Jedi: And you will devour nothing but pretzels.
Bush: And I will devour nothing but pretzels.
Jedi: Move along.
Bush (picks at his scalp): Move along!

[LynzM]

18. Interesting....

Ever read "The Girl with the Silver Eyes"?? Meant for early teens, I think, but an interesting read. Psychokinesis, social implications....

I agree that being able to let your mind wander and explore stuff like that is very cool, and very important. I'm often told that I'm either 'weird' or 'too curious' when I bring things up like that, so usually I keep them in my own head. 'Cept with my husband, 'cause he knows about the weirdness and doesn't mind :P

[Rabrrrrrr]

19. Let the imagination ROAR!

But as you say, sometimes it's not a good idea to actually tell people, 'cept the ones who already love us and will understand that that's just how our minds work. :-)