I don't think that's correct. Anger and fear are also the path to the Dark Side, and it's clear that Anakin was an angry and fearful boy (as Yoda said he sensed), yet the Jedi didn't necessarily see that as the harbinger of his being evil. The emotions make it possible (or at least "more likely") for one to fall, and falling may be evil, but that doesn't make the emotions themselves evil. It does mean that one should be mindful of one's feelings to, again, avoid rash action. [/quote]Moreover, it is clear that Jedi do not discredit "universal love" or agape or perhaps non-passionate philia, but eros is certainly anathema to the Jedi code and to their way of life and philosophy.[/QUOTE] Again though, not all love (even between spouses) leads to jealousy and the fear of loss. It should be noted that the "fear" of loss has to be different than the mere desire to avoid loss. If one saw one's spouse in danger, one would want to save that spouse, but suppose a passion-free Jedi saw your spouse in danger? What would that Jedi want? In either case, you or the Jedi, the desire to save your spouse doesn't require that one be necessarily willing to engage in evil acts to do so.
Pandaemoni: Perhaps not feeling the emotions are evil, but to act upon them certainly leads to the dark side, and thus must be construed as evil. Only the most priestly sage could avoid even feeling anger, but all Jedi are supposed to resist said emotions. Giving in momentarily amy not be wrong, but leading it rule you certainly is, which is involved in any true immersion, including a romantic relationship. The Jedi can speak from a point of detached objectivity. The one involved, however, is unlikely to moved purely by agape for someone who one is involved with in an erotic relationship. The nature of eros (and even often philia) is that emotion enters into the fray and the resulting attachments.
I am not really sure why the distinction you may matters to your argument, but in my view of the philosophy underlying the films, it does not really. Whether you save your wife because of eros and the jedi acts from agape is irrelevant since you have both taken the same action and, without more to the hypothetical, neither necessarily acted out of a fear of loss. Even assuming that the person in a sexual relationship was limited to feeling erotic love for the person being saved (which I'm not sure is a given, even as I am not sure that the Greek understanding of love is the proper description either in the real world or in Star Wars), I do not see "feelings" innately wrong from a Star Wars perspectice, so much as the actions those feelings might lead you to take. In the hypothetical the action was to save the person in peril. Again, certain emotions are more likely to lead to unethical (or given the more clear-cut, absolutist, nature of Star Wars, I might as well say "evil") acts than others, hence there is a need for Jedi to me more mindful of them, but I'd still suggest love in the Star Wars universe is morally neutral with certain aspects of it likely to cause one trouble.
Pandaemoni: I do not believe such a consequentialism would fly amongst the Jedi. THey strongly focus on intent. For instance: It is not enough to kill Darth Vader, you must do so without turning to the Dark Side by tapping into the Dark Side of the force. A Jedi acting from agape is different from someone acting from eros. Eros implies an emotional attachment that would force one's hand with all sorts of negative things. Fear, hatred, attachment. As the Jedi give themselves up to the forec, this sort of stuff just doesn't fly. Again, I agree: The feelings themselves are not evil. Not even the Jedi claim that. But to give into them...which is implied by saving someone owing to one's erotic connection with them. Consider what this meant for Anakin. It was an extreme example, but... I think it is most telling that the Jedi have forbidden marriage by the time of Clone Wars. This would imply they just don't think it is legitimate.
Obviously you never want to descend so far into evil that you become evil, but that Luke lashed out in anger at Darth Vader (and he did) did not make Luke evil, because he regained his composure and suppressed that emotion. That Anakin killed the Sand People (including women and children) in what was surely an evil act did not cause him to fall permanently to Dark Side and was merely a step on the path. If you saved your wife because of Eros, and then led a life of goodness and light there after, I see no evil in the Star Wars universe. I agree that motive might matter in the sense that Jedi strive for detachment (because detachment is less dangerous) but just as they didn't give Anakin more than a "be mindful of your feelings" one-line speech, I doubt they would give anything to a husband protecting is wife. So the Jedi focus on intent to a minor extent, to stave off the possibility of falling, but that's not because the emotion by itself is evil, but that it can lead to evil. If indulged too much they can lead to one's embracing evil courses, si the Jedi happen to adopt a low-tolerance policy. I respect that you disagree and that your view is a not implausible way of seeing that movies, but my view is at least equally plausible, and explains why Anakin's bubbling anger and fear were not of greater concern to the Jedi. If those traits were, in and of themselves, evil, then you'd think they'd have done more. (All of this, of course, assumes that Lucas ever cared about consistency in the way the Jedi applied their philosophy and himself developed that philosophy to this extent. I have never been impressed with him as an intellectual, so I think those are big suppositions.)
Pandaemoni: Certainly, Anakin's killing of the sand people related back to his inner character. The same situation would result in the slaughtering of the Jedi in ROTS, and triggered by the same type of event (loved one in trouble). The relationship with his mother was passionate non-sexual, just as his relationship with Amidala was passionate (and sexual). Luke was very close to becoming a Sith, as evidenced by Palpatine trying to do what he did to Anakin against Dooku. That being said, he did indeed compose himself, and used his agape for his father to show him the light. But it does show there is a weakness in one's heart, just as Anakin had. As such, it is something the Jedi would caution against and censure one for. Of course, one could indeed lead a perfect life, but the action was partially from the dark side of the force. The Jedi laxity over the issue probably lead to Anakin falling to begin with. They never taught him restraint to the necessary level. His illicit relationship with Amidala being a big part of that. If the emotion is itself not evil, how can it lead to it? Wasn't that part of the rationale for Windu being distrusting of Anakin and refusing him the title of master when Palpatine suggested Anakin become a councilman?
Sure, Mace did not trust him...but did Mace think he was evil? He doesn't appear to have spoken up to his fellow Jedi Masters with any force, on screen. Again, emotion can lead to action, and Mace feared what actions Anakin might take, but Mace doesn't seem to have gone out of his way to do anything about it (other than his apparent "let Anakin know I don't like him" plan). I don't think that's how he'd behave if he perceived himself as being confronted by actual, existing evil. I think he saw evil that might arise--a potential evil that could appear in the future because of Anakins emotion.
Pandaemoni: His caution implied t hat he thought Anakin was not following the proper way of the Jedi. As such, it held some degree of moral censure. Even if he would not out and out say that Anakin was as of yet evil. In fact, it is amusing that Anakin is the only one to call out Windu on a supposed moral lapse, not the other way around. As he didn't know about Anakin's slaughtering of the Tuskin Raiders, I agree. He thought there was potential evil, which was being pursued by Anakin's emotions.
They try to ignore it. I can't blame them. Poor Harrison Ford... Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
The Star Wars Holiday special was awesome for one particular reason: it introduced Boba Fett. I suppose that has to be balanced somewhat agaionst it's introducing Chewbacca's father (Itchy), wife (Malla) and child (Lumpy).
The United States nuked japan a few times to discourage further attacks. They would of been at war regardless if Pearl Harbour was attacked. They were already in opposing military alliance and both China and Russia were active in battle against Japan before the United States was attacked. (You can't claim it was direct retribution this way)
I just went to Google video and watched (some of it). Did watch the cartoon Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Other than the cartoon, it was God awful. I had a laugh at the commercials lets support and protect the "Americans Who Make Female Undergarments Union". "Did you know, some of our garment are being made in other foreign countries". Also, the news report on the $180 million dollar deficit! *Gasp!* Or the $4436 out the door brand spanking new GM Wagon Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
LOL. That show was first broadcast on my 12th birthday, yet somehow I've never even heard of it until now (unless I've suppressed the memory). Hilarious.
To be honest, and this may be some kind of blasphemy (if so, I apologize), but I don't really see a big difference between the two. I don't think either is good or evil. Or maybe they're both good and evil.
