Sith or Jedi story

[Nhylus]

the Force is like Doritos...it will make more  

that has to be my favorite thing I've ever read on this forum.

[Darth Severus]

Again, there are numerous instances where the Jedi have been denied a force-sensitive child, they respect it and leave. They do not show up saying "GIVE ME YOUR BABY". They tell the parents straight-up, "you're child is force-sensitive, and has potential to become a great Jedi". Thats pretty much it. If you say yes because you are afraid, that is your own fault. It is a real choice.

Imagine the scenario of Galen Marek.
A Sith Lord killed his only family, kidnapped him, and forced him to watch everything he loved crumble before him.
Galen was old enough to understand love and attachment, he was old enough to understand loss, and he was old enough to miss a life he had.

And you miss the greater point the child does not have a choice, yes many years later after being denied a childhood and being brainwashed by the Jedi they can leave. THE CHILD DOES NOT HAVE A CHOICE, AND IT IS THE CHILDS LIFE THAT IS AFFECTED. But of course that shouldn't matter because why wouldn't the child want to be a Jedi.
Also the Sith being evil doesn't excuse what the Jedi do. Yeah the Sith killed Galen's family, the Jedi just would have taken a child that should of had a real choice and given it a false one.
But as the lightsiders say believe what you want to believe.

[Nhylus]

And you miss the greater point the child does not have a choice, yes many years later after being denied a childhood and being brainwashed by the Jedi they can leave. THE CHILD DOES NOT HAVE A CHOICE, AND IT IS THE CHILDS LIFE THAT IS AFFECTED. But of course that shouldn't matter because why wouldn't the child want to be a Jedi.
Also the Sith being evil doesn't excuse what the Jedi do. Yeah the Sith killed Galen's family, the Jedi just would have taken a child that should of had a real choice and given it a false one.
But as the lightsiders say believe what you want to believe.

You are really obsessed with the idea of this child thing being a false choice arent you? Their life is decided for them regardless the choice of the parents. Our lives are decided for all of us! We cant decide who raises us. Critical thinking and decision making skills dont develop in humans for years. A 6 month old baby would have none of those. Either way the child has no say. In a counter argument, how would that child feel idolizing Jedi his whole life, only to find out Jedi came to his parents when he was a baby? They denied him of that. This goes both ways. There is no false choice. And no the child has no say either way, because the infant cannot make many decisions, let alone a life changing one, yet. They lack the cognitive ability to do so.

A Jedi change your baby's life before they have a chance to miss one they never had.
A Sith will change yours by destroying the one you currently have.
There is a crucial difference.

[Master Rel]

Yikes.

What child had a choice?

What child has a choice about anything?

Most studies show the reason children develop food eccentricities is because this is one of the few areas that choice can be managed by a child.

Children do not make choices because they are children, and as such are incapable of looking past what their experiences and awareness can manage...to watch sponge bob or play with fluffy the cat, this can be managed...to decide when is the best time to put old fluffy down because the cancer is eating her up at an alarming rate, well this is just beyond the average child's ability to comprehend.

This argument is not the strongest one I am afraid.

Now...once a child, regardless of the age, is aware of a particular aspect of life...in this case being a Jedi life student...they should be allowed to make their own decisions regarding staying or leaving...and they can.

[BenPass]

You know, the original post asks this question: "Why did you choose the path you're on?"

I think that we're off topic. While much of the discussion has been interesting, we are no longer on the topic of answering "Why did you choose the path you're on?"

For my part, I apologize if I've offended anyone with my anti-Sith views (again, not for those forumites who align themselves with the Sith...merely the in universe Sith). I've tried to ensure that my posts speak about what I view the ideals of both sides to represent. I don't know of many people, or examples in universe, that fit the role of ideal Jedi 100%. By the same token, there are Sith that do no fit the role of ideal Sith 100%.

Still, and on topic, I choose Jedi because I find their ideals to be most appealing to me, and my own personal life and choices.

[Darth Severus]

Yes, I am obessed with free will and people defining who they are. Its kind of my thing.

We are defined by the choices we make, all children have choices read this don't read that, believe that don't believe that. In normal society you are exposed to many different choices many different paths. If you are a member of a strict sect that filters everything you see and keeps you from experiencing life as most do your choices are limited. If they say later sure experience a world we have kept from you that isn't a choice, in my opinion. The Jedi have alreay made you a Jedi, sure you can now after years of Jedi training and indocternation try to be something else, but you would be chosing to start at a disadvantage, and you wouldn't have the full experience of living up to that moment to make a proper choice. You have been fed the company line for 15 or so years, what else do you know.

And again, I feel I am repeating myself on this issue, what the Sith do, does not justify or wash away what the Jedi do. They are seperate, because the Sith are bad doesn't make the Jedi good, or excuse the horrors they do.

Edit
And now I feel I have jumped the shark and have begun disrespecting peoples opinion, but free will and choice is something very important to me and to stay on topic is why I could never be a Jedi or a Sith, because they both disrespect it so thoughtlessly. The Sith by their very nature and the Jedi, well the Jedi mind trick says all. To purposely invade someones mind and take away their free will, how, how can anyone who ever did that be considered good.

[Aurentis]

Misunderstood, to not be understood, its not that vague. Sure you could take it too many different degrees but it isn't that hard of a concept. I must have missed where the Sith whole purpose was to enslave, I thought it was to rule the galaxy, which would be the same of the Republic. The way they choose to rule is different but their intent is to rule.
And yes the parents have a choice, when the all powerful propaganda driven and awe inspiring Jedi show up on you door and ask you to give them your child, (and for a brief moment in time lets consider that it is the child that is being given up, its life, not its parents that is being given away) you obvious tell these glorious defenders of all that is right in the world to go shove it. Its a false choice, a choice that only the strongest of wills have.

That's exactly what's vague about it, dude.  You pretty much just rephrased the definition.
Moreover, we've been over this whole "demonization" thing a thousand times before.  How about we just leave it out this time?

Ben is right.  The goal of this thread was to tell people what your personal motivation for choosing the side you do.

[Master Rel]

And now I feel I have jumped the shark and have begun disrespecting peoples opinion, but free will and choice is something very important to me and to stay on topic is why I could never be a Jedi or a Sith, because they both disrespect it so thoughtlessly. The Sith by their very nature and the Jedi, well the Jedi mind trick says all. To purposely invade someones mind and take away their free will, how, how can anyone who ever did that be considered good.

Hmmm yes, I could see the mind trick/suggestion as an invasion and morally questionable...though it is better than threatening, killing, or maiming to accomplish the same results.  So I can see your point, but fall back to the less evil defense  

Ben is right.  The goal of this thread was to tell people what your personal motivation for choosing the side you do.

True true...let us all, myself included (puts down Jedi flag, looks to see if anyone is looking, and shakes a fist to the skies...at some unseen foe...mouthing the word...Khannnnn)...and just focus on the why that relate to your faction of choice and not the passive aggressive approach that most of us have been using.


Again I favor the side that most appeals to my nature...defense, service, and control...I support the Jedi as written/shown...though I (P) freely admit a few changes as per the later NJO under Grand Master Skywalker?


Clearly the extremes of either side offer many restrictions that cause major rifts between those that favor either for whatever reason.  The subtle and not so subtle Jedi process can be interrupted as bad or evil by those on the other side of the field.  The sith are written as evil from the start so are much easier to see as bad, but at some point they could evolve beyond this.

A middle ground where some of the same aspects become a common consideration would be nice...though to the topic, there are only two options...and they are so different that we will never come to an understanding.

So let us all just focus on the whys of each rather than the why nots.

[Kitra]

Wow that is such a great exchange of thoughts!
Every idea posted made me think in compassion of your choice as well as the pondering on how you life to come to that. A very nice journey here so thank you all for your open heartnes and passion!

Threads may evolve that is the nature of a conversation and as long as the TO is enjoying his thread I see no hint while we should abondon course which came naturally as a growing conversation arose.

All parents have the choice to give the babys away or not so that is a practice which allows the wardens of the child to ponder of the idea and say yay or nay while Sith just take the baby kills of the family and make a new slave. Jedi are reinforced on building up an individual rather than being enslaved. Jedi will never force the Padawan to kill which is common among Sith.

When you read the Bane Triology one can easyly imagine how it is to be a student of a Sith of course with the nice detail that you have to kill your master as soon as you are strong enough.

Kill your „warden“ „parent“ is very harsh and I couldnt accept that I kill the individual which taught me anything and took care of me from early childyears.

While Sith mentaliyty is „take or destroy“ (rewatch the movies for underlining facts)
Jedi try to guard and protect.

I can say that as a brother of 2 little sisters I am rather a protective type. ^^

[RogueLeader]

Both of your arguments aren't necessarily based on whole truths.
I've tried to clarify the children thing already. But the Jedi do not take children from their parents. The Jedi arrive at the parents home and inform them that their child is gifted in the Force, they then allow the parent to make a decision to let the child grow up as a Jedi or to stay with their parents. It is a voluntary act by the caregivers of the child. By the time the Jedi arrive, the child is so young that they have not yet grown attachment or even understood what parents are. And again, the parents have a choice in the matter. They do not maniacally persuade people to give up their children. They allow the parents to make an informed decision.

Except they have forcibly taken children before. Before the Battle of Ruusan, the Jedi conscripted Force-sensitive children to fight the Sith.

[Kresnik]

The Jedi are not baby stealers as I had previously considered. Through the power of reasonable conversation this thread has changed my mind.

Families send their kids off to boarding school, catholic school, they send them to other relatives at a very young age to different countries etc.  

The Jedi offer a gift of offering the ability  for their child to reach their ultimate potential as a living being.

The Jedi are just high school sports recruiters ... Lol the parents have the decision ... No child can decide their own fate ... That is the line that convinced me...

Parents force their kids to live the lives that the parents want them to. If they were outright taking then that would be true evil because that is stealing from the parents , if they are asking then that is nothing more than offering a gift.

[RogueLeader]

The problem is, what parent would want their child to grow up unloved?

[Nhylus]

The problem is, what parent would want their child to grow up unloved?

What if the parents are extremely poor and work all the time just to get by? They won't be able to care for them, or provide love for them in certain instances. Their child would not grow up completely unloved with the Jedi. Seriously, again, Jedi have emotions and feelings. They can feel loved by their mentors and peers at the temple in that sort of manner.

[Kitra]

The problem is, what parent would want their child to grow up unloved?

unloved?

Take a look at the children at yodas class they are given love and compassion in they´re youth.
Clone Wars Season 5 Episode 7(or8) everyone takes great care and raise them familiary at least.

Lets take the Sith side for a moment! ^^

Darth Maul was taken as a youth from Sidious whom nearly killed him 2 times before he was even in his teens.

I wonder very often how many books have been read and how many other media are taken into consideration when I read some comments.

[Darth_Arkanus]

What if the parents are extremely poor and work all the time just to get by? They won't be able to care for them, or provide love for them in certain instances. Their child would not grow up completely unloved with the Jedi. Seriously, again, Jedi have emotions and feelings. They can feel loved by their mentors and peers at the temple in that sort of manner.

I don't agree that Mentors' and peers' "love" can really compare that of a parent, even a "poor" parent. I am in no doubt that Shmi Skywalker loved Anakin far more and far more deeply that ANY Temple official would have done. Peers, i.e. other children, can be exceptionally cruel also, and the Young Jedi books are full of instances for the young Obi-wan (who grew up in that environment) of being beaten senseless by one particular boy who had an intense rivalry and dislike for him. They were both whacking on each other, seemingly daily, with training sabers til it really, REALLY hurt. This behaviour, while not sanctioned by their teachers, was not stopped.

Also, I can't count the amount of rough anecdots I've heard about boarding schools. There seems to be a hierarchy in these places, and if you happen to be the "fag" (a term used in the UK public school system meaning "dogs body") then you not only get a beating from the teachers, but from the Head boy and all his underlings too.

Shmi was about as poor as you can get, a slave, but I'd pit her love against an aggressive yet sterile temple upbringing any day.

I'm not saying Jedi don't have feelings, just that they are forbidden to SHOW them in anything that could be construed as an "attachment" kind of way, and of course, negative feelings are seen as taboo because they lead to the dark side.