Chic, IL alternative Force religions

i'm reading The Approaching Storm now, and it's kinda weak overall, but there was an interesting moment where one of the Ansion locals lifted a water jug off the table a bit, and said something like, "you do not need the jedi to study the force."

which made me wonder: is there any EU out there where they show other groups/religions that have embraced use and study of the force outside of the jedi?

we have so many essentially 'christian" religions that it surprises me that in the entire universe of SW, there's only one religion that worships the Force. especially when the people that study said religion/way of life can like throw crap around and fly and stuff.

 

I asked that same question when JediTalk was on the air (web?). I think the answer was that there were some ranger-types that used the Force, maybe one or two others. I forget.

It's a point that got me started backing Palpatine/Vader. The Jedi were consumed with the fact that anyone who was Force sensitive MUST be a Jedi, or "evil". They took babies out of hospitals, right from parents' arms, so they could raise them the "right" way. It almost seems like Psi Corps from B5. Join the Corps or take sleepers.

And I know we all want it to be a religion, but once you let the midichlorians out of the bag, it's a devil of a time getting them back in. The Force isn't faith, it's a parasitic infection.

 

In the RPG there are various Force Shamans in more primitive cultures. They aren't Jedi, but are Force Sensitive. The RPG is about as valid as the EU as far as I'm concerned. I know there's Force Witches on Dathomar.

Bosh

 

i guess what i'm saying is that there hasn't been a developed EU occurrence of some alternative group who utilizes the Force and aren't crazy evil folk...not like jedi/christians and sith/satanists, but more like another parallel sect with maybe some vital differences. i know there are other force sensitives and all kinds of EU claptrap that's been thrown out there in the past thirty-odd years...but no alternative to the jedi when it comes to the force.

like maybe they don't take babies, they train adults? or something.

that seems like a pretty big hole some enterprising EU hack could drive a novel through.

 

In The Courtship of Princess Liea, there are the Dathomiri Nightsisters that use the force to control rancors and other fun stuff. I'm pretty sure that they're not Jedi. And then there's also that race of people mentioned in Timothy Zahn's Hand of Thrawn duology, the details of which I completely forgot. I think that Yoda sent somebody to those people to get healed. If anybody knows the details, or has the book handy, please remind me.

 

There are alternative Force users in the Black Fleet Trilogy and I, Jedi as well, if memory serves.

 

Hey I remember that 'I jedi' thing.

There was a group of force sensitive crew that found ancient teachings that were Sith in origin but weren't neccessarily evil per say.

It was an alternative style of learning the force but not specifically bad or good in conventional terms.

The rest is a blur, it's been too long.

 

I really don't think the Force cares which side you are on. The beings using it project their own morality on the use of the force. This is namely the Jedi. The Sith don't care about morality. They care about gaining power so they use whatever means they can.

"The Force will guide us." I don't believe this to be true. I believe Qui-Gon uses the force to see where he needs to go. Kind of like when you use Force Sight in the Jedi Knight games and can see enemies through walls.

 

Well, the Wizards RPG book, makes it overly apparent that everything in the GFFA is effected by the force. Good luck? Force. Stubbed your Toe? Force. Lifting an X-Wing from a swamp? Force. So if thats true then, all religions in the GFFA are sort of playing into the Force.

I'm reading Hero's Trial. And there is an H'Kig monk who ios captured by the Vong. They ask him about hte Jeedai, and he has a lot to say. Basically it sounds like the H'kig have lots of respect for the Jedi, and sort of look up to them. They recognize that the Jedi are able to use the force, and that they (for whatever reason) do not.

So theres that...