Are Jedi forbidden to have sex?

I know that they are basically presented as monastic and that a true master like yoda may simply be too "at peace" (or maybe just to old) to be burdened with any kind of sexual desires but I'm honestly wondering if there is any quote by lucas or other non-EU source that states that the Jedi were forbidden from having sex.

I realize that attachment is forbidden and a kind of unconditional love is encouraged for all beings, but would a Jedi (or padawan) honestly be expelled from the order simply for giving into sexual desire? Would a one night stand get a Jedi forever kicked out? simply reprimanded?

As a group that has existed for millenia, I'd imagine that the Jedi are aware of the problems that can develop when an individual attempts to completely repress their sex drive.

Would the Jedi truly forbid such a basic biological impulse? Does the "serenity of the force" serve to somehow eliminate all sexual desire?

Also of note is the fact that sexual reproduction would serve the jedi well as a means of creating future generations of powerful force users (like the skywalker twins proved to be). So why would the Jedi forbid a means of creating powerful future force users? At the risk of sounding pro-eugenics....think of the possibilities of pairing powerful force sensitive Jedi Masters together for breeding purposes(ie. aayla + anakin). In a few generations you could likely eclipse Yoda's or Anakin's midichlorian count.

Perhaps they fear this would lead to a kind of monarchy?

I guess this has turned into two different questions.
1) Are jedi forbidden from having any sex at all (even as padawans) under penalty of explusion?
2) If so WHY?

 

They aren't if you accept Lucas quotes as evidence

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/1989505.stm

Now, I wouldn't say that means none are celibate, but it's not required.

 

Wow...great quote by lucas. Thanks very much.

 

You'd think Jedi would have to have sex, seeing as in most cases the force is heriditary. How are force sensitive children born if the jedi aren't gettin' down?

I know some cases the force is just brought upon the person, but I dont think there would be that many cases.

 

Sexual desire isn't love.

Sigh...see how disfunctional these people are? Loving somebody isn't ok, but shacking up with someone for one night is perfectly acceptable

 

sex isn't banned by the Jedi.

 

So theres some whore-house the Jedi go from time-to-time? You know after a hard days work?

 

Or just some friend with benefits, I suppose.

 

I seriously think Jedi aren't allowed to have sex. Because the logic behind the rule would be that sexual desire is distracting, just as distracting as attachement. I think they are supposed to repress this desire. Now I imagine for a Jedi that is not as hard as for a regular person because they are taught basically from infancy to control their emotions and desires. Also they have the Force to help them with that. I think their sexual desires are gone by puberty through constant Force meditations that bring peace and enlightenment, perhaps they just learned to channell their sexual energy into other energy (since energy is never lost only converted into other energy) like combat.

That said, I just can't see a Jedi Master engage in casual sexual relationships. It just does not seem very Jedi. If they did, the danger of attachement and love would be too great. Regular human beings regard sex as an intimate act (only bad sex is so mechanical and without any feeling IMO), I would imagine Jedi who are very sensitive to the feelings of others (i.e. they can tell if one is lying, scared, intimidated) would be at greater risk of developing deeper feelings for the person they are having sex with.

Also, I don't think they would be kicked out of the Jedi Order for having sex, just punished with lots of meditation. Unless of course they just can't controll themselves and it happens all the time.

Thoughts?

 

But Lucas revealed that despite their monastic regime, Jedi were permitted to have sex.

"Jedi Knights aren't celibate - the thing that is forbidden is attachments - and possessive relationships."

-GL.

 

Now, I agree with Minela that the Jedi being celibate makes more sense, but since Lucas said they aren't I don't think they are. My honest guess on how it usually works would be two Jedi would do the deed when they need to.

That said, I wouldn't doubt that some Jedi such as Yoda and other senior masters may choose to be celibate as it would be easier for them to control that.

 

Oh, GL! It just makes no sense, it makes no sense!!! Ok, let's say it is possible for them to have casual sex (with friends, prostitutes or whoever)and they don't form any feelings for their sexual partners. What about paternity and maternity? That means Jedi would have babies (let's face it, even with birthcontrol things happen), and how would you not get attached to your child? Esspecially the female Jedi. So, you would just forgett you gave birth and give your child to Yoda to raise? Let's not forgett the fatal flaw of Anakin. He, unlike the other Jedi knew his mother. That is why he could never fully give himself to the Jedi order and be selfless, it is because he knew what it feels like to be loved unconditionally by one person. He was attached to his mother, like most kids are. That is why Jedi are taken as babies, so they don't have memories of their parents.

Ok, I know GL's word is law, but...mmmh. Perhaps, he just meant that they are not punished for once in a great blue moon giving in to some needs but that most Jedi do prefer using that energy for combat and meditation. Maybe it is like an unspoken rule that they shouldn't engage in sexuall activity.

 

I think the Jedi would promote masterbation more than sex.

 

even though sex is allowed, I think the vast majority is celibate. Skywalker, Vos, and Halcyon are the only ones that I can think of that aren't celibate

 

Now, let's look at this logically, shall we, folks?

We know the kinds of relationships that even very conservative Jedi have. They have friendships with other Jedi, and they have the Master/Padawan bond. In friendships with other Jedi, we can see perhaps a model for how Jedi sex would go- as some have suggested, a sort of friends-with-benefits type model where neither partner is under the illusion that it means a permanent tie stronger than friendship. As for Master/Padawan bonds, well, there is a kind of relationship that as we have seen almost duplicates a parental role. It would be nearly impossible for an ordinary human being in such a situation to not duplicate parental/child attachment as well, as sort of an adopted child. And yet, we know, that such pairings are not forbidden for Jedi but instead expected. Since we know that Jedi must not become emotionally dependent upon another, however, it must be expected that the master and padawan will excercise restraint and not become dependent upon one another. And similar restraint must be expected elsewhere. At least, this is my assumption.

 

Interesting topic.

As someone pointed out, masterbation would probably be permitted and encouraged as the primary form of release for pent-up sexuality. I'm sure any master-padawan relations would be looked down upon and probably not even a very good idea considering the authoritative position of the master and the same reason why such purely superficial things are not permitted in the work place (i.e. it can influence the politics). I'm sure such things occassionally went on, as well as encounters with prostitutes and such--it is interesting to think of an entire sub-culture of Jedi prostitutes, that the Jedi themselves just pretend don't exist and don't ever talk about, a sort of seedy-but-necessary side of the order. Any pregnancy's resultant from such things would also be a very interesting but unfortunate notion, and I am guessing that this may also be another reason why such prostitution rings might be discouraged as well. By the same token though, obviously birth control would not be a problem in the GFFA (although Anakin seems to have slipped one past the net) and I'm sure that many Jedi, knowing these dangers, would sterilise themselves if they knew they would be engaging in such practices.

Personally this whole "no attachments" things is a load of crap. Its a nice philosophy of mind but it never works out. Its just contrary to human nature, the same as cellibacy is.

 

Birth control and masterbation would be encouraged and most Jedi would be sterile.

 

In most religiously motivated groups mating is restricted. People who are devoted to spritiual practise most likely will stay away from sex because it is a distraction.

Anakin himself has three reasons to be frightened of the consequences of his marriage: 1) he has actual sex, 2) she is outside the order and 3) marriage is stating the closest bond socially available, a commitment to someone else and he is also trying to replace his mom with her (attachment or some such). Within the context of the movies these aren't being torn apart and presented seperately, ergo, we cannot tell if it's a combination of them or just a single reason, ergo, we cannot tell if they are allowed to have sex.

The hypocrisy that creeps in is of course when the Jedi claim to abstain from the dreaded attachment and yet foster the same type of relationship through the master/padawan arrangement. The conclusion of course is to avoid relationships outside the order.

 

Yeah that's the whole point. The "no attachments" thing is a load of crap. That's why the old Jedi Order was doomed. Their philosophy was wrong and they couldn't change. That's the point Lucas is making. That's why Luke has attachments and emotions.

 

George Lucas was not taking his meds that day.

The Jedi Philosophy behind ? no attachment? Ect. Is based on that of Buddhists monks & Buddhist monks are celibate ( no masturbation either) as are all other monks.
It makes no sense that they would be allowed to have sex,

1risk of attachments

2not responsible behaviour for "keepers of the peace" ( what we gonna do with all these bastard kids?) & does not fit in with the otherwise straight laced moral stance of the Jedi
( which is the same as Buddhist monks)

5If they are allowed to have sex why would Anakin get in trouble for impregnating Padme? Why marry her? Why not just tell the council he is not attached to her but just using her for sex?

I do not think them being allowed to have sex would work ? the normal people would see them as parasites & not tolerate this behaviour. Think of how people reacted to the excesses of corrupt religious orders of the past.

Of corse you?d still have Jedi doing these things ( as you still have monks & priests in the real world) but it would not be what they are suppose to be doing.

Also Celibacy could be on purpose because they want to limit their numbers ie not have huge force sensitive families taking over the galaxy.

 

Lucas was perhaps being ironic or was fed up with interviews that day so helped to make men's dreams come true by postulating that the Jedi can have no strings attached sex within the constraints of their order. And to add to this the whole emotional baggage is not required indeed it is actively discouraged. Yippee!!

Lucas cannot have the best of both worlds, the Jedi cannot flirt with the Dionysian ways and stay righteous, not that they need any more ammunition to think of themselves as righteous

 

Well, if GL says they are not celibates, then I guess they aren't, but Minela brings up some good points. I would just say this shows the further breakdown of the Jedi order, both morally and logically.

 

Just cause they can have sex, doesn't mean that they go out and do so. It just means that a Jedi who does, will not get kicked out for doing so. He will get kicked out if he/she gets married without the consent of the Council. Case in point, in the eu, Ki-Adi could get married but it was due to special circumstances. On the other hand, Neeja Halcyon hid his wife and son from the Order.

When his family was killed during the Clone Wars, he did not give into anger and hate. He was tempted, but he kept it together and forged ahead.

 

Come on, people!

Everyone knows that there are two - and only two - probable reasons why Lucas says this:



1. Lucas personally gets a 'kick' out of the idea, and thinks that we will too.....



2. Lucas loathes the prospect of having to 'defend' the idea of the Force and midichlorians just 'randomly' producing potential Jedi all over the SW 'known' Universe/galaxy, as would be the case if Jedi as a rule didn't have sex and thus produce offspring; he also knows that he can't go back to what was his original conception of the Jedi, at least circa ANH, that the Jedi in fact did have 'relationships' outside of the Order; that they in fact could and did marry......

So, he thinks allowing the Jedi some 'hanky-panky' on the side not only makes them 'less improbable' as per being 'too monk-like' if they were totally denied sex, but also 'less improbable' in terms of not having to explain all cases of Jedi or Force-users - whether actual or potential - as being soley down to 'random selection' by midichlorians or the Force itself.










Let the flaming begin.......











- TOSCHISTATION

 

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