Sex and the Single Jedi

[Lily Inverse]

I don't see Jedi engaging in casual sex much at all. I mean really, we have Anakin Skywalker, one of the most hot-tempered and rebelous Jedi in the history of the whole order, who's on his way to the dark side, and even he doesn't engage in casual sex with Padme. If any Jedi would be engaging in sex, it would be teen Anakin, yet all signs point to him staying celebate until his marriage.

Did you ever stop to think that this might be one of Anakin's problems? Remember, Jedi are trained from birth to acknolwedge their baser emotions, and to decide whether or not indulging them is a good idea, while not letting them control them. He has to consider consequences, and those consequences would naturally lead away from doing it every time they see something the least bit provocative. On the other hand, if it becomes a question of do something and get it out of your system or let your frustrations at not doing it overwhelm you, I suspect that the Jedi will probably take his relief and be done with it, no attachments.

Anakin, however, was not raised in the Order. He had very different values and beliefs instilled in him by a very different society. If he believes in chastity until marriage, and the Jedi code forbids marriage, he gets stuck in a catch-22 that would be very dangerous for a young man of his apparant hormonal level. Granted, on top of everything else this would be a relatively minor point, but it still might be worth some consideration.

 

[CrusaderX]

Did you ever stop to think that this might be one of Anakin's problems?

Actually, I see it as one of Anakin's few noble strengths. He might be heading down the road to the darkside, but he's able to hold on to at least part of the Jedi Code (IMO).

Anakin, however, was not raised in the Order. He had very different values and beliefs instilled in him by a very different society. If he believes in chastity until marriage, and the Jedi code forbids marriage...

But his belief in chastity wouldn't have come from being a slave on Tatooine, the center of villainy and vice. It would have come form the Jedi Order itself. I'm sure the notion of marriage was a part of Padme's culture, and not Anakin's, but Anakin chose it over the Order. One of the more interesting things about Episode III, I think, will be the Jedi Council's reaction to the marriage. Maybe that'll shed more light upon this very subject.

 

[Tonguez]

I don't see Jedi engaging in casual sex much at all. I mean really, we have Anakin Skywalker, one of the most hot-tempered and rebelous Jedi in the history of the whole order, who's on his way to the dark side, and even he doesn't engage in casual sex with Padme.

Umm ever considered that perhaps its Padme keeping the young hormonally charged Anakin in check. In the movie we saw Anakin about to kiss the girl and having all sorts of angst about his 'desires' for her. He however was raised a slave and so is socially akward. Padme on the otherhand has been Ruler of an Entire planet and is now a leading diplomat - shes suave and sophisticated and quite able to keep horny anakin in line.

As to the sex with whores thing - look to Ur and the other Sumerian city states and their 'temple prostitutes'. In this society there were ordained preistesses for whom having sex was a religious duty. As the civilisation went into decline these temples became glorified brothels.
So perhaps the Jedi Order infact maintains contact with such 'Hostels' - originally they served as breeding centers for new Jedi children, now they have become glorified brothels for Jedi horndogs!

 

[Lily Inverse]

*Twitch*

Actually, I see it as one of Anakin's few noble strengths. He might be heading down the road to the darkside, but he's able to hold on to at least part of the Jedi Code (IMO).

I really don't see denial of the realities of existence as part of the Jedi Code. That's a Christian trait more than anything else, IMO. Just because the Jedi are sworn to conduct their lives without acting on emotion doesn't mean that they won't engage in sex, especially if doing so would ensure the continuation of the Jedi Order itself (and it would.)

But his belief in chastity wouldn't have come from being a slave on Tatooine, the center of villainy and vice. It would have come form the Jedi Order itself.

You can't prove your point by using your point as an argument. Show me WHY Jedi believe in chastity (not just celibacy, which is merely the state of being unmarried). Also note that this would likely exclude some species from becoming Jedi regardless of their Force potential, as undoubtedly there are a nymber of sentient species that have a sex-drive so strong that denying it is physically dangerous.

On the other extreme....

So perhaps the Jedi Order infact maintains contact with such 'Hostels' - originally they served as breeding centers for new Jedi children, now they have become glorified brothels for Jedi horndogs!

This is likely going way too far in the other direction. Jedi aren't supposed to be wild animals, sleeping with anything that looks remotely compatible. That implies letting your emotions get out of control, which is eventually the path to the Dark Side.

 

[LostSoul]

First of all, I believe that Jedi never do anything casually.

good point. you and Lily open up a can of worms there! for a male jedi it's well, pretty damn easy. wam bam thank you ma'am. now female jedi....wow. do they develop an attachment to their children? certainly in human physiology most women do - before birth.

That's got to be totally untrue. Males can have just as much emotional attachment to sex as females (or twist it around: females can have as little as men).

I'd think that it would be easy for a female Jedi to regulate her own body's fertility through a number of methods. Birth control from the Force. I'd make it a Heal Injury DC of 15 (or maybe just Control, Constitution DC 15).

off hand, i'd say that it would be rare in that, it really would interfere with the female jedi's training/duties. it probably happens for sure, but i can't see alot of female jedis willing to take that responsibility on. i'm sure the female jedis could have casual sex like the male ones, but they probably use their force shield to keep from getting pregnant.

Based on the Birth Control above, I disagree. I'd go so far as to say that sex would be an integral part of a Jedi's training.

As far as "sex with whores" - your Jedi might see it as a way to enlighten the "whores". Open their minds to the spiritual side of sex. Let them see how the Force flows between the two partners during sex. blah blah blah. An "enlightened hedonist" who sees a path to spiritual enlightenment through pleasure (mainly pleasure of the mind).

 

[Lily Inverse]

Based on the Birth Control above, I disagree. I'd go so far as to say that sex would be an integral part of a Jedi's training.

I don't think it would really be a central part of their doctrine. At BEST it would be up to the individual Master, because by the time most padawans hit the age where training is possible they're under the tutelage of an individual Jedi. Moreover, sexuality is a deeply ingrained part of any species' makeup. Sure, the parts might match up, but how the heck is a Twi'lek supposed to give a Bothan instruction in this regard? This only gets worse when you have a humanoid training a nonhumanoid or vice-versa. If the differences get too extreme, the advice you give is going to be so far off the mark as to cause MORE confusion.

To support this, we only need look at Anakin's awkwardness at dealing with his emotions, of which physical attraction was clearly a component. He clearly wasn't used to dealing with this....likely because Obi-Wan hadn't bothered to teach him about it. We can assume Shmi didn't say anything either, he WAS nine years old when Anakin left, after all. Sure, Anakin might know the basics from living on Tatooine, but he's not going to be emotionally equipped to deal with puberty with advice like "Mind your thoughts, Anakin, they betray you." No wonder he's so messed up.

 

[LostSoul]

I don't think it would really be a central part of their doctrine. At BEST it would be up to the individual Master, because by the time most padawans hit the age where training is possible they're under the tutelage of an individual Jedi. Moreover, sexuality is a deeply ingrained part of any species' makeup. Sure, the parts might match up, but how the heck is a Twi'lek supposed to give a Bothan instruction in this regard? This only gets worse when you have a humanoid training a nonhumanoid or vice-versa. If the differences get too extreme, the advice you give is going to be so far off the mark as to cause MORE confusion.

We might have different takes on the Force, so I'll just try and let you know what I think.

I think that it should be an important part of training, but not an integral part. It probably would be under the heading "Emotions and Desires". But I don't think any Jedi Master would skip over it.

I think that Jedi Masters could teach their Padawans sexuality through the common language of the Force. Basically, they wouldn't teach much of the physical side of sexuality; they'd focus on the emotional and spiritual side. Even if two species have greatly different mating rituals (maybe one involves a great deal of violence, the other is almost passive), a true Jedi Master would tell his student to let the Force flow through him, let it guide him through the process, let the Force show him what is natural.

Just like they do for the martial training.

"He who follows the natural way
is always one with the Force.
He who is virtuous may experience virtue,
whilst he who loses the natural way
is easily lost himself. "

To support this, we only need look at Anakin's awkwardness at dealing with his emotions, of which physical attraction was clearly a component. He clearly wasn't used to dealing with this....likely because Obi-Wan hadn't bothered to teach him about it. We can assume Shmi didn't say anything either, he WAS nine years old when Anakin left, after all. Sure, Anakin might know the basics from living on Tatooine, but he's not going to be emotionally equipped to deal with puberty with advice like "Mind your thoughts, Anakin, they betray you." No wonder he's so messed up.

A good reason for Jedi to teach Padawans about their sexuality. It's something natural, a part of life, a part of the Force. Nothing to be feared. But if you keep it from a Jedi, he's going to go all wonky, just as if you kept teachings about agression from him.

 

[Jack Haggerty]

To support this, we only need look at Anakin's awkwardness at dealing with his emotions, of which physical attraction was clearly a component. He clearly wasn't used to dealing with this....likely because Obi-Wan hadn't bothered to teach him about it. We can assume Shmi didn't say anything either, he WAS nine years old when Anakin left, after all. Sure, Anakin might know the basics from living on Tatooine, but he's not going to be emotionally equipped to deal with puberty with advice like "Mind your thoughts, Anakin, they betray you." No wonder he's so messed up.

Ah, but don't for get that most Jedi begin their trining at a much, much younger age than Anakin began his.

That bring up two arguements... First, if the children are living and training with the Jedi from the time they can walk, who else would teach them about this stuff, than the Jedi? Second, most padawan, since they are trained from near-infancy, they would have an emotional control that Anakin would lack.

Anakin's screwed up, not because Obi-wan is leaving anything out, but because his training started far too late, and he was already "set in his ways" of pride and fear.

 

[Lily Inverse]

Okay, to start in reverse order.....

Anakin's screwed up, not because Obi-wan is leaving anything out, but because his training started far too late, and he was already "set in his ways" of pride and fear.

On the other hand, with Luke we can see that succsess is still possible at that late of an age. But the training in emotional control would be very different, and probably much more intense. Obi-Wan doesn't realize that, and is treating the Annie like a normal Padawan. So part of the whole problem IS that Anakin's training is having things left out. It's just that they're things that would normally have been covered long before being chosen as a Padawan Learner. Qui-Gon Jinn would probably have done a much better job.

I think that Jedi Masters could teach their Padawans sexuality through the common language of the Force. Basically, they wouldn't teach much of the physical side of sexuality; they'd focus on the emotional and spiritual side. Even if two species have greatly different mating rituals (maybe one involves a great deal of violence, the other is almost passive), a true Jedi Master would tell his student to let the Force flow through him, let it guide him through the process, let the Force show him what is natural

This IS a possibility I hadn't considered. Still, again, this sort of thing wouldn't work with Anakin, mostly because he started too late. I would say the training program for an older kid would have to be very different, and much more intense, to get the same results.

 

[Jack Haggerty]

On the other hand, with Luke we can see that succsess is still possible at that late of an age. But the training in emotional control would be very different, and probably much more intense. Obi-Wan doesn't realize that, and is treating the Annie like a normal Padawan. So part of the whole problem IS that Anakin's training is having things left out. It's just that they're things that would normally have been covered long before being chosen as a Padawan Learner. Qui-Gon Jinn would probably have done a much better job.

Be careful, there... comparing Anakin and Luke is like comparing apples and oranges. They are two very different people under very different circumstances.

One grew up a slave, the other a moisture farmer.

Luke was eight years older than Anakin when he began his Jedi training.

Anakin had at least 10 straight years of Jedi training with all the resources of the Jedi Temple. Luke had a couple days with Obi-wan, and maybe a week with Yoda with all the resources of a tramp frieghter and a swamp.

Luke failed to retain his emotional control as a Jedi time and time and time again... When Obi-wan dies, when he enters the Eeeevil Cave on Dagobah, when he runs off to "rescue" Han, Leia and Chewie from Cloud City, when he assaults Jabba's palace to "rescue" Han again, when he confronts Vader and the Emperor on the second Death Star.

Luke is just losing his control in a different manner and for a different reason. And by the end, he regains control, instead of falling to the Dark Side. And the New Jedi Order he builds in the novels is very different from the Old School Jedi Order.

And if you think Qui-gon would have done a better job... Look how Obi-wan turned out.