Grand Moff Tarkin declares to Vader early on that "The Jedi are extinct. Their fire has gone out of the universe. You, my friend, are all that's left of their religion." Han Solo later in the same film, A New Hope, advises Luke that "hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side". Then for seven additional films there is little to no reference to the Jedi Order as a religion until Luke himself uses the words "Jedi religion" as something that must end in The Last Jedi. The Guardians of the Whills in Rogue One certainly project an air of sacred religion but the word is never actually used.
Was this editing out of the word religion a conscious decision by George Lucas and all subsequent filmmakers until Rian Johnson? Perhaps the original association of the Jedi with religion was too strong and Lucas chose to back away from this in favor of philosophical and martial contexts. Perhaps religion wasn't cool in the seventies and eighties as it would be in the later red hot culture wars. Perhaps the Jedi religion was always implied and no longer needed to be stated.
Precept 7: The practical Jedi is not a member of a Jedi religion. The morality of the practical Jedi is well-defined by the prior six precepts. The practical Jedi is likely to pursue one of the world's many religions without influence or restriction beyond the practical Jedi's morality. Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Jainism, Judaism, Islam, the many forms of mysticism, Sikhism, Taoism and so many other religions all have components of spirituality, altruism and logic that are compatible with a practical Jedi's way. From the standpoint of practical Jediism, there is no conflict with following any other religion as the practical Jedi is in no way exclusively bound by practical Jediism. There is no practical Jedi oath. The practical Jedi is free to subjugate the ways of practical Jediism to one's other religion. The practical Jedi alone can determine if one's prior religion and practical Jediism remain compatible. The path of the practical Jedi can be walked as much or as little as each soul chooses and tolerates. One practical Jedi can never be more of a practical Jedi than another. There are no orthodox practical Jedi nor are there cafeteria practical Jedi. No wars will be fought nor will blood be shed in honor of the practical Jedi or for the sake of the practical Jedi. The practical Jedi is neither religious nor atheistic.
Was this editing out of the word religion a conscious decision by George Lucas and all subsequent filmmakers until Rian Johnson? Perhaps the original association of the Jedi with religion was too strong and Lucas chose to back away from this in favor of philosophical and martial contexts. Perhaps religion wasn't cool in the seventies and eighties as it would be in the later red hot culture wars. Perhaps the Jedi religion was always implied and no longer needed to be stated.
Precept 7: The practical Jedi is not a member of a Jedi religion. The morality of the practical Jedi is well-defined by the prior six precepts. The practical Jedi is likely to pursue one of the world's many religions without influence or restriction beyond the practical Jedi's morality. Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Jainism, Judaism, Islam, the many forms of mysticism, Sikhism, Taoism and so many other religions all have components of spirituality, altruism and logic that are compatible with a practical Jedi's way. From the standpoint of practical Jediism, there is no conflict with following any other religion as the practical Jedi is in no way exclusively bound by practical Jediism. There is no practical Jedi oath. The practical Jedi is free to subjugate the ways of practical Jediism to one's other religion. The practical Jedi alone can determine if one's prior religion and practical Jediism remain compatible. The path of the practical Jedi can be walked as much or as little as each soul chooses and tolerates. One practical Jedi can never be more of a practical Jedi than another. There are no orthodox practical Jedi nor are there cafeteria practical Jedi. No wars will be fought nor will blood be shed in honor of the practical Jedi or for the sake of the practical Jedi. The practical Jedi is neither religious nor atheistic.