Jedi and Sith - different?

I'm by no means an expert, but...

To say that Sith care about love and Jedi do not strikes me as incredibly incorrect. Posessive love, that is what Jedi should not have. Love in which the two people feel that they belong to each other and no one else should come near that person they love, that's the love they shouldn't have. Obi-Wan and Anakin are pretty clear examples of this. Obi-Wan loves the people around him, but he's willing to let go of them, and not allow that love to get in the way of his mission as a Jedi. Anakin's love for Padmé becomes selfish when he won't let her go, when he would ditch everything he's learned to save her life. It seems kind of romantic, except that Padmé didn't want him to save her that way. He does it any number of times with Obi-Wan as well; saving his life and completely losing sight of the greater mission. He loves Padmé and Obi-Wan ABOVE other people, so that makes him a risk in any mission he goes into.

Thank you so much for your explanation, now I am more clear on how to explain the matter to my friend. I have always felt that Jedi are the analogue of Christian monks - they are supposed to and are encouraged to feel the same brotherly love to every human being without exceptions - and at the same time they are not supposed to stick to any of these human beings thus making them in some way unique.

After reading many "Star Wars" books and seeing Episodes I, II, IV, V and VI many times, I think the difference between the Jedi and the Sith is discipline.

The Jedi are disciplined to use and learn the Force over their lifetimes. They take a very slow route in training and teaching their skills over the generations. I remember some Jedi saying that one never really begins to understand the Force until he/she becomes a Master Jedi.

The Sith are not as disciplined. They want to quickly learn and use the Force. They are more caught up in the ends and not the means in which knowledge is acquired.

The Sith are disciplined in that they know how to use the power they have, and pick the right times in which to act.

The ideas that Sith are not disciplined, or that they are too caught up in things is Jedi propaganda to scare would-be darksiders from leaving the order.

Are we talking Old Republic Temple Jedi, or New Alliance Academy Jedi? Because there is a big difference between them -- namely, Luke doesn't have his head up his ass with the 'mo attachments' rule.

That said, the big difference is that Sith use their passion and emotion with no thought to the consequences for other people. Jedi, even the corrupted Temple Jedi, tried to do things that would help people other than themselves.

The Temple Jedi, unfortunately, lost their focus on anything other than the big picture, and served only the political elite in the end. That's what lead to their downfall -- they tied themselves to a political system that was crumbling, instead of keeping enough independence to jump when the ship was sinking.

Academy Jedi, after Luke actually founds it after RotJ, will almost certainly have more ties to and understanding of the non-elite parts of galactic society, and thus won't think the ends always justify the means.

Selflessness vs. selfishness. The Jedi act for others, using the Force to protect people and keep the peace. The Sith act for themselves. Yes, Palpatine is committed to bringing order, but it is *his* order, not the order that would be best for everyone, which is what the Jedi would strive for.

The Sith are self-centered. The Jedi are other-centered.

Sith are realistic in that they do not attempt to reject passionate love. People inherently want to be connected closely with someone, and the Jedi fear that passion can quickly make someone lose control and have it take them over. Sith would say that the passion gives the person strength, and gives them a meaningful existence.

What is the difference?

Jedi resist the Force; Sith embrace it. Jedi resist the potential of the Force; Sith embrace it. Jedi resist their force-stimulated passions; Sith embrace these passions. Sith embrace their force-stimulated transformation; Jedi resist it. Sith see the Force for what it is and accept it; Jedi see the Force for what it is and reject it. Sith see the Force as open-ended; Jedi see the Force as closed. Jedi and Sith alike use the Force for knowledge and defense. Jedi and Sith alike use the Force in the pursuit of power. Sith and Jedi alike realize that the Force has three sides, and that its third side is the most dangerous. May the Force tear into you daily, Lord Rive