So dumb that, until the prequels, the presumption was that Anakin was just straight-up publically married to his unnamed wife (who survived long enough in hiding on Alderaan for Leia to have hazy memories of her) and Jedi got married and had kids just like anyone else because there was nothing in the OT to suggest otherwise.
I have a pet theory that Lucas confused Bushido with Budhism, because OT Jedi as Samurai (who DO have a strong family tradition) makes a ton more sense than the emotionless monks of the prequels.
I mean, seriously, as written why would they have ever developed any sort of martial traditions, much less lightsabers and the specialized forms and tech related to them? Likewise, if the philosophy was ultimately just to “peace out” into the Force why would they even bother recruiting and, more fundamentally, how the heck did they get the sort of influence to make testing for midichlorians* a standard procedure for infants in the Republic? It’s just nonsense atop nonsense that only makes sense if the Jedi didn’t use to be like that and only fell into this degenerate anti-life state slowly over generations since the Sith were believed destroyed (but then what’s Yoda’s excuse… he was around for virtually the entire Order’s post-Sith existence).
I think he tried to mixed sort of Buddhist-like pantheist vibe with Templar tradition. Knight-Monks was thing in Europe, and they were assumed to be well monks but fighting, otherwise celibate and dead for world. It didn't work very well overall, and I personally as Catholic consider it abberation of ancient monkhood alas it was present.
Also Buddhist monks had martial traditions, and could be very engaged in politics despite whole - no bounds religious mantra. See Theravada monks standing for Burman nationalism, and supporting often actively persecutions of Muslim minorities in Burma. I'd say such duality is very much real thing, but it should be somehow disputed and showed in movies. Instead they sort of gloss over whole Jedi being Republic's secret service shtick.
If I was to make a shot I'd triple this schizofrenia, and add politics as religious activity in vein of Roman Republic inspired by beautiful situation where head of Senate I think is abruptly stops irregular activities of squabbling senators, and when accussed of taking sides, says something in line - ITS NOT POLITICS FOOLS, IT'S RELIGION.
In the OT, there is no evidence to suggest that the Jedi were large in size nor that they worked for the Senate. If, as originally presented, the Jedi were simply a religious order of people who operated with a specific belief system yet all had normal day-to-day jobs (such as Obi Wan being an actual General for the Alderaany army), then the Jedi could have fought against the rise of the Emperor the entire time which would not only have made the prequel Jedi the good guys, but also provided a much more believable reason as to why the Emperor hunted them down.
Yes, but also quite obviously they were not just ordinary worshipers with day-to-day jobs. Because their training gave them superpowers, and I doubt any sane government would left this unchecked. (Which can imply once upon a time Jedi Order was sort of coerced into public service.)
They were the "Guardians of Peace and Justice IN the Old Republic" not "OF the old Republic". Maintaining peace and justice should have been their primary goal. Not just protecting the Old Republic's economic interests.
Economics crisis is in fact one of greatest overall endangerments for peace. So yeah keeping big economical contracts kept should be major job for such organisation.
Give me more trade negotiations, dammit.