Vaderisnothayden said:
And there's identifying passion with the dark side. Passion is what makes us human. It's an essential part of life and human nature. To identify passion with the dark side while portraying the Jedi ideal as basically not feeling is pretty awful. That's a message that feeling is evil and that we shouldn't feel. Horrible message.

So balance is when the side that's associated with feeling is gotten rid of? That's a bent message.

Feelings are not evil. But letting feelings or passion control you might not be a good idea. Do you follow every feeling you get? If someone says something to anger you, do you choke them?

Jedi are not without feelings. They don't let feelings control them though. When you are 'calm, at peace' you don't project strong feelings, to some you may even seem uncaring. That doesn't mean you are though. They are supposed to be empathic and selfless, and lashing out in anger, for example, would not make much sense. It would go against their nature and/or belief.

A Sith is the opposite - selfish, and will use or indulge in any feeling or passion to augment their power, to further their own goals or simply for gratification. And there can indeed be gratification (though perhaps a darker, fleeting one) in doing what you know is wrong.