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Jedi 'Religion' Grows in Australia
BBC ^
| 8/27/02
Posted on 08/27/2002 9:11:12 AM PDT by marshmallow
More than 70,000 people in Australia have declared that they are followers of the Jedi faith, the religion created by the Star Wars films.
A recent census found that one in 270 respondents - or 0.37% of the population - say they believe in "the force", an energy field that gives Jedi Knights like Luke Skywalker their power in the films.
Most of the 70,509 people who wrote Jedi on their census forms were suspected to have done so in response to an e-mail encouraging all Star Wars fans to get it recognised as an official religion.
But the majority do not seriously tell each other: "May the force be with you", according to Australian Star Wars Appreciation Society president Chris Brennan.
"When you look at it you probably have got about 5,000 people in that 70,000 that were true hard-core people that would believe the Jedi religion carte blanche," he told ABC Radio.
"Then you would have 50,000 fans that said 'oh yeah we'll just put down Jedi for fun, we don't actually have a religion of our own'.
"Then you probably have 15,000 people who did it just to give the government a bit of curry," he said.
'Not defined'
An e-mail was sent around the world in 2001 saying that if 10,000 people declared they were Jedi, it would be recognised as an official religion.
But the Australian Bureau of Statistics said it would be categorised as "not defined".
Thousands of people in New Zealand and the UK also followed the advice of the e-mail - with Jedi Knight even being included on the list of religions by UK census authorities.
TOPICS: Culture/Society
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To: marshmallow
"When you look at it you probably have got about 5,000 people in that 70,000 that were true hard-core people that would believe the Jedi religion carte blanche," he told ABC Radio. People! It's a MOVIE. M-O-V-I-E.
To: Constitution Day
People! It's a MOVIE. M-O-V-I-E. How come when I say, it's a BOOK, B-O-O-K, I don't get the same reaction?? :-)
3
posted on
08/27/2002 9:15:20 AM PDT
by
jlogajan
To: marshmallow
From what I know of the Jedi philosophy as explained in the movies, teh ones who are "true believers," at least, ought to check out the New Thought movement. The tenets are quite similar in a number of ways and George Lucas has one of its main books in his bookcase. (I saw it in a photo that ran with an article about him in the New York Times.)
4
posted on
08/27/2002 9:18:53 AM PDT
by
TBP
To: jlogajan
I like that.
5
posted on
08/27/2002 9:19:45 AM PDT
by
stuartcr
To: jlogajan
How come when I say, it's a BOOK, B-O-O-K, I don't get the same reaction?? :-) Probably because George Lucas isn't anyone with eternal damnation.
As far as I know, anyway.
To: jlogajan
How come when I say, it's a BOOK, B-O-O-K, I don't get the same reaction?? :-)Possibly because most people prefer Christianity over Atheism....
7
posted on
08/27/2002 9:20:23 AM PDT
by
freebilly
To: Constitution Day
OOPS! I mean "George Lucas isn't THREATENING anyone with eternal damnation."
To: jlogajan
How come when I say, it's a BOOK, B-O-O-K, I don't get the same reaction?? :-) That depends on which book. Just because it's bound with a cover and has pages inside doesn't mean that its content is a) fictitious and b) harmless.
Some books, like this movie, are entirely without basis in fact. Others deal with more dangerous realities.
To: jlogajan
How come when I say, it's a BOOK, B-O-O-K, I don't get the same reaction?? :-) 3 posted on 8/27/02 9:15 AM Pacific by jlogajanWhen George Lucas gets nailed to a board, gets a stake shoved through his heart, and then walks out of his own grave, he gets to start his own religion, too.
It's a fair test...
To: JediGirl
((ping))
To: marshmallow
"Then you probably have 15,000 people who did it just to give the government a bit of curry," he said. this is hilarious. This is hilarious. The bureaucrats must be doing flips.
To: OrthodoxPresbyterian
When George Lucas gets nailed to a board, gets a stake shoved through his heart, and then walks out of his own grave, he gets to start his own religion, too. Well, he already thinks he walks on water...as do many of his fans!
To: marshmallow
time to move again...
14
posted on
08/27/2002 9:30:57 AM PDT
by
JediGirl
To: TrappedInLiberalHell
Well, he already thinks he walks on water...as do many of his fans! hehe, I wouldn't go that far. I just rather liked the movies. :P
15
posted on
08/27/2002 9:31:41 AM PDT
by
JediGirl
To: OrthodoxPresbyterian
If, indeed, that really happened, he would have a following, I'm sure.
16
posted on
08/27/2002 9:33:42 AM PDT
by
stuartcr
To: OrthodoxPresbyterian
When George Lucas gets nailed to a board, gets a stake shoved through his heart, and then walks out of his own grave, he gets to start his own religion, too.
He just has to get a few people to say that he did.
17
posted on
08/27/2002 9:34:33 AM PDT
by
BikerNYC
To: stuartcr
If, indeed, that really happened, he would have a following, I'm sure. 16 posted on 8/27/02 9:33 AM Pacific by stuartcrYes -- indeed he would, wouldn't he??
To: OrthodoxPresbyterian
ILM can make that happen!
To: marshmallow
Sell these fools a vacation trip to the Land of Oz.
20
posted on
08/27/2002 9:38:17 AM PDT
by
laconic
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