Jedi 'Religion' Grows in Australia

BBC ^ | 8/27/02

[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.

[Constitution Day]

"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.

[jlogajan]

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?? :-)

[TBP]

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.)

[stuartcr]

I like that.

[Constitution Day]

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.

[freebilly]

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....

[Constitution Day]

OOPS! I mean "George Lucas isn't THREATENING anyone with eternal damnation."

[marshmallow]

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.

[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

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 jlogajan

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.

It's a fair test...

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

((ping))

[Semaphore Heathcliffe]

"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.

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

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!

[JediGirl]

time to move again...

[JediGirl]

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

[stuartcr]

If, indeed, that really happened, he would have a following, I'm sure.

[BikerNYC]

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.

[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

If, indeed, that really happened, he would have a following, I'm sure. 16 posted on 8/27/02 9:33 AM Pacific by stuartcr

Yes -- indeed he would, wouldn't he??

[shadowman99]

ILM can make that happen!

[laconic]

Sell these fools a vacation trip to the Land of Oz.