Jedi could become official religion

March 6, 2001 12:24 PM

Jedi could become official religion -- An email is circulating in New Zealand seeking 8,000 people to write "Jedi" as their religion on that country's census form. If they do, it's claimed the government will have to recognize the Star Wars discipline as an actual religion.
posted by shauna (16 comments total)

You mean it isn't a religion??
posted by frykitty at 12:53 PM on March 6, 2001

If enough people did that in the States, the Jedi religion could eventually qualify for funding under the Bush faith-based initiatives.
posted by Mekon at 1:35 PM on March 6, 2001

All together now: "If they strike it down ..."
posted by allaboutgeorge at 1:54 PM on March 6, 2001

"I find your lack of faith disturbing."
posted by harmful at 1:57 PM on March 6, 2001

Hmmmm....does that mean that if enough people put down "none", that New Zealand has to recognize the "None" religion?

Don't take too much advice from chain e-mails.
posted by briank at 3:16 PM on March 6, 2001

I was sort of under the impression that Jedi was a blood-borne pathogen.
posted by chino at 4:29 PM on March 6, 2001

Could "Jedi" qualify for faith based funding from GWB?
posted by owillis at 4:40 PM on March 6, 2001

Sorry ya'll, the prim and proper Census NZ lady on TV1 News several nights ago said it doesn't matter how claim Jedi... they won't take it seriously.

I think she's lying. I think she would say that as it's the best way to ensure people put down their true beliefs. If you lead a Jedi life, fine, but 99% will write it down for fun.
posted by holloway at 5:29 PM on March 6, 2001

All together now: "If they strike it down ..."

"I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."
posted by tomplus2 at 7:26 PM on March 6, 2001

Go-go sci-fi religions! As for me, I've been trying to convert to the Vulcan way of life - the Church of Spock.

Ask yourself.. WWTD?
What would Tuvok do?
posted by LoraT at 9:10 PM on March 6, 2001

IDIC certainly sounds like a religion for the new millennium and one I could get behind, even though I generally dislike Trek.

Jediism I'm not so sure of. From what I can tell, it's mostly a scam to get you to spend more and more money until you are admitted to the inner circle, where you are finally taught the Jedi Mind Tricks.
posted by kindall at 9:29 PM on March 6, 2001

Since Episode One, Jedi is no longer a "religion," but a genetic-biological condition. If the scientists are "right," Jedi is biologically similar to being Homosexual, as in the "sense" that homosexuality is "genetic."

All of a sudden, Jar-jar Bings makes sense.


posted by tamim at 9:43 PM on March 6, 2001

Let the Slashdot miscegenation continue!

Jedi IS a religion
posted by dcodea at 5:46 AM on March 7, 2001

There's a better story posted on the BBC's website here. Any article that can mention Miss Piggy, Scientology and ends with a quote from Han Solo is worth your time.

Whoever did the captions on the article's a genius: their stuff pops up occasionally in the "non-serious" news topics, and it's a joy to read. And further evidence for the theory that there's crack in the water coolers at the Beeb.
posted by captainfez at 7:58 AM on March 7, 2001

this feels like the type of thread that usually gets a sound file embedded into it...
posted by th3ph17 at 3:48 PM on March 7, 2001

Apparently, not long after filming ended on Star Wars, while Lucas was in post production, Francis Ford Coppola saw the film and read the script. He then started hounding Lucas to create a religion based on the Force and the Jedi. Lucas said that wasn't really his intention but Coppola got carried away with the idea and tried to get people onto the idea, but lost interest soon after.
posted by jordanbrock at 9:34 PM on March 7, 2001