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Canadian Census: 20,000 Jedi Worshippers
Lev13than writes "Canada.com is reporting that some 20,000 Canadians listed "Jedi" as their religion in the last national census (2001). Apparently this is the offshoot of an Internet joke which originated in Australia a few years back. The results are interesting on a couple of levels. While it show that some people may have too much time on their hands, it also raises questions of privacy rights, Internet activism and data integrity. Although it's not statistically significant given Canada's population of 31.5 million, 20,000 lightsabre-wielding census-takers is nothing to sneeze at. StatsCan's full report (with no mention of Jedis) can be found here."
In the UK, some 390,000 individuals are followers of the force But as the original Canada.com article notes, the Jedi religion choce may have been a protest agains the government surveying religious preference.
Though they're not quite as bad as the Klingon speaking mentally ill in Oregon...
That actually perfectly describes Catholocism(and nearly every other major religion). TV evangelists, religious TV stations, that nun on that one channel selling beads all makes money for the church in the end. But hey I guess they need to make living too.
I don't think it does perfectly describe any of the major religions. The people that "organised" these religions did not go on to create "a business underworld to avoid the government".
Yes, there are "followers" of major religions that use others' beliefs to their advantage, but that was not the intent of those that "developed" the religion, unlike the parent post's comment.
1. Marklars may not be getting the racial equality that in the US should be mandatory.
2. Marklars are not properly being serviced by their government.
1. Does this mean that short folks are going to get leg implants so they can be equal to us tall folks?
2. If the Marklars REALLY want toilets, why can't they earn them, just like the rest of us did?
Seriously, you're right: that's exactly the sort of thinking that lead congress-critters to put that sort of garbage on the long form. My point was that that sort of thinking varies from simply muddled to dangerously wrong.
If racial equality (defined as average income, or anything meaningful) is to be mandatory, we'll have to begin by eliminating our constitution. How else do you propose to get the alcoholism rate on reservations down to that of the general population (or else the general population's alcoholism rate up to match theirs)? We're going to have to start holding the able back, because there's no way we're going to be able to push the unable up to match them.
Anyone who really thinks that ``able'' correlates to race is dead wrong. But, ``able'' does correlate pretty well to culture. Look at the different success rates for new Asian and Carribean immigrants, compared to the grandchildren of earlier immigrants from those same areas. As their families acculturate here, their academic and business achievments tend to fall toward (or below) the mean for the US.
Here's the funny part. 1. the Census is meant only to count heads. 2. the other questions on the Census are tacked on by Congress 3. Congress in fact gives the Census the mandate to compel people to answer.
The constitution requires the government to count heads. The constitution therefore gives the government the power to count heads. Since there is no constitutional mandate to count toilets, any governmental power to do that would have to be found in the emanations of the penumbra of the commerce clause. Since the Supremes are starting to take a sane view of the commerce clause, as the 10th amendment requires, choosing not to require people to answer the questions may well be the better part of valor: congress may not have felt that it was worth trying to defend the long form before the Supreme court. On a side note, the long form is out (too intrusive, said congress), to be replaced with the American Community Survey, whose funding is in danger. We may just not know about toilet counts in future years. Just like we didn't for most of our history.
Where is the 2000 Census data now? Arizona. In a big vault for the most part.
The forms may be in Arizona, but the data is in a big mainframe in Washington, D.C. Aggregated, perturbed-to-preserve-privacy summaries have been sent (via CD and DVD) all over the US, so that dangerously muddle-headed politicians and civil servants can use it to show that more of someone else's money needs to be spent on the civil servants, in the name of the Marklars.
See what I've been reading.
how they could prove that an individual who puts Jedi on the form does not believe in the faith, and hence lied, and should be fined? Sure it might not be a 'recognised' religion but authorities can't prove that it is not a religion, any less than they can prove other religions actually are real!
Just one nit to pick - although your description of how the census works is PERFECT I have one problem with
2. Marklars are not properly being serviced by their government
Where does it say that it's the Government's job to make sure that Marklars have the same number and kinds of toilets?
It's fairly obvious that it's NOT interstate commerce, even if that is the excuse the courts use!
The Federal Government upsurps way to many powers that were reserved for the states or the people, but thats the way it's been since "The switch in time that saved nine"
-- 73 de KG2V For the Children - RKBA! "You are what you do when it counts" - the Masso
Right now it takes DVD-Rs 2 discs to back up a movie (dual-layer vs. single layer). It would be nice to archive my movie collections using less media.
Bah, who cares one way or another. The government, since it's meant to represent ALL the people, should not, ever, EVER, incorporate religious doctrine, symbolism, etc, into it's workings. Yes, that includes no "under god" in the pledge of allegiance, or religious phrases on currency. Why? Because it's plainly obvious (to anyone who isn't trying to argue their way out of a corner) that the "god" mentioned is the Christian God, thus excluding all else. Clearly, this is a VERY bad thing for a government which is "by the people, for the people", and hopefully, ALL people. It results in people being excluded, because those who are not part of the "not-quite-state-sponsored" religion are left out.
A better question is, why should the government endorse/recognize any religion at all? What purpose does this serve? WTF is the phrase "under god" included in the pledge of allegiance, other than to counter the "godless communists" of the cold war era? Frankly, I see no need for it... religion is a personal matter, and belongs in the home and in the church. It does NOT belong in the government that runs the country.
I can see that being the job of the LOCAL government (plumbing in the streeet), but the actual toilet, and the hookup? Private matter IMHO.
:)
So, if we assume this is part of the State/local/private section, why is the FEDERAL government asking?
Of course, I still believe we are supposed to be "several states" with a common interest, and that the rights of the state outweigh the rights of the Federation, and that the rights of the person are greater than that of the State - In fact, the State/Federation have NO rights, they have powers GRANTED them - rights remain the provision of the people (and G_d, if you believe in one).
Of course, this argument got kinda bloody the last time it was resolved. I agree with the North on the Slavery issue, but with the South on the States Rights issue
That said, TIGER files are kinda useful
-- 73 de KG2V For the Children - RKBA! "You are what you do when it counts" - the Masso