"Jedi" Religion Most Popular Alternative Faith In England

Census numbers show that 176,632 people in England and Wales ask themselves, "What would Yoda do?" Although the number of people who list their religion as "Jedi" has dropped by more than 50% in the past 10 years, It remains the most popular "alternative" faith in England. From the article: "The new figures reveal that the lightsabre-wielding disciples are only behind Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism and Buddhism in the popularity stakes, excluding non-religious people and people who did not answer."

Comments

Survey with "Jedi" option available

[Artea]

Regardless of your actual faith, why wouldn't you choose this option?

Re:Survey with "Jedi" option available

[narcc]

emacs? Really? Why not just go full-tween and call yourself a wiccan?

vi will still be here when you've out-grown that phase.

We'll be praying for you.

Re:Survey with "Jedi" option available

[Phrogman]

As someone who has been at least nominally Wiccan for the past 30 years, I suspect your only exposure to Wiccans has been the teenage angst-filled dressed like a goth crowd. There are others out there who don't fill the stereotype who are otherwise normal people. We blend in.

Just sayin'

Re:Survey with "Jedi" option available

[Patch86]

There was a write-in option ("other, please specify"), and this was the most popular write-in.

Far more interesting to me is that Christianity declined to less than 60% of the population, while No Religion almost doubled to get around 25%. That's a massive attitude shift for a 10 year period. Really brings into question why we have a state religion- although I suspect the figures will have to sink even lower before we can use census data as an excuse to separate church and state.

Re:Survey with "Jedi" option available

[Sir_Sri]

because

Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken.
The Force shall free me.

The sith should not need to hide in the shadows pretending to be jedi any longer.

Re:Survey with "Jedi" option available

[Sir_Sri]

Because getting rid of the state religion, and the state relationship with the church of england would be problematic. It's not that it can't or won't be done, but there's quite a lot of legal effort involved in the powers of parliament vs the sovereign vs the church as an independent entity.

In some respects it's the same reason why none of the countries have actually settled the legal inheritance issue of if the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have a daughter and then a son (just a daughter, or multiple daughters doesn't require any rewrite), because it's not that we can't sort this out. But it's a lot of legal paperwork that can be deferred 50 or 60 years if they never have a son after a daughter.

Re:Survey with "Jedi" option available

[Anonymous Coward]

it is an entirely fictional belief system.

So
Like all the other belief systems then.

Re:Survey with "Jedi" option available

[Thiez]

> The census is supposed to be an accurate snapshot of the state of Britain, if people lie on it, they should be prosecuted.

For what crime? Governments have no business demanding to know a persons religion, and people have no obligation to report their religion to their government. Besides, the 'jedi' option is counted as 'no religion' by the ONS, which is probably accurate in the vast majority of cases, so the statistics are not meaningfully affected.

> You cannot be a Jedi as it is an entirely fictional belief system.

As opposed to other religions? Let's not go there (but if you do, please start with scientology).

Re:Survey with "Jedi" option available

[FatLittleMonkey]

Your comment implies that you think you've set some kind of clever rhetorical trap. I'm mildly curious what the punchline is, so...

A-theist: Not religious.
A-gnostic: Lacking knowledge of god(s).

Okay, trap sprung, ow m' leg. Now what?

Re:Survey with "Jedi" option available

[Duds]

Because census results are aggregated and by putting ANY region you're increasing government funding for pro-religion programs.

You might think it's a joke but you're basically voting for your taxes to be used for brainwashing kids.

Re:Survey with "Jedi" option available

[icebraining]

An atheist is a not(theist); someone who not(believes in deities). The person may or may not be religious, but atheism itself is not a religion, since it contains no belief system.

Agnostic is someone who believes that the existence of deities is unknown and/or unknowable. The person may or may not be atheist and/or religious.

Re:Survey with "Jedi" option available

[somersault]

...and 4 million who did not put any religion ....

Thank God for that!

Wait. Well, you know what I mean..

Re:Survey with "Jedi" option available

[coofercat]

I put myself down as Jedi in the 2000 census. However, I won't do it again, because the pesky Government looks at the stats and says "X% of people in the UK are religious, so we can open more faith schools". The fact that those faith schools cater for a minority of the total population is neither here nor there, they do it anyway.

I'll put "Jedi" on trivial things (ie. not many), but not on the census anymore.

Although amusing

[pkthunders]

I see nothing wrong with this. Now, if they get control of the republican Senate, then there might be a problem...

Re:Although amusing

[r33per]

if they get control of the republican Senate, then there might be a problem...

Thank heavens we're still a constitutional monarchy!

Re:So it's the number one "Made Up" religion

[agm]

No, the number one "made up" religion is Christianity.

Re:Soooo...

[turbidostato]

Yes, and even then, they dropped by 50%.

It's me, or the redaction looks quite Monty Python-esque?

-The most popular religion is Jedi cult.
-Hummm... no; Christianity is.
-Well, the Jedi cult is the most popular after Christianity.
-Hummm... no; Islam is.
-Well, the Jedi cult is the most popular after Christianity and Islam.
-Hummm... no; Hinduism is.
-Well, the Jedi cult is the most popular after Christianity and Islam and Sikhism.
-Hummm... no; Judaism is.
-Well, the Jedi cult is the most popular after Christianity and Islam and Sikhism and Judaism.
-Hummm... no; Buddhism is.
-Well, the Jedi cult is the most popular after Christianity and Islam and Sikhism and Judaism and Buddhism.
-Hummm... yes.
-A-HA!

Re:I for one

[rolfwind]

Giant?! Heretic! True believers only believe in the FLYING Spaghetti Monster!

We must engage in battle, for I will not let this blasphemy stand!

Re:I for one

[gagol]

who said I was talking about pastafarian religion, cannot I have my own silly thing? Spaghetti cannot fly, but it can be made giant!

Re:I for one

[stms]

Why can't we just agree that the universe is ruled by some kind of pasta and coexist peacefully.

Re:I for one

[MightyMartian]

Who invited the Unitarian?

Jedi is just a renamed Christianity Clone -

[DontScotty]

Virgin birth: Check

Holy Ghosts: Check

Passover: Many people Pass Over re-watching Ep 1 due to Jar Jar Binks: Check

fuck Jedi

[Tastecicles]

I worship gaffer tape. It has a light side and a dark side, just like the Force, and it binds the Galaxy together. Difference being, it's real, tangible, and doesn't require faith because its physicality is a reassuring proof of its ubiquity.

Re:Cue The Whack-Job Zealots Masquerading...

[Vanders]

Whack job zealots? This is the UK. Most people quietly giggled at this, then went and did something more interesting, like Christmas shopping or the pub.

The only people who'll pretend to be outraged by this will be the Daily Mail, and we'll all giggle at them when someone makes a joke about them on Have I Got News For You.

Re:Soooo...

[SirGarlon]

How many pretend to be Christian, I wonder? Probably more than pretend to be Jedi.