evil tendencies
Cake or Death?
Can anyone in the UK shed some light on the cultural stuff behind this article? I understand people claiming Wicca as their religion - but people claiming to be Jedi? When did this start?
Are you a Witch or a Jedi?
- Thread starter evil tendencies
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generulpoleaxe
New member
it started as a joke on the national cencus forms, problem is some students took it too far.
Wyrmypops
New member
Like the article said really. About ten years ago with that last census on the way, some folk got it into their heads to say they were "Jedi". The prequels were doing the rounds after all. And what with the internet and its online social networks it caught on. The idea being that if enough folk put down "Jedi" in their religion entry it would have to be recognised as a valid religion. That's wrong incidentally, it doesn't have to be, but regardless the idea of it had a certain geeky and irreverant appeal.
We don't bother much with religion anymore. A church/synagogue/mosque goer is no longer the default setting. We're no longer indoctrinated into a faith through the typical school system and peers of society. Indeed religious belief has come to regarded as weird - as evidenced by Tony Blair confessing to have a faith prompting debate and backlash towards him.
Our continued "Church of England" playing in the background feels more like a quaint thing to enjoy at fairs and jumble sales, with innocuous vicars, tea and cake being more intrinsic than a book and iconography. It could be regarded as historical whimsy, like visiting a Norman castle.
The growing adoption of new age malarky is probably down to Joss Whedon featuring Willow and her going "Wicca". The new agers I've encountered seem to be so more out of a knee jerk reaction, a declaration of "hell no, I ain't [insert Abrahmic religion here]", as if merely being an atheist isn't enough. It's often no more than a scented candle and a bottle of patchoulli, with as much understanding of the old faiths as Willow demonstrated, (IE: none) as they weren't religions of doctrine and book for folk to easily latch on to with any credible accuracy.
If the census does continue I expect I'll just list myself as an atheist. The wannabe pagans and Wiccans seem a bit like goth wannabee emos, and "Jedi" would be like an ancient (in internet years) reference like "all your base are belong to us" or LeeeeeeroyJeeenkins.
But if I'm in a whimsical or contrary mood I might plump for the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
We don't bother much with religion anymore. A church/synagogue/mosque goer is no longer the default setting. We're no longer indoctrinated into a faith through the typical school system and peers of society. Indeed religious belief has come to regarded as weird - as evidenced by Tony Blair confessing to have a faith prompting debate and backlash towards him.
Our continued "Church of England" playing in the background feels more like a quaint thing to enjoy at fairs and jumble sales, with innocuous vicars, tea and cake being more intrinsic than a book and iconography. It could be regarded as historical whimsy, like visiting a Norman castle.
The growing adoption of new age malarky is probably down to Joss Whedon featuring Willow and her going "Wicca". The new agers I've encountered seem to be so more out of a knee jerk reaction, a declaration of "hell no, I ain't [insert Abrahmic religion here]", as if merely being an atheist isn't enough. It's often no more than a scented candle and a bottle of patchoulli, with as much understanding of the old faiths as Willow demonstrated, (IE: none) as they weren't religions of doctrine and book for folk to easily latch on to with any credible accuracy.
If the census does continue I expect I'll just list myself as an atheist. The wannabe pagans and Wiccans seem a bit like goth wannabee emos, and "Jedi" would be like an ancient (in internet years) reference like "all your base are belong to us" or LeeeeeeroyJeeenkins.
But if I'm in a whimsical or contrary mood I might plump for the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
Niall
New member
Haha my Dad put Jedi as his religion!
At least in our family we don't care at all for religion so he put Jedi down to take the piss out of so called 'real' religions. I might go for a Lord of the Rings style one when I need to fill one out..
Perhaps I'm a Follower of Melkor or in fact the religion of the Fellowship.
I thinm Blair getting quizzed over him declaring his religion is because there was no need for him to mention it. There is a jewish comedian who also has to pronounce her religion as well. As if we care what they believe in!
I think Paganism or Odinism etc get a bad press because people still fall into the propaganda the Romans cooked up and still think it is about loving horses and devil worship. It should be respected as much as other more popular religions or in fact treat all religions like we treat pagans.
All disciples of the Lord of the Rings religion step forth!
At least in our family we don't care at all for religion so he put Jedi down to take the piss out of so called 'real' religions. I might go for a Lord of the Rings style one when I need to fill one out..
Perhaps I'm a Follower of Melkor or in fact the religion of the Fellowship.
I thinm Blair getting quizzed over him declaring his religion is because there was no need for him to mention it. There is a jewish comedian who also has to pronounce her religion as well. As if we care what they believe in!
I think Paganism or Odinism etc get a bad press because people still fall into the propaganda the Romans cooked up and still think it is about loving horses and devil worship. It should be respected as much as other more popular religions or in fact treat all religions like we treat pagans.
All disciples of the Lord of the Rings religion step forth!
It was not just students 'taking it to far', a lot of people considered that the census (censi ?) in the UK asked too many 'irrelevant' and intrusive questions. Specifically 1981 there was a large movement against completion of the census which led to a number of prosecutions for non-completion.
And I do remember Finn17 stating that he completed the last couple of census forms as Jedi.
(* Sorry to have to use such an easy out myself, but it is one of the most easily recognised world wide. There are others such as Cheese Rolling competitions, Hobby Horse and Mummers plays.)
Trying to define as either Wicca or Jedi is a bit too simple, as Lucas took the Wiccan concept of "a life force which surrounds us and passes through us" and used it as the basis for 'Jedi'.
However whatever you find to give you peace of mind in your life be comfortable in it.
freakinacage
Well-known member
bloody religion
Tarreknoire
Member
Jedi
Jedi Teachings - whilst not the only wisdom, do hold something I find of interest.
Yours
Tarrek
Faith and beliefs similar to the JEDI, and yes I placed my mark for JEDI on the census...
Jedi Teachings - whilst not the only wisdom, do hold something I find of interest.
Yours
Tarrek
Faith and beliefs similar to the JEDI, and yes I placed my mark for JEDI on the census...
OK so you're Small, Green, have Large Ears and live in a swamp.
BPI
New member
QUOTE A Luna: "Obviously I should be Yoda."
There was a job opportunity advertised just last week for a Jedi Master...
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/02/09/jedi_surrey/
...UK based though, so it may not suit
Cheers, B.
There was a job opportunity advertised just last week for a Jedi Master...
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/02/09/jedi_surrey/
...UK based though, so it may not suit
Cheers, B.
DannyBoy2k
New member
Jedi. Interesting.
I am an apatheist, but if I were forced to pick an actual religion, I think I'd go with being a Pastafarian. All hail his noodly apendage!
I am an apatheist, but if I were forced to pick an actual religion, I think I'd go with being a Pastafarian. All hail his noodly apendage!
Shawn R. L.
New member
St. George and the . . . . . . . robot.
philologus
Subgenius
This one's as funny as FSM and has a little longer pedigree...with radio broadcasts.
www.subgenius.com
www.subgenius.com
DaddyBrown
New member
A friend and I even bought a plastic light saber each in honour of the occasion. A crate of larger later that evening and we were being cheered on by our neighbours as we battled our way around the street outside our flat.
To this day the police officer who 'happened to pass by' still doesn't believe I'm a direct descendent of Darth Vader.
IdofEntity
New member
So George Lucas has officially, or at least technically, started a religion? Doesn't this carry the same scent as L Ron Hubbard and his machinations? At least I think Lucas' efforts were unintentional. I think.
