Post by kojack on Feb 12, 2007 20:37:59 GMT -5
As many of you may already know over four hundred thousand people worldwide recorded Jedi as their religion in the 2001 census. These numbers were large enough in the United Kingdom to make Jediism the third most popular religion in the country. The Jedi religion even came in ahead of established religions like Judaism.
Of course fiction based religions like Jediism are not without precedent. The Church of All Worlds based on the science fiction novel "Stranger in Strage Land" has been around since 1962. Many also consider L. Ron Hubbard's book Dianetics, upon which the Church of Scientology is based, to be a work of science fiction. This church has been in existence since 1952 and has over 500,000 dedicated believers worldwide including some very famous celebrities such as John Travolta and Tom Cruise. As you can see a real working religion based on the Star Wars sextet of films is not such a far fetched concept.
Fiction based religions do not stop with Jediism either. There is in fact a religion called Matrixism (based on The Matrix trilogy) fomenting on the internet as we speak.
Will Jediism grow into something substantial or fade away over time? Considering the passion of some Star Wars fans and with the previous examples in mind I would be inclinded venture that Jediism will be around for a long time.
What do you think?
Of course fiction based religions like Jediism are not without precedent. The Church of All Worlds based on the science fiction novel "Stranger in Strage Land" has been around since 1962. Many also consider L. Ron Hubbard's book Dianetics, upon which the Church of Scientology is based, to be a work of science fiction. This church has been in existence since 1952 and has over 500,000 dedicated believers worldwide including some very famous celebrities such as John Travolta and Tom Cruise. As you can see a real working religion based on the Star Wars sextet of films is not such a far fetched concept.
Fiction based religions do not stop with Jediism either. There is in fact a religion called Matrixism (based on The Matrix trilogy) fomenting on the internet as we speak.
Will Jediism grow into something substantial or fade away over time? Considering the passion of some Star Wars fans and with the previous examples in mind I would be inclinded venture that Jediism will be around for a long time.
What do you think?