Jediism largely evolved from the popular Star Wars movies. The observance of the “Force,” as well as the principles and philosophies of the Jedi knights, are the foundation of the religion. The followers acknowledge the importance of the movies on their religion, but emphatically stress they are not a group of Star Wars role players. Real believers don’t engage in the worship of George Lucas (the creator of the series), Obi-Wan Kenobi, or Yoda, nor do they fixate on the myths portrayed in the movies.
Beliefs
The Force Is Real
The core belief of Jediism is there is a living force in the universe shared by all that ties the galaxy together. Like the majority of other religions, followers acknowledge there is good and evil in the world. Jedis recognize good as the light side of the Force and evil as the dark side, and think people instinctively understand the difference between the two. The concepts of peace, justice, love, learning and benevolence are also an important part of the Jedi faith.
Focus, Knowledge and Wisdom Are Unstoppable
The three tenets of the religion are focus, knowledge and wisdom. Jedis feel these tenets, when they are used in the right way, can be a means to overcome any obstacle. Believers also adhere to a code and creed, and follow 16 teachings and 21 maxims.
Human Rights Are Essential
Followers also oppose torture and the death penalty. They advocate a society that does not discriminate based on gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation. Jedis also support the separation of church and state.
History
According to the Jedis, the force has always existed and will continue in perpetuity. While brought to mainstream recognition by the success of the Stars Wars franchise, followers claim Jediism existed well before the movies.
The religion received its first major acknowledgment in 2001 when it was included by demand on the United Kingdom census, and individuals could claim it as a religious classification. In total, 390,127 people identified themselves as followers. It was the seventh most popular choice, with Christianity being first and Buddhism sixth. The Jedi Church was founded in 2008 by Daniel and Barney Jones. By the 2010 United Kingdom census, the number of people who claimed affiliation with the religion dropped by over 50 percent, but it was still the top pick for the “alternative” faith category.
The latest information estimates there are approximately 500,000 people worldwide who claim an affiliation with the religion. The Jedi Church provides demographic information on its members. According to jedichurch.org, believers are overwhelmingly male and predominantly born between 1970 and 1999. They primarily reside in English-speaking countries, such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and Canada. Mexico and Spain have the next biggest concentration of followers.
Controversies
Some Jedi Church members have been involved in controversies over the years. In 2009, founder Daniel Jones was thrown out of a Tesco supermarket in Wales because he refused to remove the hood he was wearing. Jones claimed it was an act of religious discrimination. The supermarket chain responded by saying Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda and Luke Skywalker, the three most well-known Jedi Knights, were all seen hoodless in the movies. It also stated only the Emperor (the leader of the dark side) never removed his hood. A similar incident occurred in 2010. A man who claimed to be a Jedi Knight was removed from a jobcentre in Essex, England for also failing to remove his hood. This individual ended up receiving an apology.
While Jediism has its skeptics and critics, it definitely has a committed following. Putting aside the Star Wars connection (which can be tough to do), many of the beliefs endorsed by the Jedi Church, such as the importance of peace, justice and love, are sensible and exist in many more mainstream religions.