Originally posted by Storm
Officials from the British Office for National Statistics have pointed out that just because "Jedi Knight" has been given its own code, that does not confer on it the status of official recognition. It merely means that it has been registered as a common answer to the "religion" statistic.
Just like Mickey Mouse has never been elected president, despite teh write-in votes.
You're being a bit strict with your definition here. First off, it was offcialized in certain parts of Europe where enough percentage of people put it as their religion in a census that they were forced to recognize it.Second, and more importantly, if I fervently worship my printer, and believe it speaks to me and tells me the truth about life, that's a religion. I don't need my country to give me a tax exemption for that to be true.
So browse the website...legitimate or not, they have many followers, and their beliefs aren't altogether bad. Like I said in my earlier post, it's basically a lightweight sci-fi spin on a lot of Eastern doctrine.
The census thing is an urban legend, I think. They tried it in the three countries I listed--Australia, New Zealand, and the UK--with the effects that I mentioned.
As for the coffee maker thing; I'm not going to disagree with you, exactly; your view is perfectly valid. On the other hand, it makes the question rather trivial, since under that definition, pretty much any thing is a religion, including Dungeons and Dragons (yes, I have met someone who proffesses to worship a D&D god) and anime (there is a community of people who are convinced that they are the reincarnation of anime characters ...or that they really exist in the astral plane or ...
Jesus, I don't know; I was too depressed by it to read very far. But when you think about it, the similarity of that to Jeddiism is startling). If you pointed a gun at my head and demanded that I take Jeddism seriously, I'd probably call it a philosophy, not a religion, but a lot of Eastern religions (and Lucas did indeed base the Jedi around them) are like that, I guess.
I'm not denying that there are people who honestly get their spiritual guidance from a sci fi movie. I'd like to be able to deny it, but reality is a harsh mistress. However, I doubt they really have all that many members (the only numbers I can think of are the censuses, and they're no use because there was a mass email campaign that encouraged people to put "Jedi" as their religion not because they really believed it, but because they "loved Star Wars" or it "would annoy people." That's probably where Blax X got his "more Jedi then Jews" thing, come to think of it.)
Being said, I don't object to their beliefs on a moral level. I mean, I don't believe them, but they're certainly less harmful then fundamentalist Christianity or Islam (or fundamentalist anything, really).
Originally posted by Gregory
The census thing is an urban legend, I think. They tried it in the three countries I listed--Australia, New Zealand, and the UK--with the effects that I mentioned.As for the coffee maker thing; I'm not going to disagree with you, exactly; your view is perfectly valid. On the other hand, it makes the question rather trivial, since under that definition, pretty much any thing is a religion, including Dungeons and Dragons (yes, I have met someone who proffesses to worship a D&D god) and anime (there is a community of people who are convinced that they are the reincarnation of anime characters ...or that they really exist in the astral plane or ...
Jesus, I don't know; I was too depressed by it to read very far. But when you think about it, the similarity of that to Jeddiism is startling). If you pointed a gun at my head and demanded that I take Jeddism seriously, I'd probably call it a philosophy, not a religion, but a lot of Eastern religions (and Lucas did indeed base the Jedi around them) are like that, I guess.I'm not denying that there are people who honestly get their spiritual guidance from a sci fi movie. I'd like to be able to deny it, but reality is a harsh mistress. However, I doubt they really have all that many members (the only numbers I can think of are the censuses, and they're no use because there was a mass email campaign that encouraged people to put "Jedi" as their religion not because they really believed it, but because they "loved Star Wars" or it "would annoy people." That's probably where Blax X got his "more Jedi then Jews" thing, come to think of it.)
Being said, I don't object to their beliefs on a moral level. I mean, I don't believe them, but they're certainly less harmful then fundamentalist Christianity or Islam (or fundamentalist anything, really).
Yes, maybe philosophy would be a better term than religion.
My point still holds though. Any definiton for a "religion" (or any definition for anything in life) is purely arbitrary. Even established "religions" like Islam or Christianity are only religions in a societal convention sense of the word: In other words, they're only that based upon popular conception. That fact doesn't validate their label as religion any more than a tax exemption or a group of followers does. It's all in what you make of it, since it's all arbitrary.
And it's not so much taking guidance from a movie as it is taking guidance from a set of beliefs and way of life. To say it's merely a movie is to cheapen it for people who would follow such beliefs. I'd never say I'm a "Jedi" but I'm able to give it the respect it deserves for people who would choose to live by such rules.
Originally posted by Alliance
I don't really see why new reliogns can't be formed. I'm sure many people did it as a joke, but if things like scientology cna pass as religion, Jedi sure as hell can.
Yeah, at least Jedi actually makes sense, and doesn't actually espouse belief in the sci-fi nonsense that it's based off of.
"Oh great and mighty Lord Sidious, we pledge ourselves unto thee forever more until thou comest down to Earth to reap your terrible glory..."
馃檮
According to Wikipedia, Scientology is considered a legitimate religion in Thailand, Taiwan, Spain, and Australia. In Germany Scientology is not considered a religion by the government, but a commercial business. And over here, the minister of justice refused Scientology as a candidate for the status of recognized religion.
Well, all religions start somewhere, every religion is persecuted in the beginning, because they all start in a religious climate that is resistant to change. Because 5 out of 200 some odd countries say its legitimate, that makes it so?
Really, religion is a deeply personal thing. I think a fundamentlaist Jedi would not be as nearly as bad as many of the current fundamentalists around the world...so I'm ok with it.
Strength in Diversity...no?
Originally posted by debbiejo
It's kinda like Buddhist...............lol
Originally posted by DigiMark007
Holy crap, it's Taoism!No, seriously. I'm not joking. I just browsed the site....not too many things I didn't expect to see and/or read, but insert "The Tao" for "The Force" and there's about a 90% overlap.
馃槉