Telegraph
UK’s most popular alternative faith is…
Following a nationwide campaign, Jedi made it onto the 2001 census, with 390,127 people identifying themselves a decade ago as followers of the fictional Star Wars creed.
Although the number of Jedis has dropped by more than 50 per cent over the past 10 years, they are still the most selected “alternative” faith on the Census, and constitute 0.31% of all people’s stated religious affiliation in England and Wales.
The latest official population survey also revealed 6,242 people subscribe to the Heavy Metal religion, which was set up in 2010 by the Rock magazine, Metal Hammer.
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Christianity?
Joey24007 on December 12, 2012 at 4:02 PM
When England becomes a sharia state in the next decade, the new imam overlords will settle the hash of these “jedis”.
Rebar on December 12, 2012 at 4:07 PM
Would have thought Pastfarism.
Pablo Honey on December 12, 2012 at 4:28 PM
Yeah, well it seems people prefer something even fictitiously sincere over sarcasm deified.
Esthier on December 12, 2012 at 4:50 PM
All religions are based on works of fiction writers, so the whole jedi thing is a tongue in cheek wink to that. But wait a few hundred years, what was once a joke would have become by then a Bona fide institution with all the trimmings.
keep the change on December 12, 2012 at 5:01 PM
So now, for the sake of intellectual consistency, atheists and their groups must form reddit forums attacking the Jedi faith, create Jedi-mocking decals for their cars and oppose any display or mention of anything associated with Star Wars in public schools and the town square.
29Victor on December 12, 2012 at 5:12 PM
I find your lack of faith disturbing./
Bobby Maurice on December 12, 2012 at 5:12 PM
Jedi – alternate religion to the real one – soccer!
OldEnglish on December 12, 2012 at 5:16 PM
But for its Internet fame, Pastfarism would still be 95% the ‘religion’ of a bunch of foolish young people formed for the sole purpose of spitting on their parents’ religion by recycling a very old idea.
In short order we’ll see Jedi-ism, Pasta-ism, and all the other penny-ante ‘religions’ started by bored college students make way for Islam.
MelonCollie on December 12, 2012 at 10:35 PM