A New Religion, 'The Force' (1 Viewer)

[Steve Christou]

Didn't Moff Tarkin say to Darth Vader in the first film that "The Jedi are extinct, you are all thats left of their religion"? So the Jedi are definitely part of a religious order in the Star Wars Mythos, religion in SF isn't unusual, Frank Herbert's brilliant Dune novels were all about religion and politics.

 

[CharlesD]

I'm a believer!
I can feel a disturbance in The Force whenever someone brings bagels or doughnuts (mmmmmm..... doughnuts) into the office. Even if its on the other floor, I Just Know That They Are There....
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-- Will Work for Five Million Dollars

 

[Steve_Green]

It's a fact that the religion 'Jedi' will appear on the next census forms in the UK. Apparently over 10,000 people have to quote that as their religion to make this happen.
It will not be recognised as an 'official'religion, just an option on the form.
I think it's a bit of a reflection on attitudes to religion in the western world, particularly amongst the younger generation. My mate quoted his religion as Jedi and just laughed about it, but he was pleased as punch when the news came through that it was going to change the form.
I may well be doing it myself next time.....devout agnostic that i am!

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Steve Green
Beware my friends
as you pass by
As you are now
so once was I
As I am now
so you must be
Prepare my friends
to follow me

 

[andrew markworthy]

I don't want to get this thread closed, so please note what follows is not intended as a comment on anyone's religious beliefs as such. However, I recall that a few years ago the Church of England conducted some research on people's religious beliefs and found that amongst believers in a deity who had no firm religious affiliation, their understanding of a deity was not unlike 'The Force' and indeed, those who had seen Star Wars tended to say that their belief was *like* that. I have a couple of good friends who are vicars (translation for Americans - church ministers) who report the same thing from personal experiences of talking to non-church attenders.
I have just had this horrible thought that maybe a thousand years from now, the Church of the Force will be the predominant world religion. Heretics will be burnt at the stake for saying that it all started out as a work of fiction, Darth Vader Night will replace Halloween, pious women will wear their hair in curious danish pastry-shaped coils and wear bikinis, wedding vows will consist of 'I love you - I know', etc, etc.
[Edited last by andrew markworthy on October 12, 2001 at 12:17 PM]

 

[PatrickM]

We just had our Census in Canada this past spring and a similar email went around telling people to put down Jedi as a religion if they had no particular affiliation.
But, the problem with that is its a federal offense to submit false information on a census. A big federal offense at that with jail time so I can imagine that most people didn't put Jedi down no matter how amusing.
Patrick
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Patrick The 69th most popular name for boys according to the Social Security Administration.

 

[MickeS]

"The Force" would be a great religion, but the problem is that, unlike other religions, it's got fool-proof testing: if you don't have enough midichlorians, you can't be a priest. At the veryleast you should be able to move a rock just by thinking about it... let these "Jedi Knights" prove it, I say!
/Mike

 

[Mike Broadman]

Didn't Moff Tarkin say to Darth Vader in the first film that "The Jedi are extinct, you are all thats left of their religion"? So the Jedi are definitely part of a religious order in the Star Wars Mythos...

Not necessarily. Tarkin calling it a religion doesn't make it one. I always got the impression that Tarkin didn't understand or care about Jedi, as long as they weren't around to mess with him.
The nature of the Jedi was left mysterious. We might learn more about them in the next two movies.
As far as the people who put Jedi as their religion on the census, well, they are idiots. I'm as much for sticking it to organized religion as the next agnostic, but what does this accomplish? Instead of bowing down to a church, now you're just bowing down to Lucas Films. What's the point? Idiots, just idiots.

 

[bill lopez]

The words of Yoda are so beautiful and I can see why someone would want to live by them. But if you notice a lot of what's in all 4 Star Wars movie can be found in the Bible. Even the good Senator who becomes The Emperor is like the politician who becomes the Anti-Christ in the Book of Revelation. So these people should just take up Christianty.

 

[Charles J P]

Not necessarily. Tarkin calling it a religion doesn't make it one.

I agree with Mike, I always took it as an insult or a jab at Vader. Like how we can now look back make fun of ancient peoples "science". Vader or anyone else didnt necessarily worship Jedi-ism. Trakin was just saying, "Your old club has lost its popularity" Or at least thats my take on it.
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