“Use the Force, Luke” – Obi Wan Kenobi
In 1977, when Obi Wan Kenobi gave young Luke Skywalker a beginning theology lesson on “the Force,” was the seed of a new religion planted?
Created by George Lucas, the Force is that metaphysical power which was in every living thing and powered the universe – and the object of faith for every Jedi and Sith.
So, did you know that the Jedi religion shows up on census figures – not somewhere “in a galaxy far, far away,” but across the Atlantic Ocean, over in England?
The new figures reveal that the lightsabre-wielding disciples are only behind Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism and Buddhism in the popularity stakes, eluding non-religious people and people who did not answer.
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 percent over the past 10 years, they are still the most selected “alternative” faith on the Census, and constitute 0.31 percent of all people’s stated religious affiliation in England and Wales.
What should we make of this? Were there really almost 400,000 people who genuinely practice a religion created in the mind of George Lucas?
Well, no … but it is an interesting story which sort-of touches on religion.
It seems that there is an “anti-census” group in the U.K. who are not all that crazy about the government being handed a bunch of legitimate demographic data. So, they encouraged folks to answer non-truths about themselves … or to just leave some of the questions unanswered.
They ask, and answer, “Why did people answer “Jedi”?”
Some reasons that non-religious people in particular answered “Jedi” include:
- concern about how ‘religion’ data might be used
- concern about the inclusion of a question on religion at all
- making a statement about privacy or annoyance with interference
- a reaction against the apparent presumption of having a religion
- making a point about the way people tend to legitimize religion based on its antiquity or number of adherents
- because it was funny
Fair enough. I get it that some folks are worried about “Big Brother” having too much information about citizens.
On the other hand, the “Force” of Star Wars has been shown to be paralleled in many actual New Age and Eastern religious practices. It would not be a stretch to imagine that many who practice such religion look to Star Wars as a pop-culture manifestation of their own religious beliefs.
At any rate, it all serves to remind one of the famous quote by G. K. Chesterton: “When Man ceases to worship God he does not worship nothing but worships everything.”
Or, consider the words of the prophet Isaiah, when describing the futility of his countrymen who cut down a tree to make an idol:
They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, “Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?” He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?” (Isaiah 44:18-20 ESV)
The census figures may only be a joke for some, but the reality of false religion is no joking matter. Call it a Jedi’s understanding of “the Force” or a Buddhist’s understanding of “The Four Noble Truths,” – pray that folks would have their eyes opened in order to reject false religion in any form.