In some national population censuses which include a question on religious identity, media report numerous respondents giving their religion as Jedi (or "Jedi Knight") after the quasi-religious order in the Star Wars science fiction franchise. While a few individuals claim to practise Jediism sincerely, the answer can also be a joke or protest against the religion question. While giving false information on a census form is often illegal, any religion question is sometimes an exception; in any case, prosecutions are rare.[citation needed] The Jedi census phenomenon sprang from a 2001 urban legend spread by chain email prior to the separate censuses that year in New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom.[1] The email asserted that any religion passing a minimum threshold (given variously as 8,000[2] or 10,000[3]) would be entitled to some form of official recognition. Other reasons proffered include "do it because you love Star Wars" or "just to annoy people".[4] The 2001 censuses recorded Jedi as 1.5% of New Zealanders, 0.37% of Australians, and 0.8% of Britons. Later censuses there and elsewhere have recorded smaller proportions. In some cases any "Jedi" responses are collected under "other" rather than reported separately.[1]
- ^ a b Jones, Graham C. (13 April 2001). "Letter: 'Jedi' doesn't count". The Independent. London.
This whole story stems from a joke e-mail doing the rounds and does not even relate to the census in this country.
- ^ "Jediism?". Herald Sun. Melbourne, Victoria. 7 March 2001. p. 23.
- ^ Mcdonald, Patrick; Kibble, Emma (5 April 2001). "Religious Force". Advertiser. Adelaide, South Australia. p. 20.
- ^ "400,000 say beliefs are 'Jedi'". The Irish Times. Reuters. 14 February 2003. p. 13. Retrieved 27 November 2021.