The Jedi Religion is fascinating in it’s uniqueness. It has no charismatic leader, only a code.
Opposing Galactic forces fighting for our souls, elite warriors on both sides. Angels and demons. Everything one needs to be a bonafide religion is in there. With the inevitable followers.
It’s a massive statement from Earths populace that people will have their own belief system no matter how obviously it has been plucked out of nothing more than the imagination of a very creative person/s. And based entirely on make believe. If you don’t have faith in the Force then you can’t be a Jedi. If you had Faith and lose it then you’d perhaps lose some of your Jedi friends…
People will believe in something. It gives one a sense of belonging and people need and want this. It’s a over riding human tendency that dominates ones entire life in some way and it’s true of all belief structures.
Started in 1977 with the release of the original Star Wars film. In 2001 there was a massive consensus done by many countries and the number of people who declared themselves as Jedi has led to the founding of a church since.
There is a registered Order of Jedi in Texas in the US. They seem to have more time than sense on their hands in the US south, so many new religious movements have been born out of the US southern states in the last century that it defies belief.
KKK, Children of God, Baptist Churches, Scientology, Heaven Gates, Branch Davidians, Charles Mansons Family, OTO (church of Satan) flourished there etc… the list goes on.
Almost all have some practices that get them perceived as cultish in their beliefs by many. Some have more than a few deaths they are responsible for to.
However the Jedi in 2001 declared themselves as here and to all intents and purposes here to stay. People now fight court battles to win a right to wear their Jedi hood in public.
From wikipedia:
In Australia more than 70,000 people
Canadians 21,000
Czech Republic 15,070
New Zealand 23,000
In England and Wales 390,127 people
In Scotland 14,052
“While the validity of any faith inspired by a film is bound to be controversial, you just might see a Jedi performing a marriage ceremony before too long.” NY Times.
To all intents and purposes the Jedi are the fastest growing New Religious Movement in the last century.
May the Force be with you.