Thousands Join Church Of Jediism Thanks To New Star Wars Film
The Church of Jediism says that it’s signing up more than a thousand new followers a day in the lead up to the release of ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’.
The rush of new membership for the organisation now puts its number at 250,000 followers, it’s claimed.
“We’ve been rushed off our feet. People want to know more about it. It’s great for us,” said Daniel M. Jones, who founded the religion, told the Daily Telegraph.
Jones also goes by his Jedi name Morda Hehol.
It all started in 2001, when the question of religion was added to the national census, on which 390,000 declared themselves to be Jedi.
Jones, who is also in a band called 'Straight Jacket Legends’, then founded the church in 2007 in Anglesey, North Wales, and there are now six chapters worldwide.
By the time the 2011 census came around, that figure had dropped to 177,000, but appears now to be back on the up.
Patrick Day-Childs, who is one of Jediism’s five ruling council-members added: “It’s gone up substantially in the past couple of days. The real test will be in a couple of weeks when the film hype has died off.
“I think people are shying away from traditional religion because it doesn’t reflect their views. We’ve got no problem with homosexuality or anything like that. We are very accepting.”
Indeed, the Church has overseen Jedi weddings in the past, or Jediism Unification Ceremonies, 'for members who are wanting to get married and unified in the way of the force’.
An extensive treatise on the tenets of the religion can be found on the Church of Jediism website, which aims to spread the word of Jediism to potential followers.
“Jediism is set of philosophies based on focusing, learning and becoming one with the Force, an energy which exists in and around everything,” it reads.
“Many people misunderstand our beliefs and often think we believe in the ‘Star Wars’ films written and directed by George Lucas in the 1970s.
“Although Jediism was inspired by the beliefs of the fictional Jedi, we do not believe the ‘Star Wars’ films or anything associated to them – they are entirely fictional.
“We at the Church of Jediism encourage meditation and learning about the Force. Meditation calms the mind as well as cleanses it of bad thoughts, we also offer several training courses to help people understand the Force so that we can all use it for the greater good.”
It adds: “We encourage members to, upon joining the Church, join a martial arts club and learn a form of self defence such as Judo, Karate, Jujitsu or Kung Fu. Learning to fight in a correct manor teaches discipline and also offers a sense of self security.
“We believe members of the Church should own a Lightsabre, which may be used for ceremonial purposes, however they are plastic toys and only symbolise a weapon like the Kirpan dagger does in Sikhism.”
'Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ is out across the UK on December 17.
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Image credits: Lucasfilm/Disney
