Star Wars Fans Take Over UK Census

By Josef-Konrad Radomski

LONDON - Fans of the Star Wars movies have used the force on the United Kingdom’s Census 2001 by getting Jedi Knights counted as a religion. Jedi Knights are the guardians of peace and justice in the popular sci-fi series universe; they’re highly skilled warriors who use the mysterious force which gives them mind control and telekinetic powers.

UK Census officials were forced to create a Jedi Knight code when it appeared often enough as an other mention response at the religion question, to warrant its creation. It joins other write-in religions such as Hare Krishna, Pagan, Taoist, Satanist and Atheist.

The Office of National Statistics (ONS) said adding the code does not mean the UK Census will recognize Jedi Knights as an official religion, indeed, it does not provide recognition to any religion nor does it attempt to define what a religion is. It only tabulates the results.

While the UK Census Act of 1920 was created to heavily fine anyone who completes a census with false information or refuses to complete it in the first place, the act does not include the religion question.

The ONS use the information it learns from its census to allocate funds so the identified needs of taxpayers are met.

The movement to declare oneself a Jedi Knight was started by an email campaign circulating the UK last March to get the mystical, lightsabre-wielding characters “recognized as a legal religion”.

A similar movement was thwarted in Australia when the Australian Bureau of Statistics created a $1,000 fine for anyone putting in false information anywhere on their census, including the religion question. The census offices Down Under believe a “putative religion must demonstrate a formal organizational structure and a belief system” to be recognized.

Final tabulation for the UK Census will be completed by August 2002.

Click here to go back.