Star Wars: UK Declares Jediism Is Not A Religion

Bad news for diehard fans of the Star Wars franchise who believe themselves to be one with the Force. If you live in the United Kingdom, you cannot declare Jediism as your religion.

Regardless of how many times you have watched the now eight films released in the franchise’s canon, studied the books, and trained with your plastic lightsaber, you are not actually training to be a Jedi by the U.K.’s standard.

The Charity Commission dissmissed an application to verify Jediism as a religion which came from a group calling itself the Temple of the Jedi Order. The commission ruled that its beliefs, inspired by material drawn from Star Wars films, books and video games, were not sufficiently “serious.”

The First Temple of the Jedi Order, which was once ranked as one of Britain’s biggest faiths on paper after 390,000 people submitted it as their religious practice in a 2001 census, is one of many which has been formed based on George Lucas‘ epic film franchise. This one, however, posts sermons, transcripts of live services, and a creed on its website. Still, it’s not enough to hold up in the eye of the Charity Commission.

“TOTJO is an entirely web based organisation and the Jedi are predominantly, if not exclusively, an online community,” said the Charity Commission.

“The information available on TOTJO’s website and provided in support of the application, to include the content of the sermons and transcripts of the Live Services which are based upon the Jedi Doctrine and recite the Creed (adopted from the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi) were considered.

“The Commission also noted that TOTJO promotes meditation as a means of connecting with the Force.

“Although these publications borrow from the prayers and texts of world religions, in the context of TOTJO the Commission is not satisfied that the ‘Live Services’ on the website, the published sermons and the promotion of meditation evidence a relationship between the adherents of the religion and the gods, principles or things which is expressed by worship, reverence and adoration, veneration intercession or by some other religious rite or service.

“In particular, it is significant that Jediism may be adopted as a lifestyle choice as opposed to a religion.”

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(via Telegraph)