Australian atheists irate that people claim "Jedi" as a religion - Granite Grok

Australian atheists irate that people claim “Jedi” as a religion

So Many Australians Are Claiming ‘Jedi’ as Their Religion That It’s Becoming a Problem

AustralianAtheistsUpsetAtJediBelieversCouldn’t happen to a better set of sad sacks.  Sure, “Jedi” might be a made up religion like Pastafaranians, but who are they to say there is no God and demand that Government disregard others?  Just so that Australia can be seen as “less religious”?  Is this proselytizing in reverse – or passive-aggressive bullying?

A battle over government, religion, and Star Wars is brewing in Australia. The country will hold their national census on August 9 and a group of people is begging their fellow citizens to not put “Jedi” down as their religion.

Here’s the problem: On the 2011 census (it takes places every five years) 64,390 Australians put “Jedi” down as their religion, an increase of from 58,053 on the 2006 census, according to The Brisbane Times. Numbers like that put “Jedi” right behind Sikh on the list of religions in the country. It seems unlikely that all these people truly believe themselves to be actual Jedi, and most of them make the claim as a harmless way to declare their Star Wars fandom and give the government the middle finger at the same time.

However, a group called the Atheist Foundation of Australia is leading a campaign to

get people to stop making this joke. Their reasoning is, that when officially counted, Jedi gets classified as a “Not Defined” religion instead of “No Religion.” When that happens, they believe “it makes Australia seem more religious than it really is.” Which, again, doesn’t sound like a problem, but “data on religious affiliation is used for public policy, city planning, community support facilities and more,” according to this cute infographic.

They just can’t take a joke, can they?  Like Progressives, they just can’t seem to allow anyone to have “fun”. No “live and let live” with these self-righteous folks who just can’t bring themselves to the realization that in being “no religion” has its own set of beliefs and dogma (even if it be, to them, nihilism).  What it comes down to in the end is yet another attempt to kick religion out of the public square.

The AFA is concerned that if the government tabulates more people as religious, they’ll aim policy and tax dollars that way, instead of accurately serving the atheist percentage of the population.

Oh, or is it about the “faith of no faith” or all about the Benjamins (or whoever is on their equivalent bill)?

It seems like a pretty big leap for Australian officials to gear policy and planning toward religion because a small percentage of people play a joke. But it’s not unfathomable, and that’s why this argument is so interesting.

(H/T: IO9)

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