Jedi 'religion' most popular alternative faith

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9737886/Jedi-religion-most-popular-alternative-faith.html
Today's Census figures show that 176,632 people in England and Wales identify themselves as Jedi Knights, making it the most popular faith in the "Other Religions" category on the Census and the seventh most popular faith overall.

The new figures reveal that the lightsabre-wielding disciples are only behind Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism and Buddhism in the popularity stakes, excluding non-religious people and people who did not answer.
Following a nationwide campaign, Jedi made it onto the 2001 census, with 390,127 people identifying themselves a decade ago as followers of the fictional Star Wars creed.
Although the number of Jedis has dropped by more than 50 per cent over the past 10 years, they are still the most selected "alternative" faith on the Census, and constitute 0.31% of all people's stated religious affiliation in England and Wales.
The latest official population survey also revealed 6,242 people subscribe to the Heavy Metal religion, which was set up in 2010 by the Rock magazine, Metal Hammer.
The number of people specifically identifying as Atheists was 29,267, while over 13.8 million refused to identify with a faith at all, ticking the "No religion" box on the census form.
Norwich was revealed as the area with the highest proportion of non-religious people, with 41.5% of residents refusing to identify with a faith. The city also possesses the highest proportion of Heavy Metal followers and the 3rd highest proportion of Jedi Knights.
Other non-mainstream religions that had followers in significant numbers included 56,620 Paganists, 39,061 Spiritualists, 2,418 Scientologists and 20,288 Jainists, some of whom sweep the floor with a broom made of cotton threads as they walk along so as not to kill any insects.
More than 4 million people didn't state a religion at all on their form.

 

Dude, what have you started. Get ready for the flood of Goddies!!

 

Uh-oh, could be interesting in here for the next bit.

 

I can see why. Jedi overall are an admirable lot. In real life.

As much as I like the Sith, it'd be disturbing if a significant number of people put that as their religious beliefs.

 

a lot of those would be "joke" answers

I know a lot of people on forums that admittedly (unashamably) put wrong and joking answers

 

I think that's awesome. I may not be be huge into the fact that it's a religion, but being able to be a Jedi would be awesome!

 

I agree being an "official Jedi" would be awesome *glances @darthhelinith * of course the AODs are more awesome
As far as it being a religion, the Jedi would "worship" the force, am I right? And the force as portrayed in the SW films is like "an all pervasive energy that is the structure of the whole universe" - some guy on wiki answers describing Buddhism. Also, Buddhists follow the way of the lotus/the way of life/the way of the force. So isn't Jedi 'religion' simply a form of rehashed Buddhism at the core?

 

Hmmm I always felt like the Force had a little bit of everything! Hahaha