The last time we checked in on the Church of Scientology, there was some animosity between two of its most famous followers, Tom Cruise and John Travolta.

In July last year, the (cult?) religion…no, that’s not right…the organisation, had acquired Kyalami Castle, in Jozi, which they planned on using as their African headquarters.

Now, it looks like Scientology could be facing some competition, from an unexpected source…or Force, as the case may be.

You can now become a devotee of the Church of Jediism – a Star Wars-inspired religion with a twist.

The Guardian with how it all began:

In the run-up to the 2001 UK census, an email went round encouraging people to record their religion on the form as Jedi, insisting that, if 10,000 people were to do so, Jediism would become a “fully recognised and legal religion”.

“Do it because you love Star Wars … or just to annoy people,” the email read. In the end, 390,127 people did just that; in Brighton and Hove, 2.6% of census respondents said they were Jedis.

What started as a joke, soon became very real. Among the pranksters were people who truly believed that they could feel the Force (the energy that connects all things).

Since the census, various attempts have been made to codify Jedi beliefs into a coherent religion, such as the Church of Jediism, founded by 20-year-old Daniel Jones in 2006 in Anglesey, Wales.

…Today the UK Jedi community is estimated to have about 2,000 members – similar to the number of Scientologists in the country. However, their sincerity and numbers didn’t sway the Charity Commission, which in 2016 rejected an application for charitable status from the Temple of the Jedi Order, a Jedi organisation started in Beaumont, Texas.

Jedis think of Jediism not as a religion, but as a philosophy and lifestyle. Followers can practice any other religion alongside Jediism and people are really buying into it.

A true Jedi is never without their lightsaber. After all, in Attack of the Clones, Obi Wan Kenobi tells Anakin Skywalker: “This weapon is your life.” Everett Ratcliffe, who goes by the Jedi name Arisaig Winterthorn, concurs. “I use a lightsaber because it’s really, really fun to use and it gets me out there every single day.”

Ratcliffe, 26, (above) is from Canada, but lives in Loughborough, Leicestershire. He discovered Jediism after leaving the Canadian army. “When I came to the Jedi path, I was using a cane to walk from an injury acquired in training during my time in the forces. I was fat, I hated myself and my mind was slipping as my life lacked direction. Now, I’m healthy,” Ratcliffe says.

After recovering from his injury, Ratcliffe began practising lightsaber flow, a fencing form that entails spinning a sword or staff in intricate spirals. “It’s really intensive on the body and there’s just so much to learn to keep getting better at it.”

Lightsaber duelling is an official sport now, by the way.

If you’re keen to become a Jedi, The Force Academy is an online academy “that studies the philosophy and real-world application of the Force”.

I’ll leave you with Jediism: A Mini Documentary: which includes snippets from founder Daniel Jones’ interview with Piers Morgan:

There are worse religions.

May the Force be with you.

[source:guardian]