Jediism

Although inspired by elements of Star Wars, Jediism has no founder or central structure.

Followers of Jediism align themselves with the moral code demonstrated by the fictional Jedi.

Inspired by the Star Wars stories, many adherents of Jediism make use of meditation techniques as part of their religious practice.

Examples cited by Adam Possamai, of the University of Western Sydney, include Jediism and Matrixism.

Possamai's study placed Jediism in the context of a specific methodological classification ('hyper-real religions') and attempted to demonstrate that hostility existed towards new religions in Australia.

In the same census, Brighton and Hove had the highest percentage of citizens Jedi census phenomenon as Jediism among all principal areas of England and Wales).

Jediism became accepted as a religion following the Jedi census phenomenon in 2001 and the preceding email campaign to put "Jedi" as an answer to the census religion classification question.

Census figures released in 2012 of England and Wales showed 176,632 respondents indicated "Jediism" as their faith, making it the most common "alternative" faith and the seventh most common overall.

Examples cited by Possamai include the Church of All Worlds, the Church of Satan, and Jedi religion (Jediism, see also Jedi census phenomenon).

Carole Cusack in her book Invented Religions: Imagination, Fiction and Faith stated that "Adam Possamai,... to date is the only sociologist of religion (indeed the only scholar) to examine it [Jediism] in any detail prior to this study" (p 124).

One of the enduring influences the Star Wars saga has had in popular culture is the idea of the fictional Jedi values being interpreted as a modern philosophical path or religion, spawning various movements such as the controversial Jediism (religious) and the Jedi census phenomenon.

Although Jedi acknowledge the influence of Star Wars on their religion, they also insist their path is different from that of the fictional characters; to some, Jediism focuses more on the principles common to many religions than it does on the myth and fiction found in Star Wars.

Gigwise.com reported on 18 January 2010 that Byford was launching a campaign to have Britons declare heavy metal as their religion in the United Kingdom Census 2011, inspired by the Jedi census phenomenon (where 2001 Census results suggested that Jediism was the UK's fourth most popular religion).