Jediism is a religious movement based on the philosophical and spiritual ideas of the Jedi as depicted in Star Wars media.[1]
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Practitioners identify themselves with the Jedi Knights in Star Wars, believe in the existence of the Force and that interaction with the Force is possible.[2] Believers align themselves with the moral code demonstrated by the fictional Jedi.[3] One Jedi church described the religion as syncretistic, incorporating beliefs from various religions including Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism and Shintoism.[4]
A common belief among Jedi is the Jedi Code, sometimes referred to as the Orthodox Jedi Code. This is used as a guiding principle.[5]
The code reads
Sometimes a fifth line is added, making the code read
George Lucas has cited history as his inspiration for creating the Force, saying in a Wired interview:
"Similar phrases have been used extensively by many different people for the last 13,000 years to describe the 'life force'."[8]—George Lucas, Wired Magazine, May 2005
He also stated during a 1999 interview with journalist Bill Moyers that while he hesitated to call the Force "God," that his aim was in fact to evoke a spiritual awakening in young people.[9]
During the drafting of the UK Racial and Religious Hatred Act, as a tool for debate, an amendment was proposed that excluded Jedi Knights from any protection. The amendment was subsequently withdrawn, the proposer having made his point that defining religious belief in legislation is difficult[10].
In 2009, a Jedi was banned from a Tesco Supermarket in Bangor, North Wales, for refusing to remove his hood on a religious basis.[11] The following year, a Jedi was thrown out of a Jobcentre in Southend, Essex, for refusing to remove his hood; he later received an apology.[12]