May the Force/Farce be with You

The Star Trek Series and Movies have spawned conventions, Trekkies, and people crazy enough to learn to speak Klingon and Vulcan. Lord of the Rings has inspired people to learn Elvish, publish Atlases of Middle Earth, and make a study of ancient mysticism. Christopher Tolkien has made a living off the publishing of the notes his father used to keep his rather involved fantasy world straight while he spent all those years writing the 1500 page saga. Now comes word that a group centred in New Zealand around two brothers has formed a neophyte religion based on the cult of the Jedi in Star Wars and their belief in the Force. Its numbers have grown to the point that people are actually recording their religious affiliation on census roles as ‘Jedi’. For some this is a manner of protest in much the same vein as I would record my political views as being Rhinoceros. It is troubling to me that people could be so desperate to find meaning in their lives that they would base their religious belief on a work of fiction, a Holywood movie at that.