Jedis Stand Up For Religious Rights

[ninorc]

Jedis stand up for religious rights

The equality bill says any 'heartfelt' belief is a religion – yet Star Wars disciples are still being asked to de-hood

o Charles Nevin o guardian.co.uk

Chris Jarvis, aged 31: the force may be with you. Jarvis is the Southend Jedi knight who refused to dehood in his jobcentre and has now received an apology from the manager for the lack of respect given to his "religion or beliefs". Being a Jedi knight, though, and committed to struggling unceasingly for justice and civilisation, Chris spurns such mouthings as empty, choosing rather to endure to the final triumph, and is planning to sue for discrimination.

You may argue that the history of the galaxies would look a great deal different if Darth Vader had taken a similar course, and would certainly have been far less exciting; I thank Jarvis for showing us what happens when The Earthly Powers That Be try to fight the forces of indiscriminate discrimination with the forces of indiscriminate nondiscrimination. It was ever a planetary folly to attempt to legislate on belief in beliefs; it leads inevitably to what some have termed The Barking Side, where lie the burka bar, the Sikh bind, the cross patch, and worse.

Jarvis says: "I am a Star Wars follower. It means following the Way of the Jedi ... The main reason is I want to wear my hood up and I have got a religion which allows me to do that." Hmmm. According to reported glosses from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to accompany Harriet Harman's new equality bill, Jediism seems to have been excluded on the grounds that it is not "heartfelt"; other definitions include "worthy of respect" (which excludes, apparently, believers in human sacrifice). Tricky, isn't it? This, after all, by census measure, is supposedly our fourth most popular religion. I can see those who follow the way of the white wig and the black gown having no end of a tussle over that one, which would surely test even Alec Guinness, if not the entire Council of Twelve.

Thus, too, this from the EHRC: "A belief need not include faith or worship of a god or gods, but must affect how a person lives their life or perceives the world." Sports fans, Archers listeners, bankers, followers of Top Gear and Yorkshiremen: the way is clear for you, if I might mix my starships, to boldy go where no man has been before, not even Tim Nicholson, Bill Shankly or Charlie Whelan. And if I were Unite, I'd get in there first before Willie Walsh proclaims himself The Sky Pilot of the World's Favourite Faith System (Coming In on a Wing and a Prayer).

One slight hitch, though. I note the case of Daniel Jones, 23, Jedi knight of Bangor, also known as Morda Hehol, who was similarly asked to dehood by his local Tesco last September. Tesco, now the nation's leading arbiter of manners and dress code, said this: "We would ask Jedis to remove hoods. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda and Luke Skywalker all went hoodless without going to the Dark Side." I would be grateful for some Jedi input on this important doctrinal point.

[rocky5]

everyones got the right to beleive what they want

if you can have satanist,s and other things then its up to you

but where does the line get drawn.

it will be harry potter religeon next,all the daft ones

are there to make a mockery out of older religeons

i think,but if you want to copy somthing of a film

or tv show like buffy,then crack on.

God help us.

[Cosmic Dick]

everyones got the right to beleive what they want

if you can have satanist,s and other things then its up to you

but where does the line get drawn.

God help us.

According to christians, does satan actually exist, or is he only a metaphor?

[Squaggles]

I'm pretty sure they think he exists and that naughty people will burn in hell for eternity , Christians please feel free to correct me it's a long time since I was told this stuff at school

[rocky5]

everyones got the right to beleive what they want

if you can have satanist,s and other things then its up to you

but where does the line get drawn.

God help us.

According to christians, does satan actually exist, or is he only a metaphor?

i beleive he exists,satanists im not to sure what the majority think

as you have different denomonations in satanic worship

do they believe in satan?if so do they aknowledge God?

some worship satan,some lucifer.i get confused.

to have satanic groups they must be opposed to god and aknowledge

he is real,a visa-versa kind of thing who knows my brain starting to do circles.

satan and hell are real.

i would have said do you believe evil exists?but someone would say they believe

evil and good exists but it dont mean god invented it.

but i do.

Edited March 22, 2010 by rocky5

[Boojum]

The equality bill says any 'heartfelt' belief is a religion – yet Star Wars disciples are still being asked to de-hood

Boo hoo. Least they're not being arrested. What about people who have the heartfelt belief that cannabis is a sacrament ?

[Cosmic Dick]

Christians please feel free to correct me it's a long time since I was told this stuff at school

Ditto

[jdiesl]

if your "belief" is based on a work of fiction you are fucked up, over.

[weed_G]

In most Christian denominations, a fallen angel is an angel who has been exiled or banished from Heaven.

Often such banishment is a punishment for disobeying or rebelling against God (see War in Heaven). The best-known fallen angel is Lucifer. Lucifer is a name frequently given to Satan in Christian belief. This usage stems from a particular interpretation, as a reference to a fallen angel, of a passage in the Bible (Isaiah 14:3-20) that speaks of someone who is given the name of "Day Star" or "Morning Star" (in Latin, Lucifer) as fallen from heaven. The Greek etymological synonym of Lucifer (Eosphoros, "light-bearer").[1][2] is used of the morning star in 2 Peter 1:19 and elsewhere with no reference to Satan. But Satan is called Lucifer in many writings later than the Bible, notably in Milton's Paradise Lost (7.131-134, among others), because, according to Milton, Satan was "brighter once amidst the host of Angels, than that star the stars among."[3]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallen_angel

[digger 1649]

let there be jedi !

may the force be with you.

it is my belief there for you shall respect it.

[HvyFuel]

it is my belief there for you shall respect it.

Close, it's more you shall give it equal status under the law whether you think it's bollocks or not.

[Guest weedmonsta]

if your "belief" is based on a work of fiction you are fucked up, over.

what about he bible? is that not the biggest selling work of fiction ever written

[weed_G]

I suppose the difference might be that the bible being fiction/fact is debatable, while jedism isn't ..it's a work of indisputable fiction ..altho maybe plagiarism is more accurate ...the founder was an attention seeker who developed a messiah complex from getting a few hits on his site .....best thing that could happen is for george lucas to enforce the copyright letting this kid fulfil his true destiny(eg...get a job in burger king)

[Perfect Haze]

'Theism' is the essence here I guess, although I enjoy anyone wasting the time of Tesco I think it could almost be seen as a bit of a jibe at those who do practice theistic beliefs and while I think it's a load of old horseshit I truly think atheists who take the piss are just as infantile and retarded as how they view people with religous faith.

At the end of the day though, I dont care.

e2a: As far as theistic beliefs go satanism isnt actually that messed up or stupid. If forced to choose in some wierd hypothetical situation I'd probably declare myself a satanist. Although not a particularly formal or organised set of beliefs one of the principal tenets of satanism is the belief in individuality and an eye for an eye....Individualism I can totally get down with, even if I'm too much of a softy bastard to believe in the latter.

Edited March 27, 2010 by Perfect Haze

[rocky5]

'Theism' is the essence here I guess, although I enjoy anyone wasting the time of Tesco I think it could almost be seen as a bit of a jibe at those who do practice theistic beliefs and while I think it's a load of old horseshit I truly think atheists who take the piss are just as infantile and retarded as how they view people with religous faith.

At the end of the day though, I dont care.

e2a: As far as theistic beliefs go satanism isnt actually that messed up or stupid. If forced to choose in some wierd hypothetical situation I'd probably declare myself a satanist. Although not a particularly formal or organised set of beliefs one of the principal tenets of satanism is the belief in individuality and an eye for an eye....Individualism I can totally get down with, even if I'm too much of a softy bastard to believe in the latter.

i hear you on the atheist part, even when i considerd myself as one

i didnt go about trying to convert any one to my way of thinking then

but now in a different out look(christianity)i feel it is my duty to talk about it

and if no one listens, not my problem after it is said.

but the satanisim would not be here if God were not,its like the loosing

side saying bet your soul on me! honest im going to win.

who would you listen to?someone who invented the game or someone

who is taking part?

satanic worship has been here as long as satan fell from Gods grace.