Jediism

Jediism (or Jedism; /ˈd͡ʒɛdaɪ.ɪz(ə)m/) is an online community and philosophy, or, controversially, a religion, mainly based on the belief system of the fictional Jedi characters in Star Wars media. Jediism attracted public attention in 2001 when some people recorded their religion as "Jedi" on national censuses, encouraged by an email campaign. Jediism is inspired by elements of Star Wars, specifically the Jedi religion. Early websites dedicated to articulating a belief system based on the Star Wars films were "The Jedi Religion and regulations" and "Jediism". These websites cited the Jedi code, consisting of 21 maxims, as the starting point for a "real Jedi" belief system. The real-world Jediism movement has no leader or central structure. Jediism, while initially regarded as a tongue-in-cheek joke religion when it emerged in the 2001 email campaign, gained legitimate supporters who now claim it is an actual religion and not merely a Star Wars fan club or spoof.