Jedi Academy To Open In Surrey …Wait, What?
Filed under: Other — Malcolm Owen @ 10:17 am
I’m sure everyone has heard of the story that if X amount of people put their religion down as “Jedi” on the Census, it becomes legally recognised. Granted, that may or may not be completely true/legal/whatever, but some people do take things a bit too seriously. I mean, what are the ultra-fans going to do, set up their own “Jedi Church”?
Wannabe Jedi Knights are advised to brush up on their lightsaber techniques, dust off their copy of the Jedi Handbook, and get down to Surrey, where two Star Wars aficionados have announced their intention to open a training centre dedicated to promoting the popular alternative religion.
Wait, what?
Training to become a Jedi Master can apparently take up to two years, during which time disciples will have to master the lightsaber, study technology, martial arts and meditation and “learn the importance of neuro-linguistic programming” - something which is reckoned to act as a substitute for Jedi mind-control powers.
…So, just to clarify. There’s some people out there that want to celebrate thinking they are a Jedi, pretending to be a Jedi, with other people that think they are Jedi as well. And they are opening a training centre in order to do so. Mentioning that “neuro-linguistic programming” thing makes it seem a bit sinister though…
Morda Helol explained: “We are not extremists, we are not psychotics and we are not a cult. This is a treatment plan to better your life. It is exploiting the best parts of your life. You can follow it completely or at you own pace. We open our doors to anyone.”
Well… That makes it all right then. Although it does sound an awful lot like what a cult would say to the outside world anyway to convince people that they aren’t. And it is up to the people involved to do what they want with their lives, to believe in what they want to believe, to pretend that the acting in Episode 3 wasn’t wooden… At least it’s only confined to one location…
According to Mr Helol, he’s had offers from Brazil, France, Spain and the US to establish similar chapters. He declared: “This is going worldwide.”
Mr Lucas, what exactly have you done with these people?
[Via The Register]