Jedi church founder sues supermarket

[Lace Neil Singer]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1214367/Jedi-church-founder-thrown-Tesco-refusing-remove-hood-left-emotionally-humiliated.html

Wasn't sure where to put this; eventually I put it here cuz the primary focus is Star Wars. In my opinion, this guy needs to get a life. Not cuz of his beliefs, but cuz of the insistance on wearing the hood everywhere when it's not necessary. I doubt that the staff spoke rudely to him; they were probably under orders to ask anyone wearing a hood (and the policy was probably put in after complaints about kids wearing hoodies) to remove it.

[Talon]

Huh?

This guy's as nutty as any fundy, and he's giving actual fans of SW a bad name. I like Tesco's response. Since when was wearing a hood part of the Jedi code?

"There is no mullet. There is the hood." :p

[BroomJockey]

The way I look at it is like this: if he says it's part of his religion, and if it is (and he's the founder, so he'd know) then they don't get to ask him to take it off unless they're going to ask Muslims to remove their headcoverings too. Who cares if it isn't a mainstream religion? Religious protections aren't there for the large groups, they're there for all, and maybe especially the small ones.

[DrFaroohk]

The way I look at it is like this: if he says it's part of his religion, and if it is (and he's the founder, so he'd know) then they don't get to ask him to take it off unless they're going to ask Muslims to remove their headcoverings too. Who cares if it isn't a mainstream religion? Religious protections aren't there for the large groups, they're there for all, and maybe especially the small ones.

I agree. The Tesco isn't the deciding authority on what's an acceptable religion and what isn't. How would if it have gone over if they said "Sir? I'm going to have to ask that you shave the beard, lose the turban, and for god's sake take a bath." Someone would have firebombed that place by now.

[Rapscallion]

As religions go, I find it interesting that it's the only one where the holy texts have a dedication at the front...

Rapscallion

[Gravekeeper]

.....ahaha, what? Sorry, sounds like numbnuts wanders around specifically looking for attention like this.

Good on Tesco for pointing out the Jedi code doesn't specify headgear and ya, hoods are more a Sith thing, hehe. Of course the Jedi philosophy also specifies peaceful resolutions of conflict and detachment from impulses such as anger and vengeance. Sith code on the other hand is all about embracing such impulses.

And numbnuts is the Church founder, is he?

God I'm not even a Star Wars fan and I know more than he does about his own supposed religion. ;p

Also, aren't Jedi excluded from the UK bill on racial and religious hatred specifically along with Scientology?

[Rapscallion]

Also, aren't Jedi excluded from the UK bill on racial and religious hatred specifically along with Scientology?

Part of me wants to find out now. Most of me doesn't.

I'm conflicted.

Rapscallion

[MaggieTheCat]

I thought the article was hilarious, especially Tesco's response at the very end.

I can understand not discriminating against religion, even if/especially if the religion is a little known one like this. However, even though this wasn't explicitly mentioned in the article, my first thought was that the store was concerned about shop lifting. I mean, a lot of stores get suspicious as soon as somebody in a trench coat or oversized sweat shirt walks in.

[Gravekeeper]

I mean, a lot of stores get suspicious as soon as somebody in a trench coat or oversized sweat shirt walks in.

Yep, like if you're hiding your face from the cameras by wearing, say, a hood for example. The 7/11's here have a similar rule. They get really hard core on it around Halloween too of course.

[BroomJockey]

I can understand not discriminating against religion, even if/especially if the religion is a little known one like this.

In 2001, over 390,000 British citizens reported their religion as "Jedi" on the national census, making it the 4th largest religion reported on the census.

[Rapscallion]

In 2001, over 390,000 British citizens reported their religion as "Jedi" on the national census, making it the 4th largest religion reported on the census.

Most of us did that because it was funny. I'm going to do it again.

Rapscallion

[gremcint]

is people wearing a hood that big of a deal that they have to have a rule against it.

[Rapscallion]

Hoodies are quite a problem as yobs tend to wear them to avoid being seen on CCTV cameras. Motorbikers are regularly instructed to remove their helmets before going inside to pay for fuel. Too many robberies with people using otherwise innocent headwear to allow the risk.

Rapscallion

[Mytical]

Hate to but got to side with the company on this one. It's reasonable, not like they have a "All females have to wear see through fishnet and nothing else" rule. Of course, it should also apply to turbans, etc as well. Also, yeah Obiwan had his hood off in public :p. Its a crock and the founder of the church of all people should know that.

[Rapscallion]

Where do you get the turbans thing from? The main difference for me between the sikh faith and the jedi religion is that we can prove that jedi is from a work of fiction, whereas the more established religions are only logically from fairy tales.

Rapscallion

[Mytical]

Simple if one form of hat/cloak/headcovering is banned, they all should. Fair is fair. For the most part I am agnostic, I am not sure WHAT is out there but I think something is. In my eyes, everybody can believe what they want as long as they don't force it on others or harm others because of it. "An it harm none, do as thou wilt." :P. However, the rules should apply accross the board to everybody, with nobody recieving special treatment.

[Nyoibo]

A turban doesn't obscure the face like a hood does though.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Hoodies are quite a problem as yobs tend to wear them to avoid being seen on CCTV cameras. Motorbikers are regularly instructed to remove their helmets before going inside to pay for fuel. Too many robberies with people using otherwise innocent headwear to allow the risk.

Rapscallion

What Raps said. Anyway, a turban doesn't conceal the face, just the hair; whereas a hood conceals the face. Anyway, this guy is basically just being a dick over nothing and deserves a good slapping.

[Fryk]

Sorry, 'Morda Hehol' (his 'jedi name'). By your own admission, you state that jedis CAN wear a hood, if they so choose. It doesn't say you MUST wear a hood. By your own admission, your argument is crap. But, being curious, I looked up the Jedi Code of your religion. I didn't see hoods in there anywhere. . Actually, there are numerous jedi churches, all with their own variation on the jedi code. And you know what? NONE of them say anything about hoods. So take it off and quit being a petualnt little bitch.

[EricKei]

Part of me wants to find out now. Most of me doesn't.

I'm conflicted.

Rapscallion

Easy enough to fix :) Cover one eye while reading the document, and hold the paper at an angle so that you can't *quite* make it all out. Only "part of you" will understand it that way. :D

[Slytovhand]

I'm using my Jedi healing powers to resurrect this thread...

Firstly, it was posted in the wrong forum - it should have gone into the religion one.

Secondly, some of the comments on here show precisely why the governing bodies had realised that anti-discrimination laws were necessary to protect people's rights to belief and religion. Because if there weren't, any religion you didn't agree with and thought was silly would be open to ridicule and attack!

So let me point something out ... ALL religions at one time or another, have been the subject of such derision! Atheist?? Just think back a few thousand years, and trust me, you atheists were considered complete morons, and occasionally outcast from the tribe or city in case you brought down the wrath of the Gods... agnostics were thought of as fools. Christians were amusingly fed to lions and other nasty beasts, pagans have been tortured, stoned, drowned, Hindus... yeah, you get the picture (I even had that when I was in school... but then, I suppose many actually have).

Everyone has the right to believe whatever they will. Where those beliefs do not contradict the laws of the land pertaining to actual practices and rites, no-one ought to be insulted or condemned for them - no matter how 'silly' you may think them to be. Wars have been started over this sort of shit-throwing!

And while the Church of Jedi may have originated from a movie, the basic tenets are sound.. be at peace, avoid conflict, stand up for what you believe, etc.

What Tesco's should have done, and probably should always do when in such a religiously based situation - go up and have a chat to the person.. have their face on TV and in the minds of the staff.. he's handed over his damned card, FFS! I think if he's going to shoplift, he'd be a right moron at that stage!


Fryk - nice look-up... too bad he gets to write the laws as he goes!

[Fryk]

Right or wrong, changing your religious beliefs/practices does little to legitimize your religion.

I would also like to state for the record that I actually like the IDEA behind Jedi-ism. I have read up on it, and even looked into various online churches to found out what they believe and how they practice it. The problem any legitimate Jedi has is that most of these churches are havens more for people who like to swish around their Master Replicas Darth Maul blade, or what have you, and only a handful in each of the churches' message boards actually strive to meditate or search out for what would be 'The Force". Again, it doesn't really make the derision and laughter right, but I can see why it would be there.