The year is 2016 and, yeah, people still feel some type of way about religion. But for those who feel no type of way about various higher powers, there's never been a better time than now to mess with various godly devotees thanks to the J.J. Abrams-assisted resurgence of the Star Wars way of life. In fact, a ton of Australians keep mucking up their census results by brazenly claiming Jediism as their religion of choice instead of just, you know, admitting that their real answer is none of the above.
Supporters of the burgeoning Don't Mark Yourself as Jedi movement have been hitting social media with vigilance to make sure Australia's long-running problem of Jedi jokesters becomes a thing of the past, Mashablereports. To put this issue firmly in perspective, the 2011 census found a whopping 65,486 people claiming they subscribed to the religion of The Force. The main concern here? Skewed stats, young Jedi.
Atheists are particularly peeved about this joke gone awry, as Atheist Foundation of Australia president Kylie Sturgess revealed in a recent interview with the Brisbane Times. "People shouldn't waste their answer," Sturgess said. "Answering the religion question thoughtfully and honestly matters because it benefits all Australians when decisions on how to spend taxpayer dollars are made on sound data that accurately reflects modern-day Australia."
This year's census hits Australians with the usual options Aug. 9, with one notable twist: the "no religion" choice will be at the top of the list rather than the bottom. That's a victory for the planet's growing group of non-religious peeps, but could easily (once again) be undermined by a bunch of wannabe Jedis.
Do the right thing, Australia. Start being real about your religious preferences or a distinct lack thereof. It's what Yoda would want you to do.
