> Warning on Jedi email campaign
> CENSUS FINES
>
> By XAVIER LA CANNA
> AGE ONLINE
> Thursday 5 April 2001, 11:51 AM
>
> Thousands of people could face big fines if they participate in an email
> campaign to describe themselves as Jedi Knights on the upcoming official
> census.

>
> The head of the Australian Bureau of Statistics census program, John
> Struik, today said that anyone who falsely provides information on a
> census faces a $1000 fine.
>
> An email that has circulated widely in the past few days encourages
> Australians to identify their religion as "Jedi" in a national census
> to be held on August 7.
>
> "If there are enough people in the country, about 10,000, who put down the
> same religion, it becomes a fully recognised and legal religion," the
> email says.
>
> "It is for this reason that it has been suggested that anyone who does
not
> have a dominant religion put down 'Jedi' as their religion...Yes, this is
> a Sci-Fi thing, but it will also f... with the government."
>
> Jedi Knights are a fictional group made popular in Star Wars movies.
>
> Mr Struik said to be recognised as a religion a formal organisational
> structure with a belief system must be demonstrated.
>
> "If we get 10,000 Jedis they will go down as no official religion," he
> said.
>
> He said the question on religion was used to provide valuable data so
that
> community services such as education, hospitals and aged care facilities
> can be planned.
>
> But Mr Struik said the email may not be all bad news for census officials.
> "It provides a bit of amusement, and people learn about the census," he
> said.
>
> Someone who does not have any responsibility can feel very detached: "Oh,
I
> have nothing to do. I am free." But that freedom has no value.
> -- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
> site - www.elohim.com -