It (2017) Review (Spoiler-Free)

Before I begin, I'd just like to say one thing: This movie is pretty damn good. At least, it's way better than the 1990 miniseries with Tim Curry. If you'd like to know why, let me tell you all about it.

Right off the bat, I'd like to praise the movie for how well-written and well-directed it is. I've seen so many horror movies with uninteresting camera techniques and forgettable dialogue/characters that I nearly gave up on watching new ones. However, this isn't the case for It.

To give credit where it's due, Stephen King's book is a phenomenal example of how fear can get the better of people, and how friendship can combat it. I feel that it really helps that this was based off a book and a previous attempt.

The 1990 miniseries is plagued with a somewhat non-scary tone and villain, but the movie had me on the edge of my seat. Even the jump-scares, which are a sad, reoccurring theme in modern horror movies, are creative. Thankfully, the villain is a shape-shifting clown. Creativity is something you need if you're a shape-shifting clown that feeds off of fear.  

Speaking of the villain, holy crap. Bill Skarsgard does a way better job at playing Pennywise than Tim Curry. The way his eyes move, the way he smiles, and the way he drools when looking at the children makes him very uncomfortable to look at for any length of time. Now, don't get me wrong, Tim Curry is a phenomenal actor. I just don't think I can take his depiction of Pennywise seriously.

Overall, I'd like to give this movie a 8.5/10. It's a perfect example of how an adaptation and a remake should be done.

My final thought: Is it just me, or are child actors way better than they were 10-15 years ago? 

The World's Most Interesting Chess Sets

The original strategy game, Chess, has survived quite a while. While the rules haven't changed in that "quite a while" nobody said all chess sets had to look the same. Here are a few of the World's Most Interesting Chess Sets.

I've always wanted a chess set that's unreliable to transport and where the pieces can fall off easily! Thanks, Etsy! 

 Got junk laying around? Crafty? Like chess? Then build your own damn chess set.

Have way too many bullets at your house? Same principle. Just remember that children under three years old can choke on bullets, so be careful.

Considering how Fox owns the rights to The Simpsons for the next 120 years, I think they should at least try to make the most of it.
Update (2018): At this rate, Disney will buy the rights to Chess and license the crap out of it.
Additional Update (2018): I own a Simpsons chess set now. 

Here's some chess pieces from an art piece, called "Good vs. Evil". Only one exists, so I don't think you can play it.

Everyone's here, Gandhi, a firefighter... Che Guevara? Well, I guess good and evil are relative terms, even if they're wrong. And why in the hell is Superman a pawn? I guess it made more sense to make Dr. King the king. Now if only they made Freddie Mercury the queen and Rick Harris the pawns, the balance of the universe would be even. 

 

That's better! They even put Freud in there where he belongs. That bag to his right is probably full of cocaine and documents about how prehistoric women used to braid their pubic hairs.

Here's a three-player chess set. If you ask me, I think I'd want to try this the most! That is, if I had friends who played chess. 

Here's a firefighters vs. cops set. If you ask me, I say the guys with the guns are gonna beat the guys with hoses. Also, German Shepards are better than Dalmatians because I said so.

They're facing the wrong way, spray 'em!

Here's an old video game called Battle Chess. The cool thing about this game is that when a piece takes another piece, you get to see a little battle animation. Even the (virtual) pieces look nice!

(Insert Dragon Ball Z power-up sound effect and screaming here)

Make no mistake, since the queen is the most powerful piece, she's the only one who knows magic. She will end you. She will end your army. Hail to the queen. Long live the queen. This segment of Jack's Pile of Pages is in no way sponsored by the British Royal Family. They can't even get dental.

Star Wars has had many chess sets over the years (George Lucas is a marketing wizard), and even a chess video game not unlike Battle Chess, mentioned above. This version is for the Sega-CD, Sega's first venture into CD-based gaming. The one thing most people remember about the Sega-CD was the revolutionary FULL MOTION VIDEO included! When a piece takes another piece, this happens:

If you've ever wanted to see Boba Fett die about half a dozen different times, now is the time to eat some popcorn.

If you've ever wanted to see C3-PO die about half a dozen different times, now is the time to eat some popcorn.

 This is the chess set that didn't exist when I was a child, and now does exist, and now I want it now.

Yeah, this is probably the best one. It's got trees. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to make my own chess set out of flash drives and butter.

The History of Ketchup

Ketchup. Put it on anything greasy, starchy, or salty, and it becomes even better. These days, ketchup comes in a wide variety of styles, serving mediums, and even ingredients. While enjoying a hot-dog one day, I pondered where ketchup came from. As it turns out, it's older than I thought it was, and not from where I thought it would come from.

Way back in the 17th century, the Chinese mixed a concoction of pickled fish and spices and called it ke-chiap. Yummy. Now, I know what you're thinking: This sounds nothing like ketchup! Yeah, I know. Surprising.

By the early 18th century, the popular table sauce had made it to the Malay states, where it was tasted by the ever-so culinary-challeneged English colonists. The Indonesian-Malay word for the sauce was kecap. That word evolved into the English word "ketchup". English settlers then took ketchup with them to the American colonies, where it evolved into a tomato paste.

The term Ketchup was used in 1690 in the Dictionary of the Canting Crew which was well acclaimed in North America. The spelling "catchup" may have also been used in the past, and the term "catsup" is still used today in some southern states. 

In fast food joints, ketchup is often dispensed in small packets.  In 2011, Heinz began offering a new measured-portion package, called the "Dip and Squeeze" packet, which allowed the consumer to either tear the top off the package and squeeze the contents out, as with the traditional packet, or, in the alternative, tear the front off the package and use the package as a dip cup of the type often supplied with certain entrées.

Previously, fast food outlets dispensed ketchup from pumps into paper cups. This method has made a resurgence in the first decade of the 21st century with cost and environmental concerns over the increasing use of individual packets. Take it from someone who worked at a fast food joint for two years: There is NEVER enough ketchup packets.

In October 2000, Heinz introduced colored ketchup products called EZ Squirt, which eventually included green, blue, and even purple. These products were made by adding food coloring to the traditional ketchup. As of January 2006 these products were discontinued.

I'm pretty sure that was for the best.

Looks like it's all ogre now.

 Oddly enough, there exist green tomatoes, so I suppose green ketchup isn't too out of the ordinary.

Lead in the Water

While lead has many properties beneficial to mankind, including, but not limited to: high density, a relatively low melting point, resistance to oxidation and rust, and abundance, which leaves little question as to why it is used in bullets, weights, solder, radiation shields, and even batteries and plumbing, certain things humans take for granted, lead has many, many disadvantages. Lead is extremely toxic, and can be either swallowed, touched, or even inhaled, can affect many different parts of the body. Thus, the Flint Crisis is no laughing matter, and provides serious health concerns, as lead poisoning due to contaminated water is far from a modern occurrence.

Thousands of years ago, early civilizations could easily extract lead ore from the earth, from the mineral galena. Galena also contained silver, so they were often mined together and even held with the same respect. Many historians argue that, since lead is found in so many ancient artifacts, that it could very well have been one of the first metals, along with copper, that were mined. The ancient Egyptians used it in cosmetics and their fishing weights, and is even mentioned in the Old Testament, being described as the slag that came from silver ore. Often, elements such as Gold (Au) and Iron (Fe) get their chemical symbols from Latin root words. Lead is symbolized as (Pb) from the Latin word plumbum. From this root word came many things associated with lead, such as plumb bob, plumbata (A sort of Ancient Roman throwing dart) and perhaps most famously, plumbing, plumber and plumb lines, as Rome was the first civilization with a plumbing system, using pipes made from lead.

Only the rich, ruling classes of Rome’s finest could afford the exotic luxury of lead plumbing and fancy leaded wine casks. Thus, the wealthier Roman citizens often suffered insomnia, hallucinations, partial blindness, irritability, lowered fertility, and other signs of deteriorating mental health. Chemical analysis of human remains from Roman tombs reveal staggering, increasing concentrations of lead. Several Roman emperors could have suffered the effects of madness brought on by lead poisoning. The evidence of lead poisoning and madness is so abundant that many historians list lead poisoning as a factor contributing to the fall of the Roman Empire.
Lead was seldom used in the Middle Ages, only used in the making of stained glass windows. However, lead was called into action once again with the rise of the industrial revolution and modern cities. With modern cities came modern plumbing, and thus, the cycle began again, and has now only recently been called into concern due to several “lead crises” such as Washington’s, and more recent, Flint.

To quote the Washington Post: “Flint’s water was contaminated when a state-appointed emergency manager, in a cost-cutting move, switched the city’s water supply from the Detroit system to the Flint River. State environmental officials failed to ensure that anti-corrosive chemicals were added to the water, allowing lead to leech from aging pipes.”

Lead will enter drinking water when iron service pipes that contain lead corrode, especially where the water has high acidity or low mineral content that corrodes pipes and fixtures. High levels of iron in distributed drinking water have been tested, and contain trace amounts of lead. When iron corrodes, and flakes off from the inside of pipes, the lead solder can break off much easier, leading to many unfortunate lead poisoning cases.

Lead solder can even be found in chrome or brass-plated faucets, which, when introduced to hot water, will break off into what is supposed to be potable water. Hot water dissolves white, powdery lead, turning the water a sickly yellow color.

Per the Journal of Chemical Education: “Lead is relatively insoluble in sulfuric and hydrochloric acid, but will dissolve in hot, concentrated nitric acid. Lead is slowly oxidized and carbonated in moist air and may he attacked by either pure water or weak acids in the presence of oxygen to form lead hydroxide.”,

In lay man’s terms, neither foods nor beverages should he stored in fancy antique pewter or soldered cans, which contain highly dangerous amounts of lead. Lead is resistant to hard water, hydrogen. fluoride, brine, and most solvents and is used industrially for storage and transport of many solvents, including cold sulfuric acid.

Often used in batteries, workers in lead-battery industries suffer both neurologic and reproductive damage, developing weak, slow, mutated sperm cells. Thus, these workers have a lower fertility rate than similar workers in non-lead, blue-collar industries. Similar results were obtained for the female workers who had not only a lower fertility rate but also a higher incidence of spontaneous abortions and deformed babies than comparable female workers in non-lead industries.

An increase in fetal death rates arose during the Washington water crisis, which affected Washington DC from 2000 to 2004, peaking in 2001. Lead abortion pills were used in the early 1900s, and the use of new lead pipe in potable water systems for cities without proper maintenance increased fetal mortality nearly threefold. Stillborn children, impotence, and even miscarriages were the result of ingesting these pills and drinking contaminated water.

Young children, infants, and fetuses are particularly vulnerable to lead because the physical and behavioral effects of lead occur at lower exposure levels in children than in adults. A dose of lead that would have little effect on an adult can have a significant effect on a child, since children are still growing and developing. In children, even very low levels of exposure have been linked to damage to the central and peripheral nervous system, learning disabilities, shorter stature, impaired hearing, and impaired formation and function of blood cells, all caused by stunted growth of the nervous system, a symptom of lead poisoning.

According to the EPA “Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead pipes, fixtures and solder. The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) has reduced the maximum allowable lead content -- that is, content that is considered "lead-free" -- to be a weighted average of 0.25 percent calculated across the wetted surfaces of pipes, pipe fittings, plumbing fittings, and fixtures and 0.2 percent for solder and flux.”

Homes described above may have internal plumbing materials containing lead. Since one cannot see, taste, or smell lead dissolved in water, like you can with rusty water, testing is one of the only ways of telling whether if your water is safe to drink or not. Testing a home for contaminated water can cost up to $100, and is often less.

Many water filters and water treatment devices are certified by independent organizations for effective lead reduction, such as Brita filters, and as a more modern example, the Life Straw. Devices that are not designed to remove lead will not work, and should be tested often. One must verify the claims of manufacturers by checking with independent certifying organizations that provide lists of treatment devices they have certified.

In conclusion, lead poisoning can be found in all walks of life, and up until recent times, such as during Flint’s water crisis, Americans seldom worried about where, when and how lead worked. Only time will tell if Flint’s water crisis will be solved. Until then, the residents of Flint will need to rely on donated bottled water to use as potable water, which they’ll likely never see soon.

The World's Most Expensive S'more

According to Wikipedia:

"S'mores are most typically cooked over a campfire by first roasting the marshmallow over the flame until it is golden brown. The marshmallow is then added on top of half of a graham cracker and a piece of chocolate. The second half of the cracker is then added on top. S'mores can also be made at home in the oven, in the microwave or by using a s'mores making kit. S'mores making kits such as Sterno's Family Fun S'mores Maker allow s'mores to be made anywhere over a portable flame."

That's what we're looking for in: The World's Most Expensive S'more!

First of all, we need some over-the-top expensive chocolate. Thankfully, this was easy to track down.

"Amedei Porcelana, a dark chocolate made by the Amedei chocolatier of Tuscany, Italy, is often called the world's most expensive chocolate. It has won various awards, including "Best bean to bar", "Best Dark Chocolate Bar", and the "Golden Bean award." Amedei is and was, at the time of these awards, a sponsor of the awarding body's parent organization."

Yummy

According to various sources, a bar of the stuff costs about 16 bucks, with a pound of it costing up to 90 bucks. We only need one S'more, so one bar should do the trick.

Next is the graham cracker. Truth be told, I couldn't find an outrageously expensive graham cracker. However, what's the difference between a cracker and a graham cracker? Just some sugar, if you ask me. However, I can find the world's most expensive cracker!

In 2015, a survival biscuit from one of the Titanic lifeboats sold for 23,000 smackaroos. Remove it from the wrapper, break it in half, sprinkle some honey and sugar on it, and it's a graham cracker.

Also yummy

Next: The marshmallows. I looked for a good hour without finding an actual expensive marshmallow. The only thing that came up were some stupid-looking chairs and a some Ghostbusters merchandise.

Oh dear Christ, not that one! 

Ebay gave me good results.

So, since this is my blog, I say that I should cut myself some slack. 

Target sells these square-shaped marshmallows for 2 bucks a bag. Not exactly expensive, I know. However, they're the right shape for us to hold the world's most lucrative s'more together. To make it fancy, how about some edible gold leaf?  

Also from Ebay, here's a single sheet of edible gold leaf, selling for 10 bucks. We have all the components we need... If you like cold s'mores. Which nobody likes. 

Finally, we need a fire! And a place for a fire! A fireplace! The world's most expensive fireplace! 

Ladies, gentlemen, and robots, this is the Aqueon Fireplace. "This modern fireplace happens to be the world’s first consumer hydrogen fireplace. Priced at $50,000, it is one of the most expensive fireplaces ever. This hi-tech fireplace does not even require a chimney. All it needs is access to tap water so that it can harvest hydrogen and produce a beautiful open flame. Not just that, this contemporary fireplace is designed like an artistic candle flame. Your guests will never stop talking about this one."

He bought that to make s'mores?

Getting our ol' calculator out, our "World's Most Expensive S'more" comes to about $73,028.

I think I'll just stick with what's affordable. 

A Trip to the Temple

I recently visited the Hindu temple in Maple Grove. Here’s what I have to say about my experience. This was for a class, but if you want to experience it for yourself, tours are given and encouraged.

The temple is very large, and rightfully so. They explained that the temple needed to be near water, since water is the source of all life. One lady asked “If that swamp dried up, would you have to move the temple?”. I thought that question was kind of silly. Our guide responded by saying “We’d just put water back into the swamp. Moving water is much easier than moving a whole temple”.
The group was mostly made up of Christian students from Texas, who traveled to Minnesota to learn about our diverse cultures, including our large Somali population as well as our large Hindu population. I asked them why they came, and they were very kind enough to answer a few of my questions before the tour started.

Our guide told us what Hinduism is all about. We learned a few more things than we learned in class, but for the life of me, I couldn’t understand some of the things our guide was saying. But that’s cool, I understood most of the things he was talking about. He even shared a few children’s stories with us, which I thought was cute. These stories taught me more about the specific gods and goddesses of Hindu culture, and how each one has an interesting story behind them.

Ganesh’s backstory is a bit scary, though. He was decapitated as a baby, and his parents found a baby elephant and replaced the baby’s head with the elephant’s. Hence, his elephant-like appearance. We learned further that Ganesh is perhaps the smartest and wisest of the gods, being hailed as the god of knowledge.

There were many statues at the Hindu temple, especially in what I like to call “The Statue Room”. I couldn’t take any pictures or use my phone, so I wasn’t able to record anything, but hey, it’s not like I needed to for this project. The temple is very sacred, and I respected their wishes. Most of these statues were in these tomb-like structures, and the whole room smelled like one of those odd incense shops at the renaissance festival they have every summer in Shakopee.

Taking a closer look, I noticed a large oven that seemed to be burning the stuff. It looked like the oven/heater was connected to the airflow system, but I could be wrong. All I know is, the place smelled pleasant. A few monks from the temple were chanting and were circled around the oven. I later learned that the use of incense is a tradition in Hinduism, used by the monks as an offering to the gods. This is a daily routine. They must go through a lot of incense if they do it every day, enough to make the entire temple smell like that.  

I was not able to make it to the luncheon, due to prior engagements. However, I have eaten at the temple before, years ago, in fact. I remember much (If not all) of the food having no meat whatsoever, which we learned about in class. I had an Indian roommate who was a vegetarian, and I accepted that. To me, it doesn’t matter what a person eats, especially if the food doesn’t taste that bad. In fact, I’d give Indian food a second shot, if I could just find a place that served it.

Jediism: The Way of the Force

“We are a Jedi church and international ministry of the religion Jediism and the Jedi way of life. Jedi at this site are not the same as those portrayed within the Star Wars franchise. Star Wars Jedi are fictional characters that exist within a literary and cinematic universe. The Jedi here are real people that live or lived their lives according to the principles of Jediism, the real Jedi religion or philosophy. Jedi followers, ministers and leaders embrace Jediism as a real living, breathing religion and sincerely believe in its teachings.

Jediism does not base its focus on myth and fiction but on the real-life issues and philosophies that are at the source of myth. Whether you want to become a Jedi, are a real Jedi looking for additional training or just interested in learning about and discussing The Force, we're here for you. We believe in Peace, Justice, Love, Learning and Benevolence: It is unlikely that the Jedi way conflicts with other beliefs and traditions.” - https://www.templeofthejediorder.org/
On May 25th, 1977, Star Wars premiered in theatres. Before long, it was a cultural phenomenon, spanning two direct sequels, an entire prequel trilogy, a sequel trilogy, spin-off movies, books, videogames, toys, merchandise, and about everything you could find under the sun. It is no surprise that Star Wars became such a beloved brand. With its groundbreaking special effects, Star Wars flew off silver screens and immersed audiences in “a galaxy far, far away...”

By now, pretty much everyone knows the story of Star Wars, also called A New Hope: Luke Skywalker gathers a group, made of lovable robots and sharp-shooting smugglers–including the dashing Han Solo, loyal Chewbacca, and the droids C3PO and R2-D2–on his mission to rescue Princess Leia from the Empire, governed by the wicked, robotic Sith Lord, Darth Vader. The film made all three of its lead actors instant stars, turning Carrie Fisher into an object of adoration for millions of young male fans and launching Harrison Ford’s now-legendary career as an action-hero superstar.

But it didn’t stop there. There was a sequel released three years later, The Empire Strikes Back. Three years after that, the duology became a trilogy with Return of the Jedi. After that, Star Wars became more than a movie, and more than a trilogy. It was a phenomenon. Video games, novels, toys, and beyond, media stretching to a galaxy, far, far away. For many, Star Wars is, was, and will be a way of life. Of course, it didn’t even stop at that.

About a year or so after the release of The Phantom Menace, according to a 2001 census conducted in many English-speaking countries, people listed “Jedi Knight” as their religion. Originally, the “Jedi Knight” answer was supposed to be a joke. A farce. A parody of a religion, not unlike the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Soon, the joke became a way of life, and the religion of Jediism was born.

The Jedi have many beliefs and tenants, all of which can be broken down into a few basic lists and creeds, taken from the various Star Wars media. Jedi believe:

“In the Force, and in the inherent worth of all life within it. In the sanctity of the human person. We oppose the use of torture and cruel or unusual punishment, including the death penalty. In a society governed by laws grounded in reason and compassion, not in fear or prejudice. In a society that does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or circumstances of birth such as gender, ethnicity and national origin. In the ethic of reciprocity, and how moral concepts are not absolute but vary by culture, religion and over time. In the positive influence of spiritual growth and awareness on society. In the importance of freedom of conscience and self-determination within religious, political and other structures. In the separation of religion and government and the freedoms of speech, association and expression.” - https://www.templeofthejediorder.org/doctrine-of-the-order

The three tenants of the Jedi Order are focus, knowledge, and wisdom. “Wisdom is the sound application of accrued knowledge and experience through patient, good judgment. Knowledge can be acquired by focusing on the task at hand. Focus is the art of pruning the irrelevant and pouring the best of your mind into what you are doing.” -  https://www.templeofthejediorder.org/doctrine-of-the-order

In addition, the Jedi have 16 “Teachings” and 21 “Maxims” which make up what a Jedi must do and must not do. These beliefs can be broken down to a few basic rules:

Jedi, along with all living things, are part of the force. Jedi are those in touch with the force. A Jedi must trust in the ways of The Force, no matter how strange it may seem. What belongs in the physical realm belongs in the physical realm, yet all life is connected to The Force. Our minds and emotions are gateways to The Force, and thus, our emotions and wisdom connect us to the universe. All Jedi seek to be one with The Force and live in harmony. The sole purpose of being a Jedi is to better understand the universe and all life within it.

A Jedi must be patient and kind. A Jedi’s mind is clear and calm. Jedi are mindful of the future, yet not at the expense of the moment. Jedi must understand that one’s self is made up of three parts: mind, body, and spirit. A Jedi must use his skills to the best of his ability; no matter how small of an act of kindness may be, it is still an act of kindness. Every good deed a Jedi does makes the universe calmer and more balanced. A Jedi will act with motivation and purpose, and will never blindly seek violence and will only do so to protect others, for inaction and action alike are two sides of the same coin.

A Jedi believes that love and compassion are what makes life whole. While emotions can get the better of us, emotions serve as a connection to one another, and with that, The Force. A Jedi will cultivate empathy, and must try to understand the emotions of others. No life capable of emotions is any greater or less valuable than that of a Jedi Knight. Above all, a Jedi must be one with his emotions and wisdom.

In this way, Jediism is a very inclusive and peace-loving way of life and belief. Like in the movies, Jedi will not force their beliefs on non-force users, and were only drawn to violence under extreme circumstances. In the words of Mace Windu from Attack of the Clones: “We are keepers of the peace, not soldiers.” Jedi believe in the strict separation of church and state, because the freedom of all life is important. No religion, not even Jediism, can be trusted with the state, and therefore, must be separated, regardless of popularity and size.

Jedi see all living things as equal, regardless of species, race, or previous religion. In short, Jedi and non-Jedi alike are judged by their character, rather than who they were/are. There are no specific rituals or rites that a person must go through to become a Jedi. All that matters are what the Jedi does. The real test of whether or not a Jedi is fit to be a Jedi are within the Jedi’s acts. The only test of being a Jedi is being a Jedi. Spirituality isn’t something that can be tested or measured, but instead, lived.

Jediism has no god or deity, at least, not in the traditional sense. Jedi believe in The Force, a sort of energy that binds the universe together. To quote Obi-Wan Kenobi from A New Hope: "Well, the Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together."
In short, The Force is akin to ki/qi from Taoist beliefs, or the Holy Spirit from Christianity. Beyond physical form and true comprehension. The Force has been called the spirit of the universe, representing everything good and evil. The two opposing forces that create all of reality, bringing order and peace.

In the Star Wars media, The Force is what give the Jedi amazing powers; the ability to read minds, move objects by thought alone, and the like. Real-world Jedi are adamant that The Force does not give people extraordinary powers, at least, none that have been discovered. This shows that Jediism has gone beyond a joke religion, and has become a real way of thinking and a way of life.
Even in the Star Wars media, Jedi will not boast or show off their abilities, because that would be a misuse of The Force. The Force must only be used to protect and defend, and never to attack. Real-life Jedi are told not to brag about what they are, and instead focus on what they can do with their existence to help others: To give, and to do good acts, based on the teachings of the Jedi Knights.  

The approximate number of Jedi in the world is hard to say for sure, due to the humorous conception of the idea. It must be said, however, how many people chose “Jedi” when asked about their religion. In Australia, for instance, more than 70,000 people identified themselves as Jedi, about .35% of Australia’s total population. In addition, in order to be recognized as a religion in Australia, an organization must reach over 10,000 people. It is fair to say that thousands of people consider themselves Jedi.

Jediism has grown in recent years, well above the “thousands” mark. In England, Jediism is the seventh-largest religion with over 150,000 members. In the Czech Republic, almost 15,000 people consider themselves to be Jedi. In Canada, over 9,000 listed “Jedi” as their religion. Recent reports from online surveys have stated, in the United States, almost 5,000 people call themselves Jedi.

However, this rise in popularity is not without problems. Many “real” Jedi are put off by Jediism being called a fake or joke religion. In some countries, such as the United Kingdom, Jediism is seen as a joke. A draft of the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill compared Jedi to Satanists, Scientologists, cultists, practitioners/believers of animal/human sacrifices, and Pagans. This bill would have stripped the Jedi from all legal protection, seen nothing more than a joke/cult.

While there are no specific legal titles held by the Jedi, there are many honorary titles given, based on merit. Again, based on the Star Wars franchise, the ranks are as follows: Novice: A Temple Member who is currently studying the “Initiate Program”. Initiate: A Novice who has completed the Initiate Program and has taken the oath of the Jedi, which has been validated by a higher-ranking member of the order. Apprentice: An Initiate who has been accepted by a Teaching Master as their Apprentice. This involves tasks and lessons. It relies on a good working relationship, dedication and recognition of mutual improvement. An Apprentice must be at least sixteen years of age, for legal reasons. Jedi Knight: An Apprentice who has successfully completed their apprenticeship to the satisfaction of their Teaching Master and the Council. They uphold the principles of Jediism as defined by the Solemn Vow of the Jedi Order, and have completed the Associate level of the degree scheme. They can take on Apprentices of their own. A Knight must be at least eighteen years of age, again, for legal reasons. Senior Jedi Knight: A Knight who has completed the Degree Scheme training to Bachelor’s level. Jedi Master: A Senior Knight who has successfully taught three apprentices. Grand Master: An honorary title bestowed upon Masters for exceptional dedication and service to the Temple of the Jedi Order. As such it is not considered to be higher than the rank of Jedi Master.

The degrees described are validated by senior members of the order, and taught by such. Much like in the movies, a “Padawan” is trained by a Jedi Master. Through good deeds and a better understanding of one’s self, one climbs the “ladder” of Jedi rankings. Thankfully, becoming a higher-ranking Jedi has nothing to do with one’s ability to swing a lightsaber.

When a person dies and passes on, they become one with The Force. According to jedichurch.org, “The original Star Wars trilogy was the best visualization of what we believe, as it is what binds us all together in this faith. There are repetitive references to an afterlife, in which people in the afterlife can talk to us. I think it is fair to say that many Jedi probably to believe in an afterlife of some sort or another, however, this is really left up to each of us to make a judgement call.”

All teachings of what the Jedi are and what they do come from various Star Wars media, and have been pieced together by real-life Jedi. However, several books have been published that discuss Jediism as a serious religion. Jediism -Philosophy and Practice, written by Matthew Vossler, offers a spiritual and philosophical way of understanding The Force.

While there are no specific legal rituals in Jediism, Jedi are able to conduct weddings and funerals, either in the parody/themed variety or the real thing. Some Jedi take their religion seriously, and are happy to conduct weddings. This is curious, however. It is strictly stated in Star Wars that Jedi cannot be married, because it would play with their emotions and make them forget who they are. It must also be noted that lightsaber combat is not taught by real-world Jedi, so there are some obvious differences.

In conclusion, Star Wars is more than a franchise, it is a way of life. When George Lucas wrote his first drafts for his sci-fi space opera in the early 70’s, he would have no idea what Star Wars would become. It took several drafts, millions of dollars, and after many delays, Star Wars made over 775 Million dollars at the box office, shattering records, and restoring faith in science fiction movies.
And from then on, Star Wars snowballed into a franchise. The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi were successes on their own, and it didn’t take long for a prequel trilogy to be produced. Not long after The Phantom Menace came along, real-life Jedi rose up from obscurity and founded their own religion. A Jedi is not a mystical space wizard with a sword made of light. A Jedi is instead a guardian of peace and prosperity.

A Jedi Knight does not let emotions get the best of him/her, but instead acts through the emotions of others. Jedi are taught not to hate, and not to seek revenge. A Jedi is not a superhero, but instead, a guardian of all that is right a non-violent. A Jedi will not incite or applaud violence, but instead, do everything to prevent it. In the words of the Jedi masters of old, may The Force be with you, always.