Jedi ejected from Tesco for wearing hood

Rainmaker · 19 Sep 2009 at 01:08

In the Guardian, amongst others:

The founder of the Star Wars-inspired Jedi faith has accused Tesco of religious discrimination after he was banned from wearing a hood in one of its stores.

Basically, they took him to one side and told him to remove his hood or leave the store. He replied that it was part of his 'religion', and that he didn't feel that he should have to. Apparently he was belittled and felt emotionally traumatised, and is now considering legal action for religious discrimination.

Now we can all have a giggle at 'Jedis', but do Tesco ask Muslims to remove their hijabs and burkas? I doubt it. Your thoughts?

Rainmaker · 19 Sep 2009 at 01:11

Moley said:
He invented the religion so he made up the rules...

Indeed. A bit like all those adolescent "Rastafarian, honest m'lud" types who like to smoke herbal substances.

Rainmaker · 19 Sep 2009 at 01:12

Zip said:
I doubt a Jedi would explode in your face like a Muslim would.

Rainmaker · 19 Sep 2009 at 14:02

The Druid comment from Lord Splodge was a valid one, and I confess Druids sprung immediately to mind as I posted this last night. Certainly, no court or company can deny that Druidism is a 'proper' religion, and an ancient one at that! For sheer lols, it would be quite amusing should the plonker in the article go back into the store, with his hood, and say "It's OK, I've converted to Druidism!".

The crux of this issue does seem to be 'What constitutes a valid religion?'. After all, as was pointed out many Christians see the bible as allegorical and many religions were rather old before Christianity or Islam was even 'born'; so at what point did they stop being superstitious stories/twaddle and become more respectable than the next wack-job's idea?

The idea a store can refuse entry for any reason is interesting. I'm not sure you could get away with a 'whites only' or 'no Jews' store.

So why allow Muslims in burkas but not 'Jedis' or Druids?

Rainmaker · 19 Sep 2009 at 15:05

semi-pro waster said:
It's not just an idea, you can refuse service on any grounds (apart from those specifically excluded e.g. race, religion, sexuality etc). A 'whites only' or 'no Jews' store would therefore fall foul of such - if however you created a store that was to the effect of 'no tall people' then that should not prove to be a legal problem, however it would leave you as a storeowner open to being judged for such a bizarre prejudice. The situtation stems from contract law and when an offer and acceptance is created e.g. invitation to treat and the Boots Cash Chemist case.

Exactly what I was getting at, which again brings us full circle as to whether Jedi can be considered a religion. While in the 'real world' I'm not suggesting Jedi is a religion as we'd commonly accept the term to mean, it is an interested challenge. Dictionary.com gives us this:

re⋅li⋅gion

/rɪˈlɪdʒ

ən/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [ri-lij-uh

n] Show IPA Use religion in a Sentence

See web results for religion

See images of religion

–noun 1. a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs. 2. a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion. 3. the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions. 4. the life or state of a monk, nun, etc.: to enter religion. 5. the practice of religious beliefs; ritual observance of faith. 6. something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience: to make a religion of fighting prejudice.

Jedi seems to basically fulfil these criteria, especially (2), though I'm sure a more legal framework defining 'religion' has been established in case law or statute by now.

But at any rate, had the guy said he was a Druid or somesuch, Tesco would have basically been discriminating on grounds of religion. I only posted the OP because it's so lol-worthy, yet the case does hold merit for discussion. Not quite SC material, though.