Being official Jedi

On my military paperwork I'm listed as "Other", but my dogtags were government made, ordered through my squadron's Unit Deployment Manager (UDM) and they list "Jediism"

I claim Jediism on my tags because my full/detailed religious beliefs wouldn't fit So I use Jediism as the big umbrella to put the rest under. They have a hard enough time fitting my name, much less "Christian, Shamanism, Jedi and Change" haha. I've incorporated ideas and beliefs from other religions into my personal faith. I wouldn't say that I'm "Bi-religious" (LOL love that) I'm just making my religion and beliefs work for me.

Rumor is "Jedi" was something you could put on your paperwork a little while back. But I hadn't looked for it until almost a year ago. But I don't hide my beliefs. I don't wander around verbally announcing that I'm a Jedi at every step either haha. But I've never seen anywhere else outside of the military that require you to state your religion. It pops up on the census too but it would be listed as "other" there as well.

steamboat28 wrote:

Adhara wrote: "Officially" I belong to the evangelic church and pay the taxes accordingly.

Taxes based on your church affiliation?

There is nothing that can't be taxed
Recognized churches have the right to collect taxes from their members.

Adhara wrote: Recognized churches have the right to collect taxes from their members.

Maybe it's my American upbringing, but I find this disturbing on multiple levels.

You can view it like a membership fee. In Germany mainly the evangelic and the catholic church collect taxes. I don't know how other religions handle it. They make a lot of money with it but they also have a lot of things to finance.
I can understand why they do it. It is German law, so if it is justified is another question. You can always secede from the church.

The church I grew up in did something similar. It was "known" that you "should" give a percentage of your pay check as offering to the church.

At least this is what I heard from my mom when I asked why she was writing a check. I never heard anything in the official channel

It's a different sort of thing here. I had this discussion the other day with a friend's wife who hates Christianity (despite knowing nothing at all about it), and had to explain to her that it's not mandatory here. It's highly implied that one should, but none of us have to^*.

^* not counting some notable exceptions, like Scientology.

Don't they have to reveal their finances in Germany? I know it's required by charities in England, the issue with the US (which I find very worrying and suspect) is that you don't have to reveal your finances as a charity.

A 'fee' of 10% is required for Latter Day Saints so I've been led to believe (I might be wrong). Monthly donations like these are the norm in Abrahamic religions at least.

Churches do a lot of work such as missionaries and charitable events etc which makes it entirely justified, the problem is that they don't have to reveal finances. I would be concerned if we (TotJO) began hiding our finances - it is against the spirit of honesty (not to mention accountability and transparency) in my opinion.

It's true. Many US charities misuse their funds because they do not have to reveal how much they give away, or who they pay off.

No, they don't have to reveal finances at least not all of it. I'm no expert in this topic but you could calculate the amount of money they get through the taxes. The exact usage of every cent is not known. They also have other "financial resources".

However that has nothing to do with the original question

Sometimes you can talk your S-1 (or equivalent) admins into getting you Jediism put on, but those that will are few and far between- in the Army. There was a guy in the Marine Corps that couldn't get his to do so either. So it's up to the person you talk to, if they follow regulations you will not get Jediism/Jedi on your tags, period. It's not official until they recognize Jediism officially.

And when I get back in, I may find myself reworking on the issue with the Chaplain Corps.