The 2011 UK Census

So my census arrived this morning. After scanning the pages I realised there's quite a lot more to it than I remember from ten years ago. Maybe this is because ten years ago I was a stoner who was happy to fill in any form pushed in front of my face, I mean after all there was little else to do then. Maybe it's because things get a bit hazy when you smoke an awful lot of pot. Maybe it's simply because it was TEN years ago. Whatever the reason I certainly don't remember it being so intrusive.

Now however, I have a lot less time on my hands and after ten years have become a bit more concerned about the information I divulge. I think as you get older you get wiser (some may say grumpier). It's a very lengthy form and thankfully there was the option of filling it in on-line. This certainly saves a lot of time especially when you have psoriasis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psoriasis) in your thumb on the hand with which you right.

After 3 years of working in the card and identity protection industry you become slightly wary about the details you pass onto people. I mean why on earth do the government want to know the name of the company I work for? The best part of the census form was when asked about my children. Let me explain. My two children are Emma and Sebastian, 5 and 2 respectively. One of the questions was 'On the 27th March 2011, what is your legal marital or same-sex civil partnership status?' This could easily be avoided if the system was intelligent enough to pick up on the fact it asked me only one question before what their Date of Birth was. Am I just being grumpy here? I'll let you decide.

Anyway the main point for my blog is to highlight the religion question. 'What is your religion?' How many people do we think would be offended if a perfect stranger asked this question? I for one wouldn't but it has been the height of controversy since it appeared on the last census in 2001. Now maybe Dudeism won't get as strong a response as Jedi did back in 2001 but then that's not what we're about. To put Jedi as your religion on the last census was an attempt to make a mockery of the question. Marking Dudeism as your religion this time round is simply to make a point. It's to show the world that there of us out there who refuse to get uptight about things. I set up the group on Facebook 'Dudeism for the 2011 census' (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=297196961824&ref=ts) with that sole purpose in mind. We all know that Dudeism is the slowest growing religion in the world, something that as an ordained minister I am very proud of. We have no intent of rivalling Jedi (not just yet anyway) nor even the 'Heavy Metal' campaign also going around on Facebook but we are here with a purpose. That purpose is to teach the world how to take 'er easy. To not get too uptight when the ringer is thrown from the car or when the toe goes over the line.

We are simply here abiding and I don't know about you but, I take comfort in that.

Time for a caucasian I think.

Take 'er easy Dudes, I know you will.

Dudeism for the 2011 census appears in The Sunday Times (27/02/11)

Big census fib: I’m a disciple of
the Dude

Jeff Bridges' famous ‘Dude’ character has inspired disciples of his lifestyle to try and have his ways recognised as a religion in the 2011 Census

Jamie McGinnes 

Published: 27 February 2011

Jeff Bridges's the Dude has followers who want the Census to recognise their faith (Polygram)

We’re all dudes now, man. As Jeff Bridges waits to see if he will win an Oscar tonight for his role as Rooster Cogburn in True Grit, another of his famous parts is set to become a ruse to annoy the census-takers this year.

Whereas nearly 400,000 people claimed their religion was “Jedi” in the last national survey 10 years ago, some want “Dudeism” to be recognised this year.

Bridges played the Dude, an unemployed slacker from California with a penchant for bowling, marijuana and white russian cocktails, in the film The Big Lebowski.

The Facebook group called Dudeism for the 2011 Census (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=297196961824) has more than 500 disciples. It was set up by Kristian Lewin, 30, a sales manager from York, who is one of 100,000 self-proclaimed “ministers” of the Church of the Latter-Day Dude.

The “Heavy Metal for the 2011 Census” group last week had the largest support to be recognised as a new religion, with more than 30,000 members on Facebook.

The census is due to take place on March 27 and most people should have received a questionnaire by then.

The question on religion is the only one that is voluntary. Lying on other questions, including marital status or types of central heating, is punishable by a fine of up to £1,000.

A decade ago the Jedi phenomenon was inspired by an internet campaign and fuelled by protesters unhappy with the inclusion of a question on religion in census forms. Those claiming to be Jedi knights had outnumbered Britain’s Jews, Sikhs and Buddhists.

“I was curious to see how many Dudes there are in the UK. I don’t see it rivalling the heavy metal group or Jedis, but then that’s not what Dudeism is all about,” Lewin said.

Dudeism, which is described as “an ancient philosophy that preaches non-preachiness” and “practises as little as possible” was founded in 2005 by Oliver Benjamin, 43, a journalist originally from Los Angeles but now based in Thailand. Women are free to become Dudes as much as men.

Benjamin said last week: “We think of Dude as an attitude, a state of mind and a term of endearment used towards people who are non-pretentious, easy-going and limber-minded.”

This year’s census has caused an outcry over its near £500m cost. The 32-page survey is being printed in 57 languages.

The Office for National Statistics said that information from the religion question will be used to “assess potential discrimination and support equality monitoring”.