Religions Based on Fictional Materials Quiz

Answer: Dudeism

A movie from the Coen Brothers, "The Big Lebowski" has a cult-like following.
Sometime after the movie's release, the Church of the Latter Day Dudes sprang up and Dudeism was born. The church is recognized as a religion in the United States, and Dudeist priests can perform wedding ceremonies.

Answer: Jediism

Jedi are a very real thing in the world created by George Lucas in the "Star Wars" universe. The Jedi Temple is real in real life as well. Officially founded in Australia, the temple accepts people from all over the world into its ranks.

The Temple of the Jedi Order dissociates itself from the cinematic universe, but admits that it shares many principles with the film franchise.

Answer: Otherkin

Otherkin follow the works of J.R.R. Tolkien closely, but don't necessarily believe in elves and orcs specifically. They do, however, believe that there are creatures that aren't exactly human, but have similar characteristics.

The religion is also known as the Elven by some members.

Answer: Church Of All Worlds

Robert Heinlein created the book "Stranger In A Strange Land", but little did he know that he'd eventually spawn a religion with his writings.

According to the church website, its mission is "to evolve a network of information, mythology, and experience that provides a context and stimulus for reawakening Gaia and reuniting Her children through tribal community dedicated to responsible stewardship and the evolution of consciousness."

Believers follow closely the mythology of the 1961 book and the tenets of the religion within said tome.

Answer: Chaos Magicians

H.P. Lovecraft created the Cthulhu Mythos across several writings in his career. Since it fell into the public domain, countless others have joined in and added to the mythos, perhaps none more than the religion known as Chaos Magicians.

There are a few different religions, including the Cult of Cthulhu, who practice Chaos Magic. Many seek out the fictional Necronomicon that Lovecraft invented within the mythos.

Answer: Theosophical Society

Edward Bulwer-Lytton wrote the book "Zanoni" which the religion is mostly based off of.

Several other of his works also played into the creation of the religion.

Members of the society claim the characters in the books were based on real people with powers.

Answer: The Church Of The Flying Spaghetti Monster

The popularity of this religion gained traction after Bobby Henderson wrote a letter to a school board in the U.S. state of Kansas. They were discussing whether to teach intelligent design in school or not. He insisted if they taught that, they would have to teach every religion, including about the Church Of The Flying Spaghetti Monster. His letter went viral and the church was born.

Members of the church are known as Pastafarians.

Answer: Bokononism

Based on the Kurt Vonnegut novel, "Cat's Cradle", Bokononism is based on the same religion he created in the book.

In the book he flat out told readers to stop and close the book as it was all made up. Readers didn't believe it, and instead founded the church in the real world.

The church sets up the "Camp of Bokonon" each year at the Burning Man music festival in the Nevada desert.

Answer: Festivism

Festivism was born out of the "Seinfeld" episode "The Strike", when George Costanza's father brings in the Festivus Pole. George was then forced to explain to his friends what Festivus is.

Festivus is held each December. It invloved a simple aluminum pole, the "Feats of Strength," and the "Airing of the Grievances".

A California judge ruled that the religion was real and forced a prison to allow an inmate to celebrate the holiday.

Answer: Church of Scientology

L. Ron Hubbard, best known outside of being a religious leader as the author of the science fiction novel "Battlefield Earth", wrote "Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health".

That book was the basis of what would eventually be known as the Church of Scientology. Hubbard, who died in 1986, was named one of the 100 most influential Americans by "Smithsonian Magazine" in 2014.