This rocks. Heavy metal fans are being urged to prove their love of the genre by making it a ''religion''.

They are being asked to officially register their faith as ''heavy metal'' while filling in the next Census questionnaire.

In the last census, a similar campaign led to 390,000 U.K. residents listing their religion as Jedi -- the fictional creed from "Star Wars."

Rock magazine Metal Hammer launched its campaign last week and has already attracted nearly 10,000 followers to the Heavy Metal for the 2011 Census Facebook group.

It has even gained the backing of a metal figurehead, Saxon frontman Biff Byford, whom the magazine says will become the proposed faith's ''World Metal Peace Ambassador'' if the campaign proves successful.

To salute those who worship Rock, keep reading for the planet's oddest religions.

Jediism
Also known as:
Temple of the Jedi order
Founders: The Jones Brothers, Holyhead, U.K.
What's that? The Jedi interpret and use the philosophic teachings found in "Star Wars" and other inspirational sources. Jediism is a blend of Taoism and Buddhism. It also shares basic ideals with many other religions and the Code of Chivalry. In spite of holding different views and having different interpretations of the abundant "Star Wars" material, the Jedi share a set of core values essential to their path, namely, the Force and a code of conduct similar to the chivalry code, more commonly known as "The Jedi Code." However, there is no set path and no "holy book."
Where do I sign? www.jedi-church.co.uk. Needless to say, this isn't official footage.


The Church of Google
Also known as:
Googlism
Founder: Matt MacPherson
What's that? That's right, Google, the world-renowned search engine, has a following. These people believe that Google, being omniscient and omnipresent, is the closest Mankind will come to knowing and facing a god. Google can solve all their problems through knowledge, and knowledge is power. They even have nine proofs of Google's godliness.
Where do I sign? www.thechurchofgoogle.org



The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster

Also known as: Pastafarianism
Founder: Bobby Henderson
What's that? It was originally intended as a satirical protest against the decision by the Kansas State Board of Education to require the teaching of intelligent design as an alternative to evolution in public schools. In an open letter sent to the Kansas State Board of Education, Henderson parodied the concept of intelligent design by professing belief in a supernatural creator which closely resembles spaghetti and meatballs. Henderson further called for his "Pastafarian" theory of creation to be allotted equal time in science classrooms. After Henderson published the letter on his Web site, it rapidly became an Internet phenomenon and a symbol for the case against intelligent design in public schools. The central belief is that an invisible and undetectable Flying Spaghetti Monster created the universe.
Where do I sign? www.venganza.org


Iglesia Maradoniana (Maradona Church)
Also known as:
The Hand of God church
Founder: Many fans
What's that? Founded on Oct. 30, 1998 (Maradona's 38th birthday), in the city of Rosario, but it wasn't until 2001 that its members had their first gathering. They now reportedly count over 100,000 members from more than 60 countries. Supporters count the years since Maradona's birth in 1960. It is popular among the followers of this religion to use the neo-Tetragrammaton "D10S" as one of the names of Maradona. D10S is a portmanteau word which fuses Maradona's shirt number (10) and dios, the Spanish word for God.
Where do I sign? You can't. But you can watch this: