Pastafarians are gaining recognition. New Zealand just recognized their right to officiate weddings. Australia, however, still refuses to grant them standing as a non-profit religious institution.
Pastafarians have had mixed success elsewhere trying to get official recognition. Last month, a Pastafarian from Massachusetts was allowed to wear a colander on her head in her driver’s license photo after citing her religious beliefs. But the group doesn’t have broader recognition in the U.S. as a religion.
There are now branches around the world, including the Kirche des Fliegenden Spaghettimonsters in Germany.
In New Zealand, the group’s “Top R’Amen” said she hopes to officiate her first wedding next month after her personal application to be a celebrant is approved. She asked her name not be used for fear it could jeopardize her employment.
She said she still needs to discuss with the wedding party whether they will wear colanders or pirate outfits, or perhaps both. But one thing’s for certain — the menu.
Pasta, of course.
I was unaware that Pastafarians now “believe” that global warming is caused by “pirates vanishing from the high seas” or that there is supposed to be a beer volcano in heaven. I suppose there is no liver disease or wife-beating in heaven, so why not a beer volcano?
I wonder of there is a Top R’Amen here in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
“Unfortunately, the Sanders campaign doesn’t have anything other than bluster at the moment that they can put out there,…..”
Her bias in favor of Clinton is long a matter of record, but as chair of the DNC it’s her job to remain neutral. She’s gotta go now.
“I wonder of there is a Top R’Amen here in Chester County, Pennsylvania.”
They’ve already invaded the grocery stores, at least the “Top” ones, the “Acme”, if you will.
Clearly, we should bar all Pastafarians from entering the country until proper vetting can be done.
Why? They haven’t committed any terrorist acts here that I’m aware of.
Crimes against cuisine.
This article reminds me of our contributor/commentor from the early days of the pond, “Boston Joe”. Happy Holidays at your place Joe if you are lurking out there.
No crazier than any other religion. They DO have their tongues in cheek, don’t they?
I believe it’s part of their daily ritual.
Only if the pasta is those squirmy little things borrowed from the Polish … you know the stuff that looks like spaetzle.
Happy Solstice and Festivus (upcoming), Everyone!
Don’t forget the traditional gift of a white garment. When they were little, I used to give my grandsons new T-shirts on Solstice Day. Besides their Christmas presents on Dec 25 of course.
Top R’Amen…
That’s good satire.
“We believe that religion does not have to be about guilt and sin and fear, but can instead be about having fun, enjoying life, and being nice to each other.”
That’s good philosophy.
“The eight ‘I’d Rather You Didn’ts’ and ‘The Random Number of Not Commandments, Suggestions’ mostly contain moral admonitions, worldly advice or pragmatic advice, and thus, have no supernatural or spiritual significance…”.
That commissioner’s noodle is not reasoning very well. The major religious texts and tenets all offer “moral admonitions, worldly advice or pragmatic advice”. The supernatural and spiritual presentations of each religion’s admonitions and advice are intended to elevate their moral constructs above other religions. Pastafarianism is like other religions in this way.
I think there’s a difference. What’s important is the extent to which religions have commandments that are not pragmatic, but that tend to establish authority based on supernatural or spiritual presentations. The point is that Pastafarianism is free of divine command morality.
I agree that there’s differences between monotheistic beliefs and Pastafarianism. That difference is not encompassed by what the commissioner said in the reporting linked in BooMan’s post.
Love me some FSM. beats the snot out of the satan worshippers who went dark when they could have been much more on target when trying to show up organized religion. ridicule and positive humor seem like an effective cure for the hate pouring out of the extreme sides of many (not all) religions.
This got me thinking of the Church of the SubGenius. I thought this was pretty funny:
I believe that Lord Cthulhu is technically a Great Old One and not an Elder God. They may incur his wrath for such a mistake.