Church Of The Flying Spaghetti Monster Members
The Church Of The Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM) is a religion founded in 2005 by Bobby Henderson, a physics graduate from Oregon State University. This religion is primarily a parody of the belief in the Christian God, and its members, who are called Pastafarians, worship a deity that looks like a giant noodle with meatballs on top. The religion has been widely recognized in the United States and other countries, with some members even lobbying for the recognition of Pastafarianism as a religion.
The Origins of the Church Of The Flying Spaghetti Monster
The Church Of The Flying Spaghetti Monster was established as a response to the Kansas State Board of Education's decision to teach intelligent design in public schools. Intelligent design is the belief that the complexity of life can only be explained by the intervention of an intelligent designer, which many people believed to be God. Bobby Henderson, who was studying physics at the time, wrote an open letter to the Kansas State Board of Education, stating that if they were going to teach intelligent design, they should also teach the belief in the Flying Spaghetti Monster as an alternative theory.
The letter quickly went viral, and the Church Of The Flying Spaghetti Monster was born. Bobby Henderson created a website, venganza.org, where people could learn more about the religion and become members.
The Beliefs of the Church Of The Flying Spaghetti Monster
The Church Of The Flying Spaghetti Monster has a set of beliefs that are based on the idea that the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster. Pastafarians believe that the universe was created after the Flying Spaghetti Monster got drunk, and that the first humans were pirates. They also believe that the decline in the number of pirates in the world has led to an increase in global warming.
One of the most important beliefs in the Church Of The Flying Spaghetti Monster is the rejection of dogma and the importance of individual freedom. Pastafarians are encouraged to think for themselves and question everything, including their own beliefs. They are also encouraged to have fun and not take themselves too seriously.
The Practices of the Church Of The Flying Spaghetti Monster
As a parody religion, the Church Of The Flying Spaghetti Monster does not have any official practices or rituals. However, there are some practices that are common among Pastafarians. For example, some Pastafarians wear colanders on their heads as a symbol of their belief, and others celebrate "Talk Like a Pirate Day" on September 19th.
Some members of the Church Of The Flying Spaghetti Monster have also been involved in political activism. In 2016, a member of the religion was allowed to wear a colander on her head in her driver's license photo, after arguing that it was a religious head covering.
The Recognition of Pastafarianism as a Religion
Although the Church Of The Flying Spaghetti Monster was created as a parody religion, some members have been lobbying for its recognition as a religion. In 2010, a Pastafarian member in Austria was allowed to wear a colander on his head in his driver's license photo, and in 2016, a member in the United States was allowed to wear a colander on her head in her driver's license photo.
However, the recognition of Pastafarianism as a religion has been met with some resistance. In 2016, a Dutch court ruled that Pastafarianism was not a religion because it did not have a "seriousness and coherence" that would be required for a religion to be recognized.
Conclusion
The Church Of The Flying Spaghetti Monster is a parody religion that was created in response to the teaching of intelligent design in public schools. Although it started as a joke, the religion has gained a following, and some members have even been successful in getting their religious head covering recognized in official documents. While some people may view Pastafarianism as a silly religion, its members take their beliefs seriously and see it as a way to promote individual freedom and reject dogma.