In recent weeks, a satirical attack on the teaching of Creationism in American schools has become the world's fastest growing 'religion'. The Noodly Saviour looked at the furore He had created and pronounced it good, writes James Langton
In the beginning there was the Flying Spaghetti Monster
(Filed: 11/09/2005)
In recent weeks, a satirical attack on the teaching of Creationism in American schools has become the world's fastest growing 'religion'. The Noodly Saviour looked at the furore He had created and pronounced it good, writes James Langton
For a growing band of devoted followers, He is the Supreme Being; creator of the universe and all living things. To the rest of us, the Flying Spaghetti Monster looks like a giant heap of pasta and meatballs topped with eyeballs on stalks. As it turns out, both interpretations are correct.
In the past few weeks, the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster has become perhaps the world's fastest-growing "religion" and maybe its most improbable. While no one can be sure of the exact numbers of "Pastafarians", as acolytes are called, they may number in the millions
source;http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/mai...1.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/09/11/ixportal.html
In June 2005, Bobby Henderson submitted an open letter to the Kansas Board of Education in response to their scheduling a hearing debating whether to give intelligent design equal time with evolution by natural selection in biology classes. On his Web site, named venganza.org after the Spanish word for revenge, he formally requested that Flying Spaghetti Monsterism be given time in classrooms equal to that given to intelligent design and to "logical conjecture based on overwhelming observable evidence" (evolution). He warned that if this was not done, "we will be forced to proceed with legal action." Shortly afterwards, he received responses from two sympathetic members of the board. A third response was also received in mid-August.
The site received worldwide attention when Boing Boing featured it in June 2005. Traffic exploded in August, when FSM was repeatedly featured on Boing Boing and other blogs and Internet news sites such as Something Awful and Fark.com. Articles in the mainstream media soon followed.
The "Latest News" section of Henderson's site notes that U.S. President George W. Bush [1] and U.S. Senator Bill Frist [2] have publicly supported the teaching of "different ideas" (Bush) and "a broad range of fact, of science, including faith" (Frist) on the origin of life, alongside evolutionary theory. Henderson infers that they support the teaching of Flying Spaghetti Monsterism — though neither has publicly stated a position on FSM.
Beliefs
Images depicting the creation of the universe typically show the Monster, a tree-covered mountain, and a "midgit".
Many of the "beliefs" proposed by Henderson were intentionally chosen to parody arguments commonly set forth by proponents of Intelligent Design.
What are your views about this new Thing...... heard it has caught on like Fire.....and some even claim it to be the fastest growing religion/movement.
(Filed: 11/09/2005)
In recent weeks, a satirical attack on the teaching of Creationism in American schools has become the world's fastest growing 'religion'. The Noodly Saviour looked at the furore He had created and pronounced it good, writes James Langton
In the past few weeks, the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster has become perhaps the world's fastest-growing "religion" and maybe its most improbable. While no one can be sure of the exact numbers of "Pastafarians", as acolytes are called, they may number in the millions
source;http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/mai...1.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/09/11/ixportal.html
In June 2005, Bobby Henderson submitted an open letter to the Kansas Board of Education in response to their scheduling a hearing debating whether to give intelligent design equal time with evolution by natural selection in biology classes. On his Web site, named venganza.org after the Spanish word for revenge, he formally requested that Flying Spaghetti Monsterism be given time in classrooms equal to that given to intelligent design and to "logical conjecture based on overwhelming observable evidence" (evolution). He warned that if this was not done, "we will be forced to proceed with legal action." Shortly afterwards, he received responses from two sympathetic members of the board. A third response was also received in mid-August.
The site received worldwide attention when Boing Boing featured it in June 2005. Traffic exploded in August, when FSM was repeatedly featured on Boing Boing and other blogs and Internet news sites such as Something Awful and Fark.com. Articles in the mainstream media soon followed.
The "Latest News" section of Henderson's site notes that U.S. President George W. Bush [1] and U.S. Senator Bill Frist [2] have publicly supported the teaching of "different ideas" (Bush) and "a broad range of fact, of science, including faith" (Frist) on the origin of life, alongside evolutionary theory. Henderson infers that they support the teaching of Flying Spaghetti Monsterism — though neither has publicly stated a position on FSM.
Beliefs
Images depicting the creation of the universe typically show the Monster, a tree-covered mountain, and a "midgit".
Many of the "beliefs" proposed by Henderson were intentionally chosen to parody arguments commonly set forth by proponents of Intelligent Design.
- The Universe was created by an invisible and undetectable Flying Spaghetti Monster. All evidence pointing towards evolution was intentionally planted by this being.
- According to the pastafarians, the monster created the world starting with a mountain, trees and a "midgit" and continues to guide human affairs with his "noodly appendage." Heaven is depicted as having a stripper factory and a beer volcano. Their prayers to "Him" are typically ended by "Ramen", instead of "Amen".
- Global warming, earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters are a direct consequence of the decline in numbers of pirates since the 1800s. A graph showing the inverse correlation between the pirates and global temperatures was also provided. This component of the theory highlights the logical fallacy of correlation implying causation.
- Bobby Henderson is the "prophet" of this religion.
- Pastafarians believe every Friday is a religious holiday
What are your views about this new Thing...... heard it has caught on like Fire.....and some even claim it to be the fastest growing religion/movement.
