I have done a good deal of soul-searching lately, reflecting on questions of life, morality, and religion. Via their blogs, a few different friends have introduced me to a Church to which I feel like I might belong, the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
A young religion, Flying Spaghetti Monsterism contends that the universe was created by an invisible, undetectable Flying Spaghetti Monster, beginning with a mountain, some trees, and a midgit. All evidence of evolution was planted by the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Also, there is a direct correlation in the increase of global warming, earthquakes and hurricanes, and the decrease of pirates.
Flying Spaghetti Monsterism has gained attention this year, when our prophet, a twenty-something from Oregon, wrote to the Kansas School Board demanding that if they were going to require that “Intelligent Design” be taught in the classroom, that his theory that the universe was intelligently designed by a flying spaghetti monster, deserves its share of that classroom time.
In researching the religion on its web site, the case for conversion was summed up quickly and convincingly as follows:
WHY YOU SHOULD CONVERT TO FLYING SPAGHETTI MONSTERISM
- Flimsy moral standards.
- Every friday is a relgious holiday. If your work/school objects to that, demand your religious beliefs are respected and threaten to call the ACLU.
- Our heaven is WAY better. We’ve got a Stripper Factory AND a Beer Volcano.
I’m sold, why not? A religion, or a prophet, may be thousands of years old with a worldwide following, or a few months old with a tiny one. Time may bring growth and acceptance to Pastafarianism.
May we all be touched by his noodly appendage… Ramen.