US Pastafarians demand equal rights to place a public holiday display

[Calliegirl]

The board is going to vote on this tomorrow morning. I don't know how she kept a straight face through the whole thing, but I thought it was great. I thought it was kind of rude of the female board member to leave like she did.

 

[Kitties]

I didn't watch every bit of it. But I will say that one guy was pretty patient. Ramen.

 

[FortyTwo]

County Commissioner: Now, uh, what was the Flying Spaghetti Man?
Girl, slightly offended look: The Flying Spaghetti Monster.

You tell 'im!

 

[sequoia]

I'm sort of curious as to the motivation behind this. Personally, I think it makes those of us who don't believe seem a bit petty and foolish.

Also, it fuels the false notion that atheism is a belief and religion in the same sense that Christianity is.

Or maybe I'm just no fun like that

 

[FortyTwo]

It's less of a mock on religion than it is an attempt to bring it down to face level.

Pastafarianism began with an open letter to the Kentucky school board, which had decided to teach Creationism alongside scientific theories. Basically it stated that, if you're willing to break the separation of Church and State to teach something which really isn't believed to be true by a large number of people, then why should another equally absurd theory be excluded?

In the case of the video, it is the same. If one religion gets representation on public grounds, then shouldn't another? It's a way for people who don't necessarily believe to get involved and try to make a point.

There will always be the offended people, or the people who don't take it seriously, or who think the purpose is to "degrade" religion, but that's really not the point that Pastafarians are trying to make.

 

[Calliegirl]

Update to the story:
They were denied based on an ordinance the board passed a few years ago, which only allows Judeo-Christian displays.

 

[RabbitLuvr]

Although she was denied, one of the three council members voted in her favor!

I thought I saw on her Facebook page that she's looking into legal representation now?

 

[ledboots]

I'm sort of curious as to the motivation behind this. Personally, I think it makes those of us who don't believe seem a bit petty and foolish.

Also, it fuels the false notion that atheism is a belief and religion in the same sense that Christianity is.

Or maybe I'm just no fun like that

I agree. Plus it was a waste of the time of the taxpayer-paid county commission.

 

[beancounter]

Update to the story:
They were denied based on an ordinance the board passed a few years ago, which only allows Judeo-Christian displays.

I would love to see Buddhist, Hindu or Muslims protest these displays on the basis of discrimination.

 

[cornsail]

Update to the story:
They were denied based on an ordinance the board passed a few years ago, which only allows Judeo-Christian displays.

That sounds blatantly unconstitutional.

 

[FortyTwo]

And by making the case with Pastafarianism, she's opened up a potentially huge constitutional violation in that community.

 

[kazyeeqen]

And by making the case with Pastafarianism, she's opened up a potentially huge constitutional violation in that community.

It's interesting because I was completely indifferent to the pastafarian thing and I felt vaguely uncomfortable with it as it seemed mocking and kind of mean spirited, but knowing the reason that they were denied (because of only allowing judeo-christian displays) is absolutely infuriating, if true...

I dunno, I guess if Christmas displays are offensive to atheists, which I understand, I think they should try and get them removed, not put their own made up religion display up.

 

[sequoia]

It's interesting because I was completely indifferent to the pastafarian thing and I felt vaguely uncomfortable with it as it seemed mocking and kind of mean spirited, but knowing the reason that they were denied (because of only allowing judeo-christian displays) is absolutely infuriating, if true...

I dunno, I guess if Christmas displays are offensive to atheists, which I understand, I think they should try and get them removed, not put their own made up religion display up.

I agree with this.

Although, I actually like Christmas displays

 

[FortyTwo]

"Made-up religion" is a hilarious term. Every religion is made up. The FSM isn't any more or less made up than the Judeo-Christian God.

Petitioning to get Christmas displays removed would be silly. That's just mean-spirited silencing of more voices, and not what anyone needs.

 

[kazyeeqen]

"Made-up religion" is a hilarious term. Every religion is made up. The FSM isn't any more or less made up than the Judeo-Christian God.

Petitioning to get Christmas displays removed would be silly. That's just mean-spirited silencing of more voices, and not what anyone needs.

That's why I said "their own made up religion."

I think it would be fair to not have holiday displays on public property, if the community wanted it. It's not stopping anyone from putting them up in their yards, just at the courthouse, that's not mean in my mind. I personally don't care if people say merry Christmas or put up menorahs and decorated trees or baby saviors in mangers or giant flying spaghetti monster paper mache statues at the courthouse, but I could see how some people might.

The lady in the video, I guess she is an atheist, was insisting that it's a serious religion with actual devoted followers when it's just not, it's a joke. I like the joke, don't get me wrong, but I don't want to play it on other people, and that's kind of what the video felt like to me.

I think it's interesting that the pastafarian icon is a 'Christmas tree' with basically what amounts to unusual decorations.

 

[Calliegirl]

That sounds blatantly unconstitutional.

They are supposedly getting around that by passing that ordinance, which says that only displays they purchase and own can be displayed. They then bought the Jesus display for a dollar from a pastors network, but refused to do the same for a tree of knowledge from an Atheist group.

http://www.examiner.com/article/pastafarian-holiday-tree-rejected

 

[FortyTwo]

That's why I said "their own made up religion."

I think it would be fair to not have holiday displays on public property, if the community wanted it. It's not stopping anyone from putting them up in their yards, just at the courthouse, that's not mean in my mind. I personally don't care if people say merry Christmas or put up menorahs and decorated trees or baby saviors in mangers or giant flying spaghetti monster paper mache statues at the courthouse, but I could see how some people might.

The lady in the video, I guess she is an atheist, was insisting that it's a serious religion with actual devoted followers when it's just not, it's a joke. I like the joke, don't get me wrong, but I don't want to play it on other people, and that's kind of what the video felt like to me.

I think it's interesting that the pastafarian icon is a 'Christmas tree' with basically what amounts to unusual decorations.

But Pastafarians aren't atheists. The two groups overlap, but Pastafarians are making a point that many atheists don't necessarily agree with.

And the idea behind it isn't really a joke. I think the guiding philosophy is just as pertinent as any old-school religion, and perhaps moreso to the modern world. Just because it's fun to dress up as pirates and people use it in a goofy context doesn't mean there isn't a point to be made.

People seriously misinterpret the Pastafarian religion in a number of ways.

 

[RabbitLuvr]

I'm atheist, and Christmas displays per se don't offend or bother me. (Well, except for those giant blow-up things, those offend me.) But government property should not have *any* religious holiday displays, or they need to allow any/all religious holiday displays. Even if someone thinks said religion is a joke.
I am offended that there would be a city ordinance or whatever specifically limiting official holiday displays to Judeo-Christian holidays.

 

[kazyeeqen]

But Pastafarians aren't atheists. The two groups overlap, but Pastafarians are making a point that many atheists don't necessarily agree with.

And the idea behind it isn't really a joke. I think the guiding philosophy is just as pertinent as any old-school religion, and perhaps moreso to the modern world. Just because it's fun to dress up as pirates and people use it in a goofy context doesn't mean there isn't a point to be made.

People seriously misinterpret the Pastafarian religion in a number of ways.

Well, there it is then. I'm one of those atheists that don't agree with their point I guess.

Is the pirate thing part of pastafarianism or is that unrelated? Cause what is the point to dressing up like a pirate?

Sounds to me like pastafarianism as you are describing it is the start of a religion, which is ******* disturbing because scientology started as some guys lark not long ago and now people dedicate their lives to it earnestly. And it's at least as stupid as have a flying spaghetti monster as a deity.

 

[sequoia]

I guess I thought that Pastafarians are just atheists having a jab at religion. I didn't know they take it seriously. Maybe we need a new thread for this.