Pastafarianism

Pastafarianism
Also known as	Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster
Family	Modern / Satirical religion / New religious movement
Founder	Bobby Henderson
Origin region	United States
Founding period	2005 CE
Central figure	Flying Spaghetti Monster
Sacred texts	The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster; The Loose Canon

Pastafarianism, also known as the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, is a modern satirical religion and social movement centered on the Flying Spaghetti Monster. It began in 2005 after Bobby Henderson wrote an open letter to the Kansas Board of Education during debates over teaching intelligent design alongside evolution in science classes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Overview

Pastafarianism uses religious parody, humor, and satire to criticize special treatment for religious claims in public policy, especially claims about creationism or intelligent design in science education. The Flying Spaghetti Monster is described as an invisible deity, usually depicted as a mass of spaghetti with meatballs and eyestalks.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster presents itself as a welcoming religious community with members in many countries, Friday as a religious holiday, pirate regalia as a symbolic practice, and a humorous afterlife involving a beer volcano.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Key beliefs

Pastafarian beliefs are usually understood as satirical rather than literal dogma. Common themes include:

The Flying Spaghetti Monster as a parody deity
Rejection of religious dogmatism
Critique of intelligent design arguments
The idea that unfalsifiable religious claims should not be treated as science
Use of humor to defend church-state separation and religious liberty
Pirates as symbolic early Pastafarians
The "Eight I'd Really Rather You Didn'ts" as a humorous code of conduct

Britannica notes that belief is not required of church members and that dogma is rejected.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Practices

Practices associated with Pastafarianism may include:

Wearing pirate regalia
Wearing colanders or pasta strainers as symbolic religious headgear
Satirical prayers, ceremonies, and public statements
Online participation in the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster community
Weddings performed by Pastafarian ministers where legally permitted
Legal and public challenges concerning religious equality, free expression, and state recognition

Places of worship

Pastafarianism has no single required place of worship.

Possible gathering spaces include:

Online communities
Homes
Public events
Weddings or ceremonies
Protests and free-expression events
Local or national Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster groups

Sacred texts

Important Pastafarian texts and materials include:

Bobby Henderson's 2005 open letter to the Kansas Board of Education
The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster
The Loose Canon
Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster website materials

Holidays and observances

Pastafarian observances include:

Friday, described by the Church as a religious holiday
"Holiday", a late-December observance
International Talk Like a Pirate Day, sometimes observed informally by Pastafarians
Community-specific events, parody ceremonies, and public demonstrations

Legal status

Pastafarianism has received varying legal treatment in different jurisdictions. Some Pastafarians have sought recognition for religious headgear in identification photos or for the right to perform weddings. Britannica describes varying success in several countries and jurisdictions, including legally recognized Pastafarian marriage activity in New Zealand.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Other courts have rejected Pastafarian claims, treating the movement as satire rather than a religion for particular legal purposes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Branches and related traditions

References