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Flying Spaghetti Monster

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Flying Spaghetti Monsterism (FSM) is a satirical parody religion created to protest the decision by the Kansas State Board of Education to allow intelligent design to be taught in science classes alongside evolution.

The "religion" has become an Internet phenomenon that has garnered many "followers" of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (sometimes referring to themselves as "Pastafarians," a pun on Rastafarians) who claim to have been touched by "His Noodly Appendage" and preach the word of their "noodly master" as the one true religion. Flying Spaghetti Monsterism is primarily the invention of Bobby Henderson, a graduate of Oregon State University with a degree in physics.

Developments

File:Touched by His Noodly Appendage.jpg
The Flying Spaghetti Monster is typically depicted as a clump of tangled spaghetti with two eyestalks, two meatballs, and "noodly appendages," here in a parody of Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam.

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 sympathetic responses from three members of the board.

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 humor sites such as Something Awful and Fark.com. Articles in the mainstream media soon followed. FSMism has since received positive analysis from a number of academics.[2] Anthropologist of religion Susan Johnston, for example, argues the FSM has aspects of both male and female, "with both 'noodly appendages' and two round meatballs which clearly represent the Breasts of the Great Mother Goddess."

The "Latest News" section of Henderson's site notes that U.S. President George W. Bush [3] and U.S. Senator Bill Frist [4] 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 specifically on FSM.

In August 2005, in response to a challenge from a reader, Boing Boing announced a $250,000 USD challenge, payable to any individual who can produce empirical evidence proving that Jesus is not the son of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.[5] The challenge is modelled after a similar challenge issued by creationist Kent Hovind, which has been criticized by scientists as being logically flawed in design.[6] The FSM prize was soon raised by matching reward funds to $1 million USD.

Beliefs

File:FSM himself.jpg
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:

  • An invisible and undetectable Flying Spaghetti Monster created the universe, starting with a mountain, trees and a "midgit" (sic). All evidence pointing towards evolution was intentionally planted by this being.
  • 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.
  • It is disrespectful to teach their beliefs without wearing "His" chosen outfit, full pirate regalia.
  • The monster continues to guide human affairs with his "noodly appendage".
  • Prayers to "Him" are typically ended by "Ramen", instead of "Amen".
  • Heaven has a stripper factory and a beer volcano.
  • Bobby Henderson is the "prophet" of this religion.
  • Every Friday is a religious holiday.

See also

File:FSMshirt.jpg
Some websites sell shirts, mugs, and other paraphernalia in support of Flying Spaghetti Monsterism.
File:Flyspaggame.jpg
Screenshot from the FSM church's promotional Macromedia Flash game.[1]

References

  1. ^ Bush: "Intelligent design" should be taught
  2. ^ Frist Backs 'Intelligent Design' Teaching
  3. McCain Backs 'Intelligent Design', 5th down
  4. Teach Science, Not "Intelligent Design"

Media coverage

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Category:Flying_Spaghetti_Monster.
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