"Cavanaugh's complaint actually contains very little detail on FSMism or its purported requirements -perhaps because the deliberate absurdity of its provisions would undermine his argument," the judge noted. The judge in the case said the vagaries of the case were purposeful. The Nebraska case began when inmate Stephen Cavanaugh filed a complaint alleging his rights as a Pastafarian were infringed by the Nebraska State Penitentiary, but the case he brought had few details on how the supposed persecution took place. Those are important issues, and FSMism contains a serious argument-but that does not mean that the trappings of the satire used to make that argument are entitled to protection as a 'religion.' It is, rather, a parody, intended to advance an argument about science, the evolution of life, and the place of religion in public education. The Court finds that FSMism is not a 'religion' within the meaning of the relevant federal statutes and constitutional jurisprudence. That places the group's claims, the judge wrote, squarely in the category of political speech or satire. In reality, the group's aim is to attack both the doctrine of creationism and "intelligent design" in Christianity and, secondly, the belief that religion – and religious texts – should be taken literally. It was Christians, the group claims, who created a false narrative about the evil wrought by pirates. Those are important issues, and FSMism contains a serious argument-but that does not mean that the trappings of the satire used to make that argument are entitled to protection as a 'religion,'" Gerard wrote.Īccording the "church's" website, FSMism "came out into the open" in 2005, but has secretly existed for hundreds of years – though that seems unlikely with a theology centered on heaven's beer volcano and stripper factory and a belief that pirates were the first Pastafarians. "The Court finds that FSMism is not a 'religion' within the meaning of the relevant federal statutes and constitutional jurisprudence. Gerrard wrote that Pastafarianism – in which the religion's adherents wear colanders on their heads and claim to worship a " Flying Spaghetti Monster" – is not religion, but satire.Īs satire, conversations about "His Flying Noodliness" and "FSMism" are protected as free speech, but its adherents cannot claim the same freedom of worship as an historical religion, the judge said in the ruling. LINCOLN, Nebraska (Christian Examiner) – A federal court in Nebraska has tossed a case in which a state penitentiary inmate claimed he was persecuted because his warden and other prison officials would not allow him to practice his faith – Pastafarianism. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, Norman, Okla./Facebook
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