Flying Spaghetti Monster
Flying Spaghetti Monsterism 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 since 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
In June 2005, Bobby Henderson submitted an open letter to the Kansas Board of Education in response to their decision on giving intelligent design equal time with evolution by natural selection in biology classes. 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), and stated that if this was not done, then "we will be forced to proceed with legal action." Shortly afterwards, he received responses from two sympathetic members of the board. A third response was also received in mid-August.
Over the next two months, traffic on Henderson's FSM website grew steadily. The popularity of the site exploded in August, when the Flying Spaghetti Monster was featured on several blogs and Internet news sites such as Something Awful and Fark.com. Articles in the mainstream media soon followed.
In the "Latest News" section of Henderson's website he notes that U.S. President George W. Bush [1] and U.S. Senator Bill Frist [2] 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 therefore infers that they support the teaching of Flying Spaghetti Monsterism. Neither, however, has publicly stated a position specifically on FSM.
Henderson's work sparked the creation of many FSM-related sites, such as Spaghetti & Pulsar Activating Meatballs, a "rival" parody that calls for a holy war against FSM.
Beliefs
Many of the "beliefs" proposed by Henderson were intentionally chosen to parody arguments commonly set forth by proponents of Intelligent Design.
- The Universe was created by an invisible and undetectable Flying Spaghetti Monster. 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 was presumably intended to highlight the logical fallacy of correlation implying causation.
- Bobby Henderson is the "prophet" of this religion.
See also
- Creation and evolution in public education
- Creation-evolution controversy
- Intelligent Design
- Invisible Pink Unicorn
- Intelligent Falling
References
- ^ Bush: "Intelligent design" should be taught
- ^ Frist Backs 'Intelligent Design' Teaching
- McCain Backs 'Intelligent Design', 5th down
Media coverage
- New Scientist, "The Flying Spaghetti Monster," 6 August 2005
- Chicago Sun-Times, "Church's spaghetti dinners must be yummy" 21 August 2005
- The Guardian, "Intelligent Design and Pastafarianism," 20 August 2005
- Der Spiegel, "Mein Gott, ein Nudelmonster!" 23 August 2005
- Lawrence (Kansas) Journal-World, "Evolution debate creates monster," 24 August 2005
- Wichita Eagle, "Evolution Debate Spawns a Saucy Monster," 28 August 2005
- Washington Post, "Verbatim: Noodle This, Kansas," 27 August 2005 (Reproduction of the original letter; login required)
- New York Times, "But Is There Intelligent Spaghetti Out There?" 29 August 2005 (Login required)