'Pastafarian' refuses to take spaghetti strainer off his head for license photo

nj.com ^ | 02/20/2013 | By Anthony G. Attrino/NJ.com

[Responsibility2nd]

SOUTH BRUNSWICK – Motor vehicle workers in Dayton called police on a man who insisted on wearing a pasta strainer on his head during the taking of his driver’s license photo, according to a police report.

South Brunswick police officers responded to the MVC facility on Route 130 on a call that a man renewing his driver's license refused to remove the strainer on his head, according to a police report. The incident occurred about noon on Saturday, Feb. 2.

The man, Aaron Williams, 25, who gave an Egg Harbor Township address, told motor vehicle workers the strainer was a religious head covering and he had a right to wear it in his driver’s license photo.

Williams said he practices Pastafarianism.

Pastafarianism, or the Church of the Flying Spaghettic Monster, is a movement opposing teaching in schools of intelligent design and creationism.

[Pharmboy]

Nyuk nyuk!! Nice one...

[The Antiyuppie]

“The guy should be arrested for perjury as it shouldn’t be too hard to ascertain that he is, in fact, an atheist, and a troubled one at that. Which would be hard to reconcile with any religion, particularly one that doesn’t have any measurable congregation.”

I really don’t know where to start with the above comment, but I will give it a shot.

0. Because he is obviously troubled, he should be psychoanalyzed to determine what, if any, religion he has.

Then...

1. He should be arrested for not having a religion.
2. He should be arrested for not having a popular religion.
3. He should be arrested for having a false religion.

I suspect that you are a Republican, but I’m sorry, the fascist/statist end of the political spectrum in the US is already well-occupied and covered by the liberals of the Democratic party. Please try again. On second thought, I believe that you might do very well in Saudi Arabia or Iran.

[Tanniker Smith]

Or the more likely explanation is that I'm well aware of the fact that this isn't the first moron to pull the spaghetti strainer stunt claiming to be a member of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Others have tried this in the past. Big shock -- they were atheists making some kind of weird point. If any wasn't (and I'm not aware that any weren't), they still weren't a member of that church because it doesn't exist. It's a joke.

Would you allow someone to wear an ancient Egyptian headdress on a drivers license because they claimed to worship Ra?

So, simply put, person sues government because it's violating his religious beliefs. Person doesn't actually have those religious beliefs. Person has perjured himself and wasted everyone's time. Person should be fined and/or locked up, as the law prescribes.

No one advocates prison for fools claiming that they are "pastafarian", only ones who pull crazy stunts. (And if this guy isn't suing, then, fine. Leave him alone. But don't give him a license, either.)

[Tanniker Smith]

I suspect that you are a Republican, but I’m sorry, the fascist/statist end of the political spectrum in the US is already well-occupied and covered by the liberals of the Democratic party. Please try again. On second thought, I believe that you might do very well in Saudi Arabia or Iran.

By the way, not Republican. Should I label you a liberal or a socialist? Nah, I wouldn't, because then I would be prejudging someone based on no information. Kinda like you did. Have a happy day.

[UCANSEE2]

Yes in fact, I do - none! That is the fairest thing possible and this photo IS for legal identification purposes. I don’t see Jews whining about having to take off their yarmulkes. I can’t even wear my GLASSES when that photo is taken. I like my glasses.

Well... I agree with you, but I don't think the Muslims do. And that may very well be the point of this 'refusal' to remove the strainer. (or the guy is just crazy).