Posted on 04/14/2016 5:01:05 PM PDT by Kaslin
A federal judge in Nebraska has ruled that the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is not a real religion. In the case Cavanaugh-v-Bartelt, the justice found that Stephen Cavanaugh, a prisoner in Nebraska, could not use his belief in the Flying Spaghetti Monster as a legitimate claim for religious accommodations.
The Court finds that FSMism is not a "religion" within the meaning of the relevant federal statutes and constitutional jurisprudence. It is, rather, a parody, intended to advance an argument about science, the evolution of life, and the place of religion in public education. 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."
Cavanaugh tried to claim that his status as a "Pastafarian" entitled him to the rights to wear religious clothing (which the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster describes as a pirate outfit) and to partake in communion (spaghetti and meatballs). A judge rejected these claims as well as his claims that he faced significant burden in practicing his religious beliefs.
The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster was founded in 2005 as a mockery to attempts to put intelligent design theories in school curriculum. Membership is acquired through the church website.
Other states, however, have ruled in favor of other Pastafarians, and allowed them to wear colanders (which FSMism describes as "religious headgear") in driver's license pictures.
While the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is clearly a joke and a parody of religious beliefs, I'm not sure I'm okay with a judge deciding whether or not a religion is legitimate.
Yep.
We live in frightening times when nothing is sacred anymore.
BTW, that "lady" with the colander on her head is probably indicative of the kind of people who gravitate to these things. Ironically, their mockery of religion reveals a deep fear of truth.
Drat, I guess it’s time to get rid of the colanders. And to stop buying those long thin noodles.
I don’t know if I can live with this disappointment.
When will Congress find that Islam is not a real religion, within the meaning of the First Amendment, but a cover for totalitarian socialism, genital mutilation, rape, decapitation, dismemberment, and fecal distribution via the left hand?
Whether a judge should be deciding this depends entirely on the legislature. If the legislature has laid down some specific criteria, which Pastafarianism fails to meet, then it would be legitimate for a judge to make such a decision. In the absence of clear legislation, then the judge is legislating from the bench.
Used to be, you’d wake up dead for that.
They should try it with Islam and see how they fair.
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