sherrillee

Recently, I had an ephipany and realized that I missed participating in community worship. In my search for enlightenment I discovered a community that most closley paralells my personal beliefs and wanted to take a moment to share with all of you. Over the past year or so, through my interest in science and related political issues, I have become involved in an international community of atheists, skeptics and freethinkers. This involvement has consisted of reading books and blogs, listening to podcasts, attending meetings and conferences with like-minded individuals.

As I began to consume more and more scientific and skeptical media, I noticed several mentions of something called the Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM), usually used in debates on the existence or nonexistence of god(s) as a modern equivalent of Russel's teapot to show that the burden of proof lies with the individual making an extraordinary claim, and not with the skeptic. I eventually discovered that the FSM had a website, and what appeared to be quite a large following.

The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, or Pastafarianism, is a satirical religious group which has grown out of a 2005 letter written to the Kansas state school board by a physics graduate named Bobby Henderson in protest of a decision by the board to mandate the teaching of intelligent design creationism alongside evolutionary theory in biology classes. The FSM is said to have created the universe, and he uses His Noodly Appendage to interfere with scientific data in order to confuse human understanding and test our faith. In addition, Pastafarians believe that correlation equals causation: because statistics show that the rise in global temperature and the number of pirates in existence are inversely proportional, then dwindling numbers of pirates must be causing the earth to warm, therefore pirates are considered to be holy beings. Group members frequently speak like pirates (or type in pirate dialect), and dress in pirate garb for gatherings.

In conclusion, I've become a Pastafarian.

I've enclosed a link for those of you who wish to examine the precepts of this community in more depth.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gospel_of_the_Flying_Spaghetti_Monster

History of Pastafarians....
While brooding atop Mount Salsa because he couldn't find a pirate ship, Mosey the Pirate captain (a parody of Moses) received some advice from the Flying Spaghetti Monster in the form of ten stone tablets. These were called the "I'd Really Rather You Didn'ts" by the FSM, the "Commandments" by Mosey, and the "Condiments" by his Pirate gang. While there were originally ten "I'd Really Rather You Didn'ts", two were dropped on the way back down the mountain, with eight remaining. This event "partly accounts for Pastafarians' flimsy moral standards". The FSM's commandments address the treatment of people of other faiths, worship of the FSM, sexual conduct, and nutrition.

The Eight "I'd Really Rather You Didn'ts"
(1) I'd really rather you didn't act like a sanctimonious holier-than-thou ass when describing my noodly goodness. If some people don't believe in me, that's okay. Really, I'm not that vain. Besides, this isn't about them so don't change the subject.

(2) I'd really rather you didn't use my existence as a means to oppress, subjugate, punish, eviscerate, and/or, you know, be mean to others. I don't require sacrifices, and purity is for drinking water, not people.

(3) I'd really rather you didn't judge people for the way they look, or how they dress, or the way they talk, or, well, just play nice, okay? Oh, and get this into your thick heads: woman = person. man = person. Samey = Samey. One is not better than the other, unless we're talking about fashion and I'm sorry, but I gave that to women and some guys who know the difference between teal and fuchsia.

(4) I'd really rather you didn't indulge in conduct that offends yourself, or your willing, consenting partner of legal age AND mental maturity. As for anyone who might object, I think the expression is "go fuck yourself," unless they find that offensive in which case they can turn off the TV for once and go for a walk for a change.

(5) I'd really rather you didn't challenge the bigoted, misogynistic, hateful ideas of others on an empty stomach. Eat, then go after the bitches.

(6) I'd really rather you didn't build multi million-dollar synagogues / churches / temples / mosques / shrines to my noodly goodness when the money could be better spent (take your pick):
Ending poverty
Curing diseases
Living in peace, loving with passion, and lowering the cost of cable. I might be a complex-carbohydrate omniscient being, but I enjoy the simple things in life. I ought to know. I AM the creator.

(7) I'd really rather you didn't go around telling people I talk to you. You're not that interesting. Get over yourself. And I told you to love your fellow man, can't you take a hint?

(8) I'd really rather you didn't do unto others as you would have them do unto you if you are into, um, stuff that uses a lot of leather/lubricant/vaseline. If the other person is into it, however (pursuant to #4), then have at it, take pictures, and for the love of Mike, wear a CONDOM! Honestly, it's a piece of rubber. If I didn't want it to feel good when you did it I would have added spikes, or something.

Unintelligent Design
In the chapter "An Alternate Vision", the suggestion of "Unintelligent Design" is proposed. The argument is that because of all the problems in the world, the Flying Spaghetti Monster must have been drunk, careless, etc. when he first created life. A list of ten examples is given to support this, including such things as disco music, Jar Jar Binks, and the decline of passenger pigeons due to the popular McPidgin Sandwich sold at McDonald's.

Schneider and Frederick have recently proposed the first scientific proof of "Unintelligent Design" by claiming that the insertion of species Penne rigate into family Rigatone, order Pasta resulted in the creation of a new species of Noodleous doubleous. Schneider considered the only explanation is that this was caused by the holy Flying Spaghetti Monster, whose "noodly appendage intervened".

Friday Worship
Pastafarians around the world know that, every Friday, they must put on their pirate regalia, and worship the great Flying Spaghetti Monster. So I call out to all of you, please join me this Friday, and all Fridays forevermore in celebration of the Flying Spaghetti Monster in seeking enlightenment.

FSM as a Folk Group
In The Dynamics of Folklore, Toelken defines a folk group as "people who share some basis for everyday communal contacts, some factor in common that makes it possible, or rewarding or meaningful, for them to exchange vernacular materials in a culturally significant way." (Toelken: 1996).

Henderson's website, www.venganza.org, has nearly 5000 registered members, 1500 of whom have actively engaged in regular discussion on the site's forum. These members hail from all over the world, and generally hold scientific worldviews. Members gather in the online forums to discuss a wide array of topics, ranging from debates over scientific topics to newly revealed FSM prophecy. The forums are closely monitored due to the sometimes inflammatory nature of some of the topics discussed in order to keep the entire site from becoming a screaming evolution versus creation fight. This ensures that members will be able to feel comfortable carrying on conversations appropriate to each individual discussion board without worrying about a troll breaking in with an outrageous comment better suited to one of the specified debate boards. Community values evident in FSM interactions and publications include playful irreverence, secularism, humor, skepticism, civil discourse, and having a good time.

Although it exists in a relatively new and somewhat unorthodox interactive space, The Church of the FSM fits Toelken's definition. It offers a place for members to "meet" in cyberspace in order to exchange ideas and information. Members engage in conversation and develop relationships, and as they do so, they create and engage in a unique cultural experience. The group exists primarily online, though FSM branches are cropping up in increasing numbers irl (in real life), especially on college campuses.

Traditionalizing the FSM
Because it is such a young group, Pastafarianism exists in a highly dynamic state. It began with very little established tradition, and in the three years since Henderson's letter, the content of FSM canon has increased exponentially, due in large part to contributions of members on the message boards. Regarding his continuing involvement with the direction of the FSM, Henderson told me the following:

In a 1975 speech to the American Folklore Society, Dell Hymes asserted that traditions should be seen not as static objects in time, but as a process of creation that all humans engage in, consciously or not, to fulfill our need to feel that what we do matters; that our activities somehow fit into a pattern of human behavior that we can trace into history. He coined the term "traditionalization" to describe this process (Hymes: 1975).

Every day on the FSM forums, although they probably don't realize it, people come together to traditionalize. On one level, they traditionalize in the sense that they consciously submit ideas and materials to be included in the canon. They expound on existing ideas and create new ones. They attempt to meld their ideas into a community ethic. Even though the religion they are creating is essentially satire, its emerging structure follows a long line of existing religious forms. This can be seen especially clearly on the "Scripture and Lore" board. There is a sort of communal back and forth effort that has gone into creating the Loose Canon. A discussion took place in October and November 2005, and culminated in a list of twelve suggestions which were declared to be final by the originator. However, even though the original poster appears to have abandoned the topic, the discussion continues today.

On another level, members in the forums traditionalize through their participation in tropes appropriate to the community's values and environment. They join in discussing important issues through a humorous vernacular. Members love to show off their knowledge of FSM lore and terminology in their posts. This creates an atmosphere of community understanding, and allows members to be "in on" their own set of jokes.

Traditionalization and Material Culture
An important means of traditionalization for members is to create FSM related art and craft items and then share photos with other visitors to the site, sometimes including instructions or recipes for others to use. This can take the form of everything from knitting to poetry to pottery. The following are Limericks posted in the "Hymns and Songs" section:

While creating things both far and near,
The FSM had a bit too much beer,
Which caused blurring of plans
And some oddly made glands
(Though He perfected genus buccaneer).
-The Reverend C.S. Rowan

A pasta with grand intention
Procured a fantastic invention.
But drinking too deep,
He fell in His sleep,
And created another dimension.
-EarthRise

Limericks, which are by definition humorous, fit perfectly into the Pastafarian aesthetic. Note the inclusion of beer (Pastafarian heaven includes a beer volcano), and the notion that the FSM might be a bit haphazard (Henderson: 2006).

Creating a Community from Many Identities
The Church of the FSM encompasses an incredibly diverse set of people. Pastafarians tend to come together around shared values or identities and create subsets of an astonishingly wide variety of non-FSM interests. A brief perusal of the threads on the "Miscellaneous Discussion" board turns up posts about tea, math, Showtime's "The Tudors", sports, cakes vs. biscuits, and bacon, just to name a few.

Because the nature of the online forum environment allows members to reach thousands of people in a relatively short amount of time, they are not limited in the obscurity of the topics they raise, because it is likely that at least one other member will see a post and want to discuss the topic as well. This is nearly impossible in face-to-face interactions, especially when there are only a few people present. People in real life, small group situations tend to stick to a few topics that they are all familiar with. Unlike typed words in an online forum, which can be read years after they've been written, spoken words in live conversation are fleeting. It is much easier for individuals who share interests to find each other in an online discussion board than through everyday social interaction in real life. In some ways, I think this makes traditionalizing online easier than in the real world.

Conclusions
The Church of the FSM is a vibrant folk group in the early stages of its existence. It manages to tie together an immensely wide diversity of members through shared values and life experiences. Because of its online genesis and the continued position of the FSM forums in traditionalization, its membership and its folkloric content increase constantly.

Two things to keep in mind: OUR RELIGION IS WAY BETTER, and WE HAVE FLIMSY MORAL STANDARDS.
(Blessed be the Noodly Appendage that deftly spreads the holy marinara, ramen).