Hi,
I thought you’d like to see my pic of the FSM demo I held in Parliament Square (London). I’ve also sent you a copy of the pamphlet I made.
Perhaps a little background is in order.
In 2005, the British Government passed a law called the “Serious Organised Crime And Police Act” (SOCPA). Buried deep within new regulations dealing with money laundering etc was an additional, entirely unrelated provision that made it illegal to protest anywhere within 1 kilometre of Parliament without getting express permission from the Police a week before the protest (yup - protesting is a serious organised crime!). The rules were designed to get rid of a guy called Brian Haw, who has been protesting about Iraq (first sanctions against, and now the war) for 5 years non-stop (it hasn’t worked - he’s still there!).
Since the law came into force on August 1st 2005, people have been arrested AND convicted under SOCPA for such heinous crimes as standing at the Cenotaph (the UK’s national war memorial) reading the names of British soldiers killed in Iraq.
Under the principal of “defiance through compliance”, the 3rd Wednesday of every month has seen a series of Mass Lone Demonstrations against SOCPA. The idea is this: what if loads of protesters all turned up at the same time all wanting individual permission from the police to demonstrate? As the police can only really turn down an application on the grounds of public safety or public order, that means if 100 people turn up and apply for permission, then the unfortunate police have to license and approve 100 lone demonstrations. So we all troop down to Charing Cross police station a week before and apply. Come the 3rd Wednesday, we all meet in Parliament Square to demonstrate about - well whatever you feel like.
Anyway.
Last month I read in the paper that since the Creationists have had an arse whipping over “intelligent design” in US schools, they’ve turned their attentions to the UK, on account of we don’t have rules about the separation of church and state.
In September a creationist group calling themselves “Truth in Science” sent a pack to every secondary school (read ‘high school’ if you’re in the US) promoting the teaching of intelligent design as a counterpoint to the proven science of evolution, and including lesson plans and materials for GCSE students (GCSEs are the UK’s centralised secondary education school exit exams).
As it is just as important for UK students to learn about the Flying Spaghetti Monster alongside the scientific theory of evolution and non-scientific metaphysical ideas such as “Intelligent Designâ€, I figured I’d use my Mass Lone Demo for this month to spread the truth of His Noodliness to the people in and around Parliament Square.
It worked really well - I made an anglicised version of the FSM leaflet to distribute and stood by the gates of Parliament in full pirate dress extolling the virtues of Flying Spaghetti Monsterism. Mostly I got just smiles, but there were enough “yars” from people to make me think there are a lot of closet pirates in London. I even got some people to stop and listen to my brief description of the history of the Flying Spaghetti Monsterism, how the FSM created the world and why they should become pirates as well.
Peace
Jo Selwood
Attached: leaflet.pdf
Link to propaganda materials
The English had the best Pirates though, so while it may not have its origins here, I think you could say that England is its spiritual home.
.
I’m a tropical pirate, my spiritual home in South Pacific (or Western Indian - Especially Madagascar).
I basically believe in evolution, but to be factually accurate and fair, it actually hasn’t been proven. (Scientific theories must be proven through experimentation. Perhaps in this case it would just require an extreme amount of incontrivertible evidence.) Microevolution has pretty strong support scientifically, but there is actually a decent amount of evidence suggesting that macroevolution may not be an entirely accurate representation of the development of life on the planet. Just random food for thought. Be careful when you use words like proven and factual and scientific.
jst wanna say well done jo n us in donny (doncaster) are also doin our best but progress seems slow
Doncaster, too! So, we have London, Oxford, Sussex, Birmingham, Manchester and Doncaster between us, at least. The Pastafarian revolution gathers force…
There was an atheist asking how he should dress to show people his faithlessness. I got this published in The Independent today (UK National newspaper)…
“Sir: Jim Bowman could do worse than the full pirate regalia of the satirical Pastafarians, atheists to a man.”
We be spreading the word up North in Carlisle as well as Manchester. Yarrrrh!
@KJ
“Scientific theories must be proven through experimentation.”
It sounds like you are regurgitating BS. You are a bit out of touch with what is actually happening in the real world aren’t you? Suggest you catch up before making more of a fool of yourself then you already have.
May His Noodiless help you seek the truth.
RAmen
ps KJ
“Microevolution has pretty strong support scientifically, but there is actually a decent amount of evidence suggesting that macroevolution may not be an entirely accurate representation of the development of life on the planet.”
Could you differentiate between and show the unrelatedness of macro- and microevolution.
Really, it doesn’t take a lot of brain cells. It won’t hurt I promise.
I just love it when people spout BS with an informed “air”. They are so embarrassing to themselves.
RAmen
Can’t help myself.
” incontrivertible” Is that a new model of car or a new religion? Maybe a god mobile?
YOUR SIK MAN
YOUR GOIN TOO HELL
dude ur all nuts this man is the true savour of us all hail the profet… Hail bobby
FORGIVAN Oct 25th, 2006 at 9:01 am
YOUR SIK MAN
YOUR GOIN TOO HELL
Maybe hell is haveing too reed postes frum forgivan peeple who cant spel?
Pastafarian. Not SIK. This is not an islamic religion.
RAmen
@Cardinal Fang
I checked out the Truth in Science site and some of the lesson plans. These people really are a joke. Each lesson is referenced to mostly the same few papers and/ or authors no matter what the subject. (Including their own text?)
I liked this cartoon in one of the lesson modules. I’m sure there are more.
http://www.truthinscience.org.uk/site/custom/GalapagosFinches.pdf
Great work Jo, add a West Wales FSM chapter to the UK list (based in the birthplace of Black Bart - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartholomew_Roberts ).
I feel motivated to don parrot and strap on my cardboard cutlass and handout your leaflets outside The Senedd.
Aww men, they doin’ it again?
lets plunder em’!!!
One of the FAQs is;
Why does the Truth In Science Board of Directors and Council of Reference include Ministers of Religion?
I think I’ve made my point.
I’ll join the west wales chapter, Malthus. :)
Thanks for the leaflet you gave me! I had a good (but quiet ;) ) laugh on the train home.
Good work telling the government where they can stick their protest ban too!