Casey Luskin of the Discovery Institute’s Evolution News & Views has posted an article on the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster’s treatment of the Christmas holiday.
During the holiday season, many Americans take time to seriously and respectfully reflect on Judeo-Christian religious beliefs. Not so for one website, the “Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster” (FSM), a pro-evolution satire against intelligent design. They exhibit no interest in treating Christian holidays with respect. To celebrate the season, they are selling Christmas cards which show a dead Christian fish symbol. Other Christmas Cards portray Michelangelo’s well-known “Creation of Adam” painting on the Sistene Chapel, but the FSM cards have God replaced by the “Flying Spaghetti Monster.†Another graphic promoted on the page shows a nativity scene where Jesus is replaced by the “Flying Spaghetti Monster.” I can appreciate humor, but it’s also clear that the FSM images are intended to mock traditional religion:
…
I disagree with most of what he’s saying – we are no more mocking Christian beliefs than Christians are mocking ours – but it’s still an interesting read.
Read the whole article HERE.
“I can appreciate humor, but it’s also clear that the FSM images are intended to mock traditional religion:…….”
.
Right on about that christian parody of FSMism mocking our beliefs, Prophet Bobby! RAmen
“I’m not one who mocks, so whether you worship God or mock Him, and whether you had a turkey or spaghetti and meatballs for Christmas dinner, I sincerely hope you have had a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, and a safe holiday season.”
.
Well now, there’s a surprise! Are they up to something or just trying to reign in the damage, that Demski and others have done to their cause over the past few weeks?
The IDiots can be a very sneaky lot.
RAmen
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Oh my FSM, enough with the blasted complaining! So we may or may not be making fun of their holiday celebrating an event that may or may not have happened years and years ago. Don’t these people have better ways to spend their time? Can’t they go and…feed the hungry or something? Jeeze!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Unless I’m missing something I note there’s no way to comment on that article…
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
RAmen to Gill and Wench Nikky!! It’s time for the complaining religious freaks to:
1) stop being hypocrites about their own so-called religions,
2) get a life,
3) learn some spelling and grammar!!!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I’m leading the fight at my school to get FSMism taught in biology classes and so far im winning. Yet I am fearful that i will be attacked by scientists and christians/catholics. I might make it onto the local news also, they seem interested. I’ve got 4 pages worth of supportive evidence that my principal asked for, and im almost ready to present it to him. If any of you, my friends, could help me in my fight, I would appreciate it very much. Help me bring the FSM to Massachusetts!
RAmen!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I have been searching for quite awhile for some answers. Thank FSM for using the noodly appendage to guide me to your site. I feel so much better now…All Hail the FSM!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
@gill Dec 29th, 2006 at 11:23 pm
“Unless I’m missing something I note there’s no way to comment on that article…”
.
Sneaky I tell ye Gill, downright sneaky. Just like their…ahem…designer “science claims”
.
@Alchemist, when you come on board, please don’t give in to showering little daffodil with the attention he so desperately begs for. He’ll drag you down to his level (where he is an expert) and beat you every time! :)
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
If nothing else, this Discovery article should bring us in a sizable infusion of new, pseudo scientific mail.
:) :)
RAmen
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Casey Luskin keep calling the scientist supporting fsm for “Darwinists”. Isn’t such language mainly used by creationists? (If scientist just followed Darwin blindly, like the wording suggest, for one thing the importance of mutations would not have been discovered – not even the concept of genes was known at the time.) Does this mean that the discovery institute is run by the ID-people, although other parts of the article seem less biased? I guess I must have a look at their web-site.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
‘ “Flying Spaghetti Monsterism†is “a satirical ‘religion’ created by Bobby Henderson, a physics graduate of Oregon State University’
no more real then your religion yours, at least we have proof behind ours
RaMen
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
@Henry
Discovery is the home of ID, as well as home base of it’s two star clown princes, Demsky (my favourite) and Behe.
There are some substantial differences between them and the completely mad YECs.
Really hard to miss a YEC, (they won’t let you!), however the IDiots are often disguise themselves as unbiased scientists and more far more insidious.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Hi Nikky,
If you like the Discovery Institute cklowns, then you may enjoy the read on
http://arstechnica.com/journals/science.ars/2006/12/27/6407
I only looked at the introduction of the nearly two hour webcast sofar, seeing all of it should be interesting. Some of the other webcasts also seem worthwhile.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Thanks DutchPastaGuy I’ll definately check it out.
I love IDiot clowns. Can’t eat too many in one sitting however, as they usually take a fair while to digest.
Thought I should come and correct the spelling of Dembski’s name in case someone wants to Google it or something. Done! The names Dumbski and Be-hehehe may also return some hits from Google.
RAmen
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Speaking of YECs, Professor Andrew McIntosh has just reposted BBC site, the reguarding his public stand that the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics denies the validity of evolution. I’ve been following the thread on and off over the past few days and just hit paydirt with his latest post. For anyone interested in that saga:
The start of his post:
#101.
At 07:26 AM on 30 Dec 2006,
A C McIntosh wrote:
Now that the 2nd law has had time to work on the Turkey this Christmas…… maybe a few words are in order on thermodynamics and living machinery which I spoke about on the Sunday Sequence program on Dec 10th.
.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ni/2006/12/andy_mcintosh.html#commentsanchor
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
“whether you had a turkey or spaghetti and meatballs for Christmas dinner, I sincerely hope you have had a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, and a safe holiday season.”
.
A fine sentiment, but there is really no ned to choose. Have spaghetti with turkey meatballs!
.
OEJ, Happy Holidays and Merry Mithras.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
i spied in the aforementioned article
.
“While much of this is witty and fun, these comments reveal an underlying anti-religious mindset by these Darwinist academics who “endorse” FSM in a tone which mocks traditional Judeo-Christian religion.”
.
you’re about 2 months too late, in case anyone was in any douby here’s the link
http://www.venganza.org/2005/08/25/i-dont-believe-this-shit.htm
.
so, dearly piratical, we are gathered here today to join in shanty….
all together now
mock, mock, mock,
mock, mock, mock,
mock, mock, mock,
mock, mock, mock,
mock, mock, mock,
mock, mock, mock,
MOCK
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
It is not just “a dead Christian fish symbol”, it’s a “dead Christian fish symbol with a pirate eye patch”, thank you very much. Yarrrrr me noodly’s.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
“…it’s also clear that the FSM images are intended to mock traditional religion”
.
Mockery is the sincerest form of flattery, or something like that. I just don’t get that this is a bad thing. Satire mocks. If it didn’t it wouldn’t be very effective, now would it. And, we are just giving an eye for an eye, or an eye-patch for an eye-patch. Aaaaarh!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Dumbski’s like an adult TLM
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
While we ourselves may at times mock any and all religions (especially scientology), Pastafarianism only mocks ID. It does a very good job, too.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
@Sacreligous Sea-Dog
If ever a cretin is denying the FSM bring in the Gospel, then when he/she attempts to burn it tell he/she that Nazis burned books! It will get them to shut up every time. (note: only tried on one person)
Also have the open letter to the Kansas school board magically be open on your teachers computer. With this I have created One (1) teacher who excepts pastafarianism as a religion although he hasn’t fully converted.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Saying we are only against Judeo-Christains is not fair. I feel that we give all religions equal time, but the Judeo-Christian people are the only ones that try to retort.
.
The Muslims are a non-iconic group, so it would be difficult to make an icon that would accurately poke fun at them. Nearly all the pagan icons have been either subjugated or destroyed by the Christians. Anime has done a good enough job at ridiculing the Eastern religions.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
What makes these people write such rubbish? “I appreciate the humor…” if he apreciates the humor then what’s the problem? a big thing in FSMism is that we don’t care what others believe, we present the evidence and our arguement then they make up their own minds. it’s our ultra cool pirate fish not a christian holier-than-thou fish symbol, we present our ‘creation of man’ and prove Jesus was not the FSM in disguise. We’re not mocking you, by coming on here and expressing your hateful and quite messed up opinions you’re mocking us and you’re so out numbered you wouldn’t believe 10000000 vs. 1.
RAmen you christian son of a bitch
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I find it hilarious that these, secure in their own knowledge types. Have taken notice of, and been offended by the FSM.
That seems to speak volumes for the overall credibility of a Flying Spaghetti Monster.
Besides, publicity, be it good or bad. Is always better then no publicity.
Ramen
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Practical thought: would it be difficult for the web admins to make the number of posts in a thread appear along the thread title on the home page? That would relieve us regulars of checking every time in the most recent threads if new entries have been made.
Also, as some of us are using the forum basically as an instant chat tool, why don’t we exchange Skype ids (mine is tpcklaver).
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
RAMEN!!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Wow, did I just get an endorsement from his Noodlyness?!?
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Not sure?
Ok, someone has to tell me the difference between a christian fish, and a regular fish?
Because I just don’t know? Has a christian fish been baptized or something?
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
@Nikky They’re bringing up the second law AGAIN? As MC Hawking put it so brilliantly in ‘Entropy’, “Creationist always try to use the second law/ To disprove evolution, but their theroy has a flaw/The second law, as we know, is quite clear about where it applies/Only in closed systems must the entropy count rise/The Earth’s not a closed system, it’s powered by the sun/So **** the damn creationists, Doomsday get my gun”.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
dantes_torment Dec 30th, 2006 at 10:08 pm
@Nikky They’re bringing up the second law AGAIN? As MC Hawking put it so brilliantly in ‘Entropy’, “Creationist always try to use the second law/ To disprove evolution, but their theroy has a flaw/The second law, as we know, is quite clear about where it applies/Only in closed systems must the entropy count rise/The Earth’s not a closed system, it’s powered by the sun/So **** the damn creationists, Doomsday get my gunâ€.
.
That’s good, I think dantes_torment?
But what does any of that have to do with christian fish?
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I for one am getting tired of being referred to as a “mock religion”. What does a religion have to do to be taken seriously?
Oh yeah, kill.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
@dantes_torment
“The Earth’s not a closed system, it’s powered by the sun/So **** the damn creationists, Doomsday get my gunâ€.
.
As we keep telling them over and over and over and…………………..again.
If you havn’t done so you should check forum out. A pretty good balance of scientifically ignorant YEC minions and those from rational science. The typical YEC argument (hahah…that’s a funny name for what they do) argument technique: Everytime someone answered one of their claims, change the subject to some broad stupid undefined question or totally unrelated statement. All the usual ones:
/attack on Darwin/200 scientists agree withus/atheists are bad/Richard Dawkins is satan/yeah but can you prove god doesn’t exist…. ect!
But it’s a good forum. I’ve had a little fun there ;)
Thing about this McIntosh saga, is that he is a Professor of Thermodynamics stating his views publicly and another Professor has spoken out in support. The sh*t is really hitting the fan over this one.
That is for those who aren’t familiar with this current crisis for the YECs
RAmen
The latest post I linked earlier has it’s own forum now as well. Waiting to see one start on the Dawkins site!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
After checking out the discovery institutes web-site, it is clear that Nikky’s comment about them is right, but I find their agenda and strategy really worrying. Their claim of objectiveness, trying to make it look as if there is a real dabate among serious scientists make them a dangerous enemy. It makes me suspect there must be some smart people behind it, at least smart in a strategic sense. (It never ceases to amaze me, that no matter how stupid an idea is, it still manages to get at least a few smart supporters.) Fortunately FSM is the perfect opponent to the discovery institute, being able to expose them as ridiculous, and not giving them any of the credibility they could gain in a serious scientific debate. Any other means to oppose ID is likely to be counterproductive. One may easily win a scientific debate, but the message that reach most of the audience could very well be just that there is a debate among scientists over these issues. Keep up the good work!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
@Peter Popoff – Christian fish has to swim in your holy water silly! And they have to get out to pee.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
“no matter how stupid an idea is, it still manages to get at least a few smart supporters.”
As long as there is enough money, (I think Discovery is rolling in it) you can buy the best spin doctors in the business. Also buy a few new believer scientists or even grow/train your own. (who cares if nobody in repectable science recognises their credentials!!!)
.
“but the message that reach most of the audience could very well be just that there is a debate among scientists over these issues.”
.
I so agree with that statement Henry. RAmen
I try to be careful and make sure that I point out, as often as possible, in any discusion that there is no real debate. Many in fields of science refused to comment in the piece for this same reason. Trouble is now those science academics are realising that the general public is mostly ignorant of the finer details of most things being contended.The YEC/IDiot bandwagon are pushing for favourable public opinion and therefore influence over government policy. I think those with enough knowledge/intelligence reguarding the areas brought up in these arguments should contribute if possible without getting bogged down in them. This leaves the higher professionals to handle whatever they need to on their own level. Mind you it hasn’t taken a rank of Professor to shoot down McIntosh et.al., even though Richard Dawkins did a good job of it. Doesn’t matter what rank you hold if you know what you are talking about, which Professor McIntosh clearly does not! (or more likely is deliberately being interlectually dishonest)
.
The higher ranks, as I call them have their hands full trying to protect scientific integrity on a number of levels.
.
Examples of Political Interference in Science
http://www.ucsusa.org/scientific_integrity/interference/a-to-z-alphabetical.html
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Sorry guys, wrong link for the “Union of Concerned Scientists” site, but the following one is correct:
http://www.ucsusa.org/ucs/about/
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
This page concerns what I was referring to in (that rather long), as in political interference , post above.
http://www.ucsusa.org/scientific_integrity/
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
On a lighter note, I picked this link up, (posted by Peter Hearty), over on Richard’s Grand Canyon forum.
.
“Mathematics is an Atheist Lie” by Peter Hearty
http://www.hearty.plus.com/bumblism/maths.html
Reminded me of our own attempts at triming down the numbers in the system.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Nice one Nikky, worth a bookmark for me too.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Reguarding the Grand Canyon fiasco
Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).
“…..In a letter released today, PEER urged the new Director of the National Park Service (NPS), Mary Bomar, to end the stalling tactics, remove the book from sale at the park and allow park interpretive rangers to honestly answer questions from the public about the geologic age of the Grand Canyon….”
.
I think these public employees may already be dedicated pirates, (I’m 99% positive….notice the global warming activism links on their site),
but if they are/aren’t, I nominate them for some sort of Pirate/Pastafarian Award. Almost suffering terminal dementia from fighting fundies on a few boards over the past days, (you all know how reading that crap continuously effects your brain), I don’t have a single thought as to what this award would be called!!!
What do you guys reckon?
Oh and it’s just gone 12am here, so HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone. I decided to have a quiet night in for the above reasons, plus it was pelting rain here all afternoon.
May the cracks in the masks, of the enemies of rational reasoning, widen further with this arrival of the new year.
Happy New Year all My Pastafarian Warrior Bretheren.
RAmen to you all.
(from the land in the future)
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I find it hilarious that these, secure in their own knowledge types. Have taken notice of, and been offended by the FSM.
That seems to speak volumes for the overall credibility of a Flying Spaghetti Monster.
Well said, Peter. Only someone gullible enough to believe in talking bushes, virgin births and holy zombies could feel threatened by the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Speaking of zombies, did Jesus and Lazarus steal cursed Aztec gold? Just wondering…
What these religious zealots really hate is that we are now playing by their own rules, and in the process showing them how ridiculous they all are. Reason doesn’t have any effect on these people, so I suppose this is the only way to combat nonsense. I have no doubt that many, many Christians feel trapped in the religion of their upbringing, and would welcome the noodly embrace of the FSM if only they were aware of Him. We have our heading, mates. Raise anchor and set sail to spread the word! Arrrrrr.
RAmen
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
So many religions are modifications of earlier religious incarnations, just think of the umpteen varieties of christianity out there in the world. One might argue that FSMism is merely modifying already well known and beloved symbols, not a sign of disrespect (quite the contrary!), and shows the “evolution” of a novel religion (and we know what the ID guys think of evolution). And hence the “Discovery Institute” which although supposedly a science institution (pseudo-science, by any real science standards of course), is actually displaying their parental religious attitude, and their dislike for the new religious offspring, FSMism. However, I think the “Discovery Institute” are themselves a bastardization of a form of Christianity, and they are a self-nominated group that speak for a small subset of Christianity, and should not be considered to be representative or an authority for anyone, they are just a poor attempt at trying to reconcile science and religion by misquoting science and ignoring the scientific method.
Maybe we should create a “Spaghetti Monster Institute” to study his noodly-ness. It could give out grants for scientific study. The grants could be in $1 increments, more than sufficient to buy at least 2, perhaps 3, depending on your geographical location, packages of RAmen. There could be a grant proposal page, where people’s 2 paragraph submissions are posted on how they would use funds to study his noodly-ness?
RAmen to you all.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
the thing about the evil maths is funny. *bookmarked*
.
I had to explain to a co-worker yesterday how there really wasn’t any scientific debate about ID and that the whole thing had been made up by a bunch of american bible bashers.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
RAmen Nikkiee.
The more I read some of the ID sites – including the ones linked in here – the more I realise that ID isn’t warmed over creationism so much as Christianity on the ropes.
No wonder they’re fighting so hard. In pursuit of science credentials they’ve shed all but a single shred of their dogma – that life on earth was created. They’ve even shed by whom or for what purpose that’s how little ground they have left themselves with.
If they can’t defend that then they may as well pack their bags and go home. Hint. Hint.
So I can understand why they fight like banshees for it because they must realise that their arguments dn’t win ground and even if they did they’ve got a mountain to climb to justify the remainder of their belief system.
I think they must really hate CoFSM because some college kid can make up a more convincing religion and accidentally recruit followers from all around the world with no funding and the best they can hope to manage is to hold their position.
Reading your post I think you might be professionally involved in holding the line against their nonsense. Is that right?
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Dawkins has been voted man of the year on BBC’s William Crawleys blog!!
Check out
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ni/2006/12/person_of_the_year_2006_1.html
In an earlier thread on this website I posted the election url and encouraged people to vote for Dawkins. Many thanks to all Pastafarians who did. This should carry atheists (and rational thinking people in general) into the new year with a very happy feeling. Just imagine: on the blog of the man who hosts a religious BBC program, the worlds number one atheist is voted man of the year. Yummie!
I hope Dawkins keeps up the good work in 2007. The world sure needs it. Forwards rationalism, down with religion.
If you like, go over to that discussion blog and post some message cheering the decision! That way they’ll know that atheism wasn’t just a blip at the end of 2006, we’ll be there very much in 2007.
And how are you feeling, prof. McIntosh?
Bobby Henderson, if you read this, why not start a separate thread for it? Pastafarians were a sizeable force in the voting. This should interest many of your congregation.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
you guys are freaking nazis its sounds like something a 6 yr old would make up “ohh all hail a fucking spaghetti if you worship spagetti then why the hell would you eat it so screw yu and your stupid religon i think ill stick to the God factor so go blow your spegtti king or queen what ever works for you fucking mental cases
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
@ Micheal, Thanks Micheal!
FSM loves you too! And Happy New Year!
Ramen
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Michael,
If I worshipped Jesus, then participated in Holy Communion, I would be eating the body of Christ. Yes, I know. That’s barking mad, I tell you. It really sounds as if you need a time out, or possibly a big noodly hug from the FSM. Such hostility.
I am curious about your use of the term “Nazi” to describe my mateys. Please elaborate as to how Pastafarianism is indistinguishable from Nazism. As history tells us, Nazis were intolerant of any criticism, they believed they alone knew the truth, and they were willing to murder millions of people in pursuit of their demented ideals. Hitler even claimed to be doing God’s work, curiously enough. At any rate, I look forward to your well thought-out, erudite response. Sauce be with you.
RAmen
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
@Captain Noodulous Silicate TBHNA
“Reading your post I think you might be professionally involved in holding the line against their nonsense. Is that right?”
.
No Captain.
I’m just one of the minions who believes strongly in the cause, who tries to keep track of what is happening.
If I have some confident knowledge of what is being debated, then I’ll get involved.
I have to mention McIntosh again. After my last posts I dropped over to the BBC to check what was happening and more rather professional people (there were already a number there) appear to becoming involved and posting.
Seems there is a lot of detail in the devil of McIntosh’s assertions, in the way of relating to reversable ezyme reactions, enzyme kinetics and increasing complexity on biological molecules to TLSOT. Enzyme kinetics….very important and basics are taught in first year…but I just don’t like the taste of them….gurh!.
Eagerly following along though.
RAmen
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
@Micheal. Oh, no. Another teenager in angst who can’t spell his own name. Is there no end to this? I don’t have a lot of confidence in the next generation who will be in power.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0