The Michigan Tech University Pastafarian club has been the victim of harassment even before their first meeting. The MTU Lode reports:
Two individuals are currently undergoing disciplinary procedures through the Dean of Students Office after an investigation by MTU Public Safety determined that they posted a threatening message on the door of the President and Vice President of a recently-formed student organization called the Pastafarian Club.
Some background on the MTU Pastafarian club’s leaders:
According to the president of the Pastafarianism Club, Matt Halberstad–who identifies as agnostic–the group is a parody “religion.” But the group’s purpose isn’t to attack religion, and one would be hard-pressed to find a member of the group who truly believes in their parody deity–the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
The vice president of the Pastafarian Club, Steven Wheeler–who is atheist–believes that Henderson’s argument boils down to the main belief of the Michigan Tech chapter of the Pastafarians: creationism, whether or not one believes in it, is not a science, and should not be taught in a science classroom.
I agree with that, but there are people - maybe not in this particular club - who do truly believe in the FSM. Also, I want to make the point that there are plenty of Christians who are members of the Christian religion without truly believing in the deity God/Jesus.
The harassment was hateful, not unlike some of the messages I receive. In part, the message said:
they [Pastafarians] should be shot and hanged from the tallest redwood and then thrown to the raging sea.
The individuals who left the hate messages were caught and are now facing a hearing:
The Bias-Related Harassment and Violence section of MTU’s Code of Community Conduct covers threats due to one’s “race, ethnicity, national origin, disability, religious or cultural identity, sexual orientation, gender-identity or gender.” The penalties for violating the Bias-Related Harassment and Violence section range from disciplinary probation to expulsion.
The outcome of this will be very interesting. Even if the death threats were not meant to be taken seriously, they were still hateful messages directed at members of a religious group on campus. What if the harassment had been instead directed at an Islam club? I strongly suspect the kids would be expelled.
I wonder if the school admins are willing to make the statement that Pastafarians deserve less protection against religious harassment than other mainstream religions.
That said, I don’t think these kids should be expelled. But it would upset me if a Pastafarian organization received less protection than another religious organization (or any other organization).
I guess we’ll see what happens.
Read more about it here.
Typo galore, but who cares. Most pirates must have been illiterate in their days anyway.
Can someone keep us upto date with what happens to the thugs that wrote the message, hope they get kicked out!
the kids that bullied those loyal lovely pastafarians should be made to be dressed in full pirate regalia and promote pastafarianism for a whole day, you know, like handing out leaflets and standing under a big banner with a picture of our dear FSM on it in a local mall or town centre or something. Don’t expell them just because they did a few stupid things, embarass them! They won’t forget that!
Once again this begs the question, why are the religious so insecure?
Religious people who honestly believe don’t go around trying to shove it down other’s throats, those who aren’t so sure but think they should believe completely, hate to have any extra doubts raised in their minds.
How did these rednecks get into college, and a technical college at that? A little ironic, perhaps? Kick them out; they’re obviously ninjas. Let them thump bibles or shoot squirrels or whatever they enjoy all day instead of taking up space that could be occupied by rational people, pirates or comely wenches.
RAmen
I’m so sick of pandering journalists smirking cheekily as they confess that “well actually you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who REALLY believes… its just a parody religion.” Would they say that about Islam, or Mormonism, or Scientology? Just because YOU don’t understand it doesn’t mean it isn’t true, and doesn’t give you the right to say that I don’t fully believe it.
@Botty.
Since it had to travel all across the Atlantic, I just got it!
mmmm there is nothing better than beer at 11.45am
Do you know what I like about rednecks?
Bourbon!
۞
Oct 23rd, 2007 at 5:11 am
I don’t think you should expell kids for acts of stupidity.
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Shouldn’t you be expelling stupid people at an university anyway? I mean, they are supposed to be smart right?
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PacificPam: wow, a miracle, Booty sends over rum and you get beer ! It’s a miracle ;)
Want to know how out of the loop I am? I go to school at Tech, and this is the first I’m hearing about this. So somebody is directly threatening my life? Where’s 4Christsake (aka Christ4All), the friendly neighborhood murder prevention expert/sadist, when you need him?!
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I thought things were going so good here, too. There was a pirate themed freshmen orientation, pasta at every meal in the dorms, MTU is a huge drinking school (is grogphilic a word), there are lots of pirate shirts around, and I’ve worn FSM shirts/sweatshirts/eye patches an awful lot and nobody said a thing.
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Then again there is an awful large Campus Crusade for christ influence at Tech. In my opinion it was just some drunk fundies frustrated by the lack of wenches making threats.
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@ PacificPam
“mmmm there is nothing better than beer at 11.45am”
Ever try beer at 11:44 AM?
this is flat-out prejudice! they should be chorged wiith a hate crime
Why am I reminded of Jewish businesses in Germany being painted with “VERDAMMT JUDEN” right before the Nazis unleashed Kristallnacht?
Michael T
ok your going a little to far, it’s not has bad as the onset of the holocaust.
however, what they said is not only offensive to pastafarians but i’m sure some gay peoople would be offended to. maybe we should ask the guys who wrote it….
@Bookem
yeah but i guess it’s the equivalent to putting someone’s head on a pike. it’s meant to scare others and so disrespect for the corpse
to disrespect the corpse.
srry
I cannot see the funny side of a death threat against a university student, especially in a country where massacres on campus are a common hobby.
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I know the part “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” - I missed the one about handing out death threats.
@Bombadil - Tom, how do you feel about putting meatballs on a spike?
I’m impressed with how well Pastafarianism has taken root at that campus. From the article:
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“We’re also here to make Tech better,” Halberstadt explained during the meeting. The group plans to participate in Make a Difference Day. Additionally, inclusive events such as monthly pasta dinners are in the works. They are also hoping that they will eventually be able to bring a comedian, a lecturer or a musician to Tech.”
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Wow, I wish there were enough Pastafarians here at Queens University Belfast for that!
I think as true and righteous pastafarians you should’nt have such bad senses of humour,whoever filed the complaint should be righteously smited…
RAmen!