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.
Dear Sinshol
I am a newly devout pastafarian and I find your slanderous comment deeply offensive! Do you think other religions such as Christianity and Islam are sad? They are based on as much factual information as the FSM is. How dare you refer to His Noodliness as being a joke! I shall pray to Him on your behalf (He loves you afterall even if you cannot accept it) and I will also eat an extra portion of noodles this evening which should hopefully smooth over any damage your comments may have caused.
Shinshol.. and others posting comments like this just does not get the point. It is not a joke. Is your religion a joke? Why is FSM any less important than any other religion? Teaching of unproven ideas in school should not be done, period and the whole point of the FSM in the first place is to point out that it could be just as “real” as any religion. perhaps they are the ones who should just “get over themselves.”
I continue to proudly display my FSM car emblem for all the world to see.
What makes it any less a religion than something you believe in?
Prove to me FSM doesn’t exist, without saying something slanderous and pointless.
You are right Sinshol, it isn’t a joke anymore. our fake religion lasted close to a decade as a joke. I wonder how long your fake religion lasted as a joke. Maybe you should just lighten up and not post something so ignorant and closed minded in a chat room meant for pastafarians… well maybe one day it will happen… Obama willing
All Hail, Your Flying Highness !!!!
Lol for the first couple comments arguing about “fake” relgions I have something for that Sinshol guy…
Prove the FSM doesn’t exist using a method that won’t disprove your own god.
I dare you.
Why not “Delicious spaghetti sauce cover America” instead of “God/Allah/Whateverfavouritesuperstition bless America”?
Quote:
” Sinshol
Jun 4th, 2008 at 5:29 am
Ok, this ‘religion’ is sad, you guys are so, erm, stupid?
Get over yourselves, it’s not a joke anymore.
Jeez.”
Technically, no. This is not a joke. It is a parody in response to the discrimination recieved by scientists, and the ridiculous “science by popular vote” mentality that Kansas and other areas of this country are faced with.
So while the religion itself is ridiculous, the premise is not. In this country, it is worse to be Athiest than to be gay, muslim, black, female, latino, jewish, or any other minority group. The backlash it recieves is actually a pretty good indicator of how hateful religious groups can be.