I spent a while thinking of a good reply to this, without sounding like some sort of inbred hick or perhaps maybe to get your attention. However, I realize that there pretty much is no way for that to happen, if you put this in your hate-mail section, I’ll probably be mocked just as much as the next guy, who put the stupid comment about how you could never buy a pirate ship. I’m OK with that, I just wish people will actually think about what I have to say rather then ignorantly mocking what I believe personally. Whatever may happen, I don’t really mind, except that I cannot bring myself to be silent on this issue.
I am a Christian, whatever you may think about me, or absurd assumptions you may have about what I look like, think like, or speak like, realize this, I think all beliefs should be treated with equality. Atheism, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, Agonist, Voodoo, whatever, I don’t care, if you believe that you are correct, then you have every right in the world to believe that with all your heart, and nobody should force you to believe what they believe. Now I also believe in open criticism of any of these religions, meaning your Pastafarian view that openly mocks religion. However, it is also my right to criticize the criticism, meaning though while I believe it is your right to mock, harass, and generally make religious persons miserable, I don’t believe it is morally right.
Atheism is a belief just as much as Christianity. Say whatever you want about facts and how religion is stupid and all those who practice it are all idiots, but it still comes down to the fundamental truth that you must believe this to be more true over the other option. I am again, completely fine with that, and that is why I love America so much, because we CAN believe differently then one another, and still live peacefully (to a degree) together. However, mocking is not the right way to go about arguing your belief.
By the way, here is the definition of mocking:1. Tease or laugh at in a scornful or contemptuous manner.
2. Make (something) seem laughably unreal or impossible.
To laugh at someone else’s belief that they dedicate their lives to is not funny or humorous, but I believe is rather childish and immature. This is the main reason why I would much rather sit down calmly with an atheist and have a rational discussion about each other’s beliefs, instead of smacking them in the face with a bible, and shouting how they are going to hell for not believing the undeniable truth that is the bible, or worse, calling their belief idiotic and getting my group of friends together and laughing and pointing in his face.
Of course there are people that do this, hence, you, and there will always be people like you. My job is try to convince you to be rational and discuss each others view points.
I could never put myself in your mindset and read this the same way through your eyes. To you, I just look like another idiot who took this seriously and decided to write a concerned letter and waste his time trying to teach you to be respectful, but the truth is, writing this helps me put my thoughts in order anyways.
If you do have one ounce of thought for my beliefs, at least view this letter with respect, and try to think about what I am thinking when I read this:
http://www.globalone.tv/forum/topics/student-punished-for-spaghetti?groupUrl=flyingspaghettimonster
What I am thinking is that the joke has gone to far. Of course this letter asks for intelligent discussion, and that seems to have never existed in your website, so before I go, let my put it in your language.
Fuck you, and lay off religion asshole.
Sincerely,
Austin
I like it how Austin knew he was on the same side as the guy ‘who put the stupid comment about how you could never buy a pirate ship’, but he went ahead and tried to explain it all anyway. Now that’s dedication.
The question of whether the FSM has gone to far because of the teen being suspended from school is a good one but has a simple answer…no. my personal interpretation of the CotFSM’s teachings (and yes all religion is open to interpretation) is that equality and reason should be considered with any belief system and between belief systems. That being said, I do not see how it is acceptable for a child to be suspended for wearing a pirate costume on the grounds of religion when so many kids (probably a few in the same school) are allowed to wear an image of a man dying on a crucifix around their neck. The symbolism for each scenarios is equally justified yet when you apply logic, the latter is really quite a horrifying image and the former gets a laugh. What a backwards society we live in!
I am not saying with this that people should be banned from wearing crucifixes by any means (though the more i think about it the more disturbing it is), simply that a little objectivity should be used in situations like this, it’s not FSM thats gone too far, it’s the school.
The article wasn’t that damning (I wear pirate outfits to school some Fridays, is that taking it too far?). Also, you can’t start a response trying to be respectful then end with the salutation “Fuck you,” rhetoric just doesn’t work like that
Presumably some Jewish students wear skull caps at school and some Muslims and Hindus wear their headgear so, no: wearing pirate regalia to school on Fridays is not taking things too far. If anyone objects just point out that Pastafarianism is just as real as any other religion and is far more peaceful.
Austin im a christian and i think that this religion just like anything else should be respected and i dont think that there trying to “mock” religion there just using there right to worshop as they want. So why dont you suck a fat cock and let these people worship as they please.
Winner of the Ultimate Illiteracy Award! In one rambling sentence you managed to use “there” as a substitute for both “they’re” and “their”. Do yourself a favor, kid: stop trolling and start studying. No one wants the opinion of someone who looks like a dummy. Except for Conservative Christians, maybe. They seem to like their politicians as stupid as possible.
Yes, stupid conservative Christian politicians is a feature not a bug. It’s a self-fulfilling way to reinforce the foundational belief that government always fails.
In His noodly name,
Sonny
Bingo, Sonny! Then – after a %^@)* fiasco like George W. Bush – they’ll tell you “he wasn’t a TRUE conservative – elect THIS idiot!”
I’m atheist, I have an FSM on my car because I find it funny. The major problem I have with religion is, is the answer “because I said so” enough. Religious people seem to think the variant “because God made it so” is enough (whichever god they believe in.) I’ve been called an idiot for requiring proof of existence. And suspending a kid for dressing like a pirate is exactly what I’d expect from a christian school, because it doesn’t agree with what they say, so therefore it’s wrong. When religious people of all faiths begin to practice what they preach, maybe I’ll listen. Maybe. Just don’t hold your breath waiting for them to change. They won’t.
So I ask you, is “because I/God/Allah/Jehovah etc. said so” enough of an answer for you.
Heaven has a stripper factory AND a beer volcano because his Noodliness said so! If that’s not good enough for you, then you might be a wee bit too serious for the CotFSM. It ain’t religion without silly unprovable verities and the FSM provides enough of those to satisfy even the most wild-eyed fanatic. If you find you can’t accept the unprovable, maybe agnosticism is a better fit. After all most atheists believe that they’ve somehow proven god doesn’t exist, which many, many others find equally silly as stripper factories and beer volcanoes.
BTW, an endless supply of strippers seems more like purgatory. Since it seems their only purpose seems to be to separate the weak and the drunk from their money in exchange for as little as possible. After a few trips to the beer volcano it would seem that the strippers would end up with all the money (is there money in FSM heaven? Hmmmm…). Besides, I have found after much carefully controlled experimentation that strippers are mostly very poor company.
For centuries Dominicans extracted confessions from heretics through burning and stretching on a rack in the name of God, the popes at that time condoned it making the torture holy. Yet now you are winging that there is a website which mocks you, by using an analogy to illustrate the valid point that is-why can’t any other higher power(s) have created the world? This is pathetic and shows short sightedness on your part.
You are so big about opinions but what if our opinion is that your religion is unreal? We just oppose any religion as being taught as the truth without factual basis.