I wrote the Open Letter sometime around January of 2005 and posted it online several months later after receiving no reply from the Kansas School Board. Within days of posting it online, the letter became an internet phenomenon, generating tens of thousands of visits each day, as well as personal responses from the school board members themselves. To date (August 2006), the venganza website has received upwards of 350 million hits, and somewhere in the proximity of 15 million unique visits. This website operates on a dedicated server and uses 600 – 800 GB/month in bandwidth. I’ve received over 15,000 emails in response to the letter.
The letter, after being blogged heavily for months, was printed in several large newspapers, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Chicago Sun Times, and many others. The newspaper articles caught the attention of book publishers, and at one point there were six publishers interested in getting the Word of the Flying Spaghetti Monster out to the public. In the end, the Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster was released by Random House in March of 2006.
It’s now been over a year since the FSM phenomenon started. I hope that a year from now we will be recognized as a legitimate religious organization, with all the same benefits *and tax loopholes* that the mainstream religions enjoy.
Please leave me a comment on the Letter, the FSM movement as a whole, or whatever you like. Thanks,
-Bobby
Using the sort of “deductive reasoning” that I’ve been seeing a lot of lately – Physicists have deduced string theory – string theory has great scientific credence – anyone who researches sciency stuff is a scientist – strings look like spaghetti – these are all facts – therefore one can conclude that these facts provide definitive proof that the existence of the FSM is not a theory, not a hypothesis, but a proven and cold hard fact. All hail the great FSM
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I laughed my ass off when I read the letter. I sincerely hope that this makes school boards around the U.S. realize how fucking stupid they are being. The word being may be removed from the previous sentence without any detriment to its legitimacy or accuracy. All hail the way the flying spaghetti monster puts creationism into its proper perspective, a wholly ridiculous, baseless crock of shit with absolutely no legitimacy whatsoever. Furthermore, I hope that it makes christians in general come to a similar realization that they, themselves are thoughtless and full of shit. Stringy, greasy, pasty shit. Furthermore, I hope all jehovas witnesses die horrible, unspeakable deaths at the tendrils of a flying spaghetti monster-like being. I really do. The way those ignorant, brainwashed fucks persecute the world is sick, twisted, perverted, and flat out disgusting. I also hope, that before the previously mentioned being kills them, he molests them the way they molest children, and then proceeds to rip off their genitals/breasts in super slow motion. I mean super slow, as in, it takes nine years for the part to actually become removed and therefore numb. May the great mother, whose name is Universe smile upon the silly people who came up with the FSM to show creationist how completely full of shit they are.
P.S. I’m so totally buying a T-Shirt.
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Jeremy # 3619: If you are a law student you should be learning to check your facts before committing yourself in writing. Read up on what the CFSM is really about.
Saying “thank God for America” is a tired and childish phrase which may have sounded fine in the 18th century but sounds absurd in the 21st century. If Bush was a representative of your god (as he seemed to imagine he was) then I want no part of your religion.
“Christianity has given you a country where you can practice your lifestyle without the fear of being jailed, tortured, or executed.”
The “American way of life” (whatever that is) was formed from people who practiced a variety of religions: Christians, Buddists, Jews, Muslims and other beliefs, including atheists. America is not god’s own earth: if you want to put a theological expression to it, America is owned by Mammon.
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Dude, this guy is my hero.
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This is very creative and thoughtful! :3
And to all those who wrote hate mail, stop being so sensetive. I’m sure this wasn’t intended to offend you guys. I’m not even sure how it CAN offend. It’s just someone’s ideas and beliefs. Jeez. (P.S. Is it just me, or are half the people who wrote hate mail bad spellers? ;3)
I have been touched by a noodley appendage today… ^_^
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Hey guys,
ur religion is great! I’m from Germany and actually an exchange student in California. My group decided to make a movie about the FSM and so I found the webpage. I have to say I really like ur kind of viewing. The mainstream religions are not bad, of course not, but I also don’t like some of the stuff which is handled there. I can’t believe that people take FSM as a serious religion.
I really want to join te FSMism, where can I do it? And would be possibel that we can get an interview for our movie?
A lot of greetings
Marvin
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WTF!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? I eat spaghetti for dinner. Were u on acid when u came up with this crappy religion? I laugh at your face. If your relgion had a face, I’d punch it lol. Go jump in a lake…and never come back up!!!!!!!!
PS I eat those holy noodly apendages all day!!! AAAAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!! RAMEN!!!!!!!!
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@ 3657:
If you eat ‘those holy noodly apendages all day’
Then im eating your jezus and and god everyday. As they claim to be everywhere at all times.
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Wow. I Feel converted. i read this at school and i am amased. this is the way forward people. we need to lep people know not just in america but in England aswell. ALL HAIL FSM!!!
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@ 3657 – Randomgroupofidiots – ,
You seem to be another of those Zealots who type first and think later (if at all). You were instructed to read the Open Letter and the “About” tab material, which you clearly neglected to do.
I believe that all facets of religion were created by and for people, and that religion is an attempt by people to answer cosmic questions using the best knowledge and data that were available at the time. In the lives of all religions, it seems to have been standard practice for the clergy to define orthodoxy and enforce dogma for the exclusive advantage of said clergy. Whenever some body questions or up-dates the dogma in any way, it is always fought fiercely by the clergy. See: Rome vs Christians; The Inquisition; The Reformation; Galileo; Science. There is not one example of a peaceful transition in the religious world.
Your rage demonstrates clearly that you are out of rational debating strategies. Why don’t you stay in school and learn science, math, and philosophy? It will make the world seem a much less frightening place than what you’ve heard from the pulpit. Start by studying this observation by astronomer Carl Sagan:
“How is it that hardly any major religion has looked at science and concluded, ‘This is better than we thought! The Universe is much bigger than our prophets said, grander, more subtle, more elegant. God must be even greater than we dreamed’? Instead they say, ‘No, no, no! My god is a little god, and I want him to stay that way.’” – Carl Sagan
RAmen
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Hey, let’s not forget the Holy FARTING CHOCOLATE DUDE! He’s a deity to be reckoned with, so don’t piss him off. Certainly, His creation of the universe and life should be taught in public shools alongside the Christian and Pastafarian versions. How can one question the intelligence of the designs of a FARTING CHOCOLATE DUDE? May His chocolatey flatulence envelop you in dense clouds of love.
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this is the greatest thing i have ever come across. you have encompassed everything i thought to be true.
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you have to be a real dumb shit to try to equate historically significant religion with nonsensical bullshit. just because something doesnt seem feasible to you in your tiny spec of “enlightened” glory doent mean that it isnt. how many thousand years has this phenomenon been going? and how long has objective science know all the facts about the world? yeah exactly so shut the fuck up you crettin
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Clearly, a letter written by someone justifiably pissed off with the KSB, but no fucking clue whatsoever about Plato’s notions of forms or essences. FSM is no different than Unicorns in the Backyard or the Orbiting Teakettle or the Horned PZ Myers/Dawkobot Dinosaur Religion. The yearning for perfection, be it the Greek Pantheon, the Indian deities, Yahweh, God or Allah is founded in something more fundamental.
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I think that this site puts forward a plausible explanation for Global Warming, it should taught more in schools.
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Ontological argument for the existence of FSM:
I was on GotQuestions.org, a website that caters to Christian apologists, because I like to know what moves they are trying to pull. Also, for students of philosophy, it’s great practice for spotting fallacies and intentional abuses of logic. At any rate, the “philosopher” responding to a question about FSM, claimed that there are no serious arguments for FSM. So here are some arguments for the existence of FSM, which closely parallel arguments for the existence of God.
Ontological argument
P1.) I can imagine perfect noodles.
P2.) Something that exists in actuality is better than something that exists in the mind only.
P3.) Perfect noodles exists.
P4.) Perfect noodles can only be found in the flying spaghetti monster.
C.) The FSM exists
Teleological argument
P1.) Life without the FSM would be devoid of purpose.
P2.) Life is not devoid of purpose
C.) The FSM exists (by affirming the consequent)
Cosmological argument
P1.) All things that begin to exist are created
P2.) The FSM always existed and never began to exist
P3.) The universe began to exist
P4.) The FSM was the only thing that existed before the universe
C.) The FSM must have created the universe.
I think you see the point. All the serious arguments for the existence of God hold equal weight for the existence of the FSM.
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Obviously, some people get it and, as evidenced by the Hate Mail section, some people don’t.
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While I find the letter insanely hilarious, being a huge fan of South Park which is where the FSM orriginated, I do feel a little unsure of why people feel the need to attack other peoples beliefs and ideals, refering not to the letter specifically, but the hatred spewed forth by some of the comments.
I have a BA from MIT in physics, yet by some peoples definitions I am ignorant and, according to a few individuals, should be put to death because I believe in a “historical” higher power. Why can’t evolution and god (or gods) co exist? Why can’t evolution be the gateway of how god created man? No where in any religious texts does it say man was created instantly in a puff of smoke? Doesn’t the Christian bible state man came from dust? Knowing what we do know about the world scientifically, does it not reason that organisms bred in the fires and ash of a volcano above ground would have found themselves immersed into small pools of cooling water to begin the evolution cycle?
Hatred should be stomped from human existance. Just because someone doesn’t believe the way you do, does not mean they should be persecuted, let alone called ignorant. Faith is believing in something regardless of a lack of evidence. I say lack of evidence rather than opposing evidence because science cannot prove or disprove God(s). I hope I have been rational in my debate tactics, and not, as some member stated, an overzealous nutjob who needs to go learn math and science (I think MIT gave me a pretty good handle on those subjects)
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This letter has a sarcastic tone about it, particularly evident in the last line. The words “logical conjecture based on overwhelming observable evidence” make me suspect that the letter is intended as satire. Certain among us have true faith in the Flying Spaghetti Monster, while others worship equally edible deities. While I am not opposed to humor (we often jokingly refer to our gods as dieties) I find it to be in bad taste to host this letter on a website dedicated to worship of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
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I believe the Unintelligent Design proposed here should be pushed forward and down the throath of everyone just like ID. It is a much more plausible explanation because if this world was designed by an entity, it is clearly a very flawed and underachiever one. What can we do, legally, to make UID to be considered side by side everytime creationists try to bully their way into schools? It has to be a lawsuit or petition to be put forward to consider the FMS has as much evidence as ID and therefore it should be given the same time and discussion in schools. Why Christians think that only their religion is important in America? Any religion has the right to brainwash the receptive minds of students. What Christians want is to have a head start by sneaking into schools while other religions are left out. If science and evolution education will be reduced in schools for the sake of religion, then FSM deserves the same respect! We must never give up on this fight!
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Hi. I’d like to know how to go about a d.i.y. initiation as there do not seem to be any pirates in my country. Do i 1. put the collider on top of my head and let the pasta soaked water thru, or 2. Do i just dunk my head in the pot while cooking? convert.
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schure
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Yeah, Yeah, Yeah. But how about the CHOCOLATE FARTING DUDE? The only “One True God” who is worthy of your adoration and tithes.
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i prefere lasagne…please discuss
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Geoff (#3663). You say “how many thousand years has this phenomenon been going? and how long has objective science know all the facts about the world? ”
So you’re a traditionalist, eh? Would you have had Galileo tortured for denying the universe revolved around the earth? Darwin jailed for evolutionary theory? How many years (in your estimation) does it take for facts to overcome bullshit?
You also mention “historically significant religion”. Yes, many a religion is significant for how many millions of people died at the hands of the faithful, or how long science was stifled in its name.
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I hail thee
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wow–Ken (#3668) must be the SMARTEST, HUGEST South Park fan in “existance”!
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Are you people aware of the secret public FSM Mecca in Las Vegas, Nevada? Where the I-15 and the I-95 join there is a twisting complex of freeways known as the Spaghetti Bowl. Incredibly beneath and within the bowl is a wonderful exhibit of giant meatball-esque metallic tortoises each about 9 feet tall. Sculpted around the tortoise exhibit along the walls of the criss-crossing freeways are an array of giant replicas of distinguished microscopic organisms such as Flagellated Protozoa, Algae, Diatoms, Rotifers and more. I love driving through there each day.
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HIYA, Im a pastafarian for about , 7 months, and the ulthracatholic (my mom) wont let me , What do u think i must do??
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Wow man
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3679 ivan
HIYA
don’t worry, be happy, man.
plan a: tell your mom jesus and mary were jews, i’m not kidding. she is a member of a jewish sect. i don’t mind, they are all a bunch of heathens and pagans.
plan b: and if that doesn’t help, you can always tell her hitler was a roman catholic and the pope a former member of the hitler-jugend.
A WARNING! NEVER TURN THE OTHER CHEEK, CAUSE CHRISTIANS WILL BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF YOU
plan c: you can always get political asylum in canada, sweden, norway, danmark, france, germany, belgium, holland, england….for obvious reasons i don’t recommand iran of china.
every one has his own burden to carry in life, yours is your mom :-) praise FSM you’re not a socialist. or are you?
FSM LOVES YOUR MOM AL DENTE
NAMU FSM BUTSU
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THIS IS A SAC OF POINTLESS BULLPENIS. IF THERE IS A PASTA GOD THEN THERE IS A PENIS GOD. YOU PEOPLE ARE SO RETARDED.YOU DONT KNOW THAT IF HE WAS A GOD YOU EAT HIM A LOT.IT CANT FLY UNLESS YOU THROW IT THEN IT HITS THE GROUND AND GETS EATEN BY ROACHES. AND EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT PIRATES DONT HAVE ROACHES CUZ THEY ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEA!!!!!!
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IVAN (#3679)
-
For now, you are trapped. Respect your Mom, even though you do not agree with her about religion. Do your best to tolerate a difficult situation until you are grown up. Always remember that you are not alone, there are millions who share your thoughts.
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If you study physics at MIT, wouldn’t you get a B.Sc.? I thought B.A. was just for. like. basket-weaving.
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F.S.M. changed my life!! I was a miserable sinner, and spent my time reading R. Crumb comix and translating Faux Newsertainment shows into Pastafarian Aramaic.
The I received the Word of His Holiness, the Flying Spaghetti Monster, and cut away the veil of darkness that had blocked my vision. (BTW, my eyebrows have mostly grown back by now.)
Now I’m saved forever, or as long as pirates float the high seize. Thank Monster for my pasta salivation!
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ivan man, how are you doing? i found this on YouTube, so lighten up a bit.
this is from the live of brian: ‘always look on the bright side…’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxQgXgS5G3c
and this is a song by ‘de positivoos’, it’s all in dutch but it’s titled ‘my god is the best’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7adi7OMaWnA
this one is also by ‘de positivoos’ and titles ‘the wineyear o’, jesus didn’t use drugs, he drank wine from the year 0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RrPLJOgbFc
these songs are made in the ‘70, then you could make fun about religion, now you get hate-mail.
this morning i witnessed a miracle: water changed into coffee!
WE’RE NOT ALONE IN THIS UNIVERSE
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There.are no serious equations here :) how can we be sure
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Marvelous. I am not sure how one can be an adherent of this scientific belief system — I shall not call it a religion, lest the Kansas school board pounce on this — and still eat spaghetti with a clear conscience, but as an Episcopalian who routinely ingests what is at least symbolically (if one is a consubstantialist) the sign of the presence of our God (and, if one is a transubstantialist — Anglicans come in both flavors — actually IS our God) I can tell you that such challenges are by no means limited to the Church of the FSM, and that if our example is typical, you can look forward to spending the next 2000 years holding symposia, not to say autos-da-fé, thrashing this issue out.
Meanwhile, if you would like your VERY OWN MYTH SONG about the FSM, it can be arranged. For samples, kindly go to my website, http://www.mythsongs.com, where you will find (inter alia) the world’s only extant Norse Calypso about Odin’s 8-leggéd horse, Sleipnir. I can do this sort of thing in my sleep — indeed, in a couple of instances (notably the last song on the CD, “Cleobis and Biton,” actually did. No Charge If We Fail, our motto.
Nick Humez
late of the Dept, of Classics and Gen’l Humanities
Montclair (NJ) State University
P.s. I like the idea of the “high seize” mentioned by the chap above. I presume it is something like a smash-and-grab that starts with a high five, surely all in a day’s work to a modern Pirate.
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I think this is a creative idea of a religion, Im I am confused on why most religions think we are insulting them. I dont believe millions of Pastafarians send horrible hate mail to other religion’s churches, or websites. I hear most times that God makes us in his image, but can Christains exsplain why God apparent dislikes many things? If he created them, why cant he love them? Thats one of those things I heard while growing up. But from what ive seen God hates alot of things: Gays, Sinners, people who believe in other Gods (i think thats said in the Bible), Atheist people, and that all i can think of, I thought he “loved” all things?! But the FSM loves all of us. He wants us to be happy, and be smart. He also wishes us to become like His Chosen People. Can Other people in other relgions really argue, Maybe their “God” should just let us Pastafarians live and be happy.
RAmen
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I am so glad the FSM chose you as his prophet. The world is a better place now that pirates are more revered and spaghetti takes its rightful place as a deity.
Thank you for holding up a mirror to the theists’ religions, and thanks for providing the laughs for when they didn’t recognize their own reflections.
May His Noodly Appendage ever grace your life.
nemo3590
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To the Great Prophet Bobby Henderson,
As you have been bestowed this great duty by our Deity I would like to mention a couple of things before you go and do something stupid.
1) Please do not feel that you have to get yourself nailed to a plank of wood for our sins. I, as I believe all fellow Pastafarians do, abhor violence in all its forms. We are all capable of discerning right from wrong ourselves.
2) If you have chosen, or choose to get married and have a family, I and my fellow Pastafarians promise not to name your Wife a crazy prostitute and promise not to write your children out of the history books.
May you live a long, happy and fulfilling life.
Love
Craig
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*3682 Larry: Ever heard of caps lock, or do you shout at Curly and Moe in real life? Throughout history there have been many penis gods, or, at any rate, gods associated with phalluses: Frey springs immediately to mind: do some research before committing yourself to public statements. Regarding cockroaches, they are often found on ships even in modern times. Still, I doubt you will get around to reading this:assuming , of course, that you can read.
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this is so funny but really you are right your religion is as belivable as christanity or any other religion any religous teaching is a belief NOT a science or a fact so why would you teach it as fact! Teachers should leave the religous teachings to priests or people like that long live this site and may it change our youths outlook on what religion really is a belief and nothing more. I thank all of you for making sence and standing up for the children!!!!!!!!!!!!
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this is probably the single most amazing religion. honestly if people believe in jesus and god(and the stories in the bible, even though theyre stories meant for guidance. NOT TRUTH)ill put my faith in FSM ive been touched by his noodly appendage. :)
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don’t know if they’re related, but yesterday there was a huge flock of macaronies flying around my office, you know like hovering above my meatball factory. It was like when i closed my eyes, it was there, but when i opend them the macaronies weren’t there. real hard to explain, how i’ve to believe in it. so im verry glad i read here that such pasta gods do exist
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@ Plumberbob
Hi there! I just dropped to see how things are going. Looks like not too much has changed. We’re still getting the idiots and defending ourselves.You do realize that the fundies will never read the opennig letter and/or get the point of us don’t you? Yes of course you do and I’m very glad that people like you keep up the good fight. Don’t know when I’ll be back but I will someday.
Live well my friend!
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This is hilarious. I love it. The hate mail section is the best.
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I too have been touched! Praise be to our holy noodling FSM. Where do I sign up and send the money? ;)
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I find that the Flying Spaghetti Monster should not be a spaghetti monster. First of all, there would not be meatballs in the spaghetti monster because it is just a spaghetti monster. Not a Flying Spaghetti and Meatball Monster. Dude……There should not be meatballs in the monster if the name does not say so. The name is nt logical.
P.S Personally, I think there should be a Tenatacle Monster.
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I know a lot of Christians write hate mail in response to ideas like what is written in this letter but I’m not one of those Christians. Just like the fact that 3652 – someguywhoactuallythinks wrote a very nasty comment, I don’t believe every person that doesn’t believe in Christianity would do the same thing. So, I think it would be nice if we could all just respect each other. According to 3681 – Kees Moerbeek “Christians will beat the shit out of you” which in truthfulness, not all of us “Christians” are jerks. That’s a stereotype that needs to be banished like the other (i.e. all blacks are lazy, smelly, and criminal; Asians can’t drive; Muslims are terrorists; gays are sexually promiscuous). I don’t want to argue about who is right about the Universe because none of us will know the truth until we die, so it’s pointless. So, 3689 – Kelseydubya, not all people are haters… I think everyone deserves the right to their own beliefs and lifestyles. I am a Christian and I am a fighter for social justice!
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