Just a Joke, Right?

[St John the Blasphemist]

While we're on the subject... has anyone every thought that some major world religion might have actually started out as a joke?

Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum deals with a global conspiracy that started from a shopping list. Does that count?

St John the Blasphemist
Saint of Medieval To-Do Lists

[Cuddly_Carpy]

Yes, FSMism was created as a satirical religion. Depending on the section of the forum, most of us refer to it as our true religion (this being one of them).
As far as it being a real religion. I guess that could be debatable.

Well... what exactly constitutes a REAL religion?

They are real if one person says they are real.

If you can tick a box next to it in the Census in the "what religion are you?" section, then it's a religion - apparently

Therefore - Jedi is a religion

(If more than 500,000 people put a the same religion in the "other" box then the next census will have it with it's on ticky box, and the last census apparently got more than 500,000 Jedi - according to the guy who started it anyways on his webby site and everything...)

[Aeger]

I'm interested in becoming a Pastafarian, because it has pirates, and everyone loves pirates. Also, I hate Intelligent *cough* design. One thing I need to make sure of though is that this religeon is just a joke right? I heard there were people who actually believed this stuff. Just making sure.

Yes, it is just a joke. But, you know, I'm an Atheist and a Pastafarian, and if atheism is nothing and Pastafarianism is something, then something cancels out nothing, so something is the only thing and nothing is naught. So by that reckoning Pastafarianism is my only religious belief.

Seriously though, I commend you for the courage it must have taken to ask that. By joining the forum you do not join the "religion," and since it's impossible to join a religion without dogma and FSMism has no dogma, I'd say you're set. It's a joke, but when you tell random people on the street that you're a Pastafarian, tell them it's real. That's what I do. Especially with Bill the Evangelical, that guy with the pamphlets outside CVS... man I love that guy.


Oh, and to whatever Pastafarian Pirate will inevitably respond to the "This is just a joke" part with, I resolutely quench my face up.

[EarthRise]

Oh, and to whatever Pastafarian Pirate will inevitably respond to the "This is just a joke" part with, I resolutely quench my face up.

I have just one question...

How does one quench one's face?

[Duke]

You kinda scrunch it up. Like a full face squint.

I think.


Duke

[Pastafarian Pirate]

Oh, and to whatever Pastafarian Pirate will inevitably respond to the "This is just a joke" part with, I resolutely quench my face up.

*sigh...
Well, I suppose I should be flattered... but yet I'm not. Anyhooooo... because you specifically hung it out there and wanted to know my thoughts I will tell you. I wasn't terribly interested in your comment, but now that you are desperate for my attention, here ya go... you may not like it, but you asked for it:

Aeger, I have no problem with your personal relationship with Pastafarianism being a joke. That is how you see it, and that is fine with me.

There, now you have it. Hope you are satisfied.

[EarthRise]

I just missed a very passive-aggressive confrontation. Does anyone else feel similarly out of the loop?

[Pastafarian Pirate]

If you can tick a box next to it in the Census in the "what religion are you?" section, then it's a religion - apparently

Therefore - Jedi is a religion

(If more than 500,000 people put a the same religion in the "other" box then the next census will have it with it's on ticky box, and the last census apparently got more than 500,000 Jedi - according to the guy who started it anyways on his webby site and everything...)

Well, then by that definition, Satanism would not be a religion, cuz there are not even a tenth as many Satanists as their are Jedis out there.

It is an interesting question... what constitutes a bona-fide "religion?"

[Qwertyuiopasd]

I'd say theres a spectrum, based mostly on members.

you have first, personal belief system. just one person believing it, or a few people believing coincidentally similar things, but they've never and will never meet, and it's purely coincidental.

then you have something more cult-like, although cults have negative connotations and special requirements (worshiping someone alive or recently dead)

with enough members, or perhaps more people knowing and accepting it, it becomes a full blown 'religion'


but of course, if anyone believes it, I say it's a religion, which to me means nothing more than a belief system of moral values and explanation of nature (optional).

~Qwerty

[afteryoudieyoucrpyourself]

No it's not a joke it's funny but The FSM does excist unlike most religeons we can take jokes

HAIL His Noodly Apprentage