We need to do something about "parody"

[lord potato]

People don't take us seriously because of other sites the refer to us a parody or joke religion. We need to act. Our first target should be wikipedia. We must get them to change it from parody to real. I suggest a petition. We must act!

[Tigger_the_Wing]

Why?

[Julius Aurora]

People don't take us seriously because of other sites the refer to us a parody or joke religion. We need to act. Our first target should be wikipedia. We must get them to change it from parody to real. I suggest a petition. We must act!

I can see your point, but that may defeat the purpose a bit.

[daftbeaker]

This is at least your second thread saying almost exactly the same thing. If you're bothered then go and change it yourself

[DavidH]

The point is, LP, Pastafarianism is a parody; it was created as such.

I think we Pastafarians form two loose clusters: those who go with Bobby's stated intention only to make a protest againt the teaching of creationism in schools, and those like me who see it as an excellent weapon against religion in general. This difference is also seen in the comments on the front page of the blog.

That's fine by me, we all get along OK and have some good debates, but I doubt there are any of us who really believe it's not a parody.

[Qwertyuiopasd]

*raises hand*

I certainly don't see Pastafarianism as a weapon against religion. It's definitely a good tool for arguing with creationists, and it can be used in similar fashion to other fundamentalists and conservative-minded religious people. The main point is to take yourself, especially your religion (or even lack thereof), a little less seriously.

I like practicing Pastafarianism as a "real, non-parody" religion, though. Albeit a rather unique one, because it's even more obviously metaphor. I don't literally believe in a Flying Spaghetti Monster and all that, but the FSM is a useful face to give to God (or the absolute, or the great mystery, or the tendency for religion in humans, or whatever) for me to interface with. It's entirely made up, and is even continually being made up, but I believe that's basically true for all religions. I don't think that necessarily detracts from them, though.

I mean, if the whole point of the FSM is that our creation story is just as plausible as creationism, or our Unintelligent Design is just as plausible as their Intelligent Design, then what's to stop the religion as a whole from being just as functional as any other religion?

And no, the fact that I don't actually believe the literal truth of the FSM isn't proof that I'm not actually a "real non-parody" Pastafarian, because the entire point of the religion is that it's made up and not actually true.

Food is a great metaphor for religion.

tl;dr It can be done! Of course, I realize I'm likely in the minority here, and I'm not suggesting we change the wikipedia entry or anything. It definitely is just satire for many people. And Lord Potato, if the point of not calling it a parody any more is only to enhance the parody, then I am against that, since it does need to be clear that it's a parody (when it is one). But I'm also against the idea that no-one uses it as a real religion (again, one that operates rather differently from most, but still identifiably and functionally a religion), since at the very least, I do.

[daftbeaker]

You can tell Qwerty's doing a philosophy degree

[Roy Hunter]

I agree with Qwerty. Where most people 'scratch that itch' with belief in God / Allah / Yahweh, I use the FSM; and twist the theology to fit my personal viewpoint (I think what God is trying to say is...).

I am quite content for Wikipedia and others to call us a parody, and for the WBC to tell us we're fags and we're going to hell (I'm not sure they ever have, but there's plenty of time yet), because our religion says that's OK:

I'd really rather you didn't act like a sanctimonious holier-than-thou ass when describing my noodly goodness. If some people don't believe in me, that's okay. Really, I'm not that vain. Besides, this isn't about them so don't change the subject.

If you don't believe, then of course it's a parody.

If you do believe, then you are fine with it being called a parody, because He doesn't mind that.

How's that for theological gymnastics?

[Qwertyuiopasd]

Makes perfect sense to me, Roy. That's why I love our Noodly Master and his True* Religion!

You can tell Qwerty's doing a philosophy degree

Philosophy and Religious Studies to be most precise. I'm really hoping I can write my senior thesis on Pastafarianism in some way.

[lord potato]

You all bring up excellent points and I do apologize for making a second topic, I felt a bit vague in last one. Now as qwerty said, some of us actually practice pastafarianism( I, for one.) and some do not. Now, as pointed out, all religions parody themselves (technically). But most religions may recognize other religions, but as I see it we are currently that " weird religion". Personally, I don't like the term parody, to me it reads "fake" and to put it into an analogy we are like that baseball team that says we are in the MLB, but no one beliefs it. You see what I'm saying? I kinda feel like I was beating around the bush...

[Tigger_the_Wing]

I dress as a pirate every Friday that I'm well enough to go out. I decorated my bicycle with a Jolly Roger, a pirate teddy bear and a little pirate ship which stay on all the time, not just Fridays. I have made a Flying Spaghetti Monster who sometimes accompanies me on my rides. I even have pirate stickers all over my wheelchair. I can do a pretty good pirate accent and respond to comments about my garb by waving my cutlass and saying "Yaaarrgh! Ye should always be a Pyrate on Fridays!" or similar.

So I am probably as close to a 'serious' practitioner of Pastafarianism as one can get; but I would be desperately disappointed if I, or anyone else, was expected to take it seriously.

There are far too many serious religions with serious followers as it is. Let's show people that religion can, no… should, be fun!

If they laugh, so much the better. That gives me permission to laugh at their religious practices!

[lord potato]

I agree with tig. We need to be legit, but that fun religion. No need for dogma.

[Ubi Dubium]

I teach a class of sixth graders at the local UU. And I always wear my Pirate Hat. I have not explained the meaning of they hat to them (I will though, in lesson #15, "How do I know what to believe"), but If I show up without it, they'll immediately ask "where's your hat?"

And, we almost always have some kind of pasta on Fridays; the Ubikids will object if we don't.

[Ubi Dubius]

I teach a class of sixth graders at the local UU. And I always wear my Pirate Hat. I have not explained the meaning of they hat to them (I will though, in lesson #15, "How do I know what to believe"), but If I show up without it, they'll immediately ask "where's your hat?"

And, we almost always have some kind of pasta on Fridays; the Ubikids will object if we don't.

Actually, we've skipped two lately and they haven't said a word. At least not to me.

[Ubi Dubium]

Skipped the Pasta, that is, not the hat-wearing.