All hail our spaghetti overlord!

[luzribeiro.livejournal.com]

Since we're about Religion Month... Here's what a prank an Austrian guy did the other day. Niko Alm applied for a driving license in Vienna, wearing a plastic colander on his head on the photo. Yep, a strainer for filtering spaghetti! And, surprise-surprise! The application was approved! Because Niko had explained that his strange headgear was a "pastafar", i.e. his religious hat. Here, look for yourselves!

This guy defines himself as an atheist, and follower of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. The website of this "movement" says that the only dogma in their doctrine is the rejection of any dogmas.

The Austrian police announced that his photo was approved because it had met the only important requirement: the citizen's face should be perfectly visible on the photo. They also explained that their decision had nothing to do with the guy's religious beliefs.

However, before the issuing of the driving license, Niko had to go through the regular psycho test to prove that he was able to drive a motor vehicle. And even after he passed the test successfully it took about a year for the document to be issued.

The eccentric guy says that since the Austrian authorities allow the issuing of official documents with all sorts of religious hats on the head, he should have the right to demonstrate his faith (or lack of it) as he pleases. I say bravo, Austria! And bravo, Niko. You've set a curious precedent, and touched on a deeper issue about religious tolerance, the freedom of confession and, if you like, on the burqa debate.

Comments

[3fgburner.livejournal.com]

Ra-MEN!

[mijan.livejournal.com]

Be touched by His Noodley Appendage! RAmen!

That should be...

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

... Ra'amen.

[jlc20thmaine.livejournal.com]

I think it's great. Let's see if he wears the metal strainer during thunder storms.

[luzribeiro.livejournal.com]

Plastic. He wouldn't want to be lumped together with those tinfoil wackos. ;)

[debergerac.livejournal.com]

too late.

off topic, but does anyone remember devo?

[thies.livejournal.com]

How does making fun of religion in general by wearing a strainer on your head touch on the burqa debate, whatever that debate might exactly be?

[luzribeiro.livejournal.com]

The debate:

- Can a woman wear a burqa on her passport photo? Yes/no.
- If no, can a woman wear a head-cloth on her passport photo? If yes, then why not the burqa?
- If no, can a guy wear a turban on his passport photo? Yes/no.
- If no, can a guy wear a Jew cap (can't remember its name)?
- If no, can they wear a piece of cutlery like this guy?

I think the debate is about defining the borders of acceptable religious symbols one could wear on an official document, and the debate could extend to what clothes are considered "acceptable" to wear in public. What if someone believes in the Sea Mermaid and their religion postulates that they should go around topless? Etc etc. I think it's a worthwhile debate.

[htpcl.livejournal.com]

> What if someone believes in the Sea Mermaid and their religion postulates that they should go around topless?

Where can I vote for this?

[jlc20thmaine.livejournal.com]

It's called a skull cap or yarmulke not a Jew cap. Also, catholic priests, including the pop, may wear a zucchetto.

[thies.livejournal.com]

questions that seems very detached from the content of your post... a quick google showed only one government official floating ideas about that a year ago and not really much since. Got any further info on that?

Silly superstitions

[montecristo.livejournal.com]

The sillier superstition though, is that an organization which took a year(!) to issue its ridiculous internal passport (drivers license), spends valuable time and resources deciding personal questions for people, like which headgear can be worn in internal passport photos, presumes to track and file everyone's information and keep tabs on their whereabouts, and incidentally claims that it vouchsafes the individual's ability to operate a motor vehicle, is actually necessary for our safety and security. That is superstition for you.

Re: Silly superstitions

[blue-mangos.livejournal.com]

It actually took 3 years from when he first applied, not a year. Just to make it worse for you :)

Re: Silly superstitions

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

That is a driver's license, not a passport.

[ddstory.livejournal.com]

Pastafarian? Pfff hahahaha.

[a-new-machine.livejournal.com]

That's the intended reaction, actually. Basically it was a one-off response to a Christian claiming "Yeah, well you can't disprove the existence of God, so you should believe in him!" to which someone replied, "Well, I believe the world was created by a flying spaghetti monster from outer space, and that we are all touched by his noodly appendage. And you can't disprove his existence, so you should believe in him!"

[3fgburner.livejournal.com]

http://www.venganza.org/

Also, for a visual -- Someone built a Lego model of the Church of the FSM's home temple: http://www.reasonablyclever.com/lego/fsm/

[luvdovz.livejournal.com]

Does anyone know the contacts of the Church of the Little Orbiting Teapot? I've been looking for this for aeons.

[htpcl.livejournal.com]

Jedaism (sic?) is another very modern and very fast progressing religion. It's actually registered in 8 countries now. Too bad we don't have a branch here.

pasta vision

[thies.livejournal.com]

Re: pasta vision

[debergerac.livejournal.com]

that's a good way to get eye strain.

Although it seems recent...

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

This may seem like a recent introduction of the cult into the West given that spaghetti was introduced into fashion by Marco Polo, it turns out that it goes way back. Irenaeus, in his magnum opus on heresies denounced the cult as blasphemous and sacrilegious. He argued that anyone who rejects his personal dogma is against his personal deity. He called for persecution of the organization with the punishment of fifty lashes with a wet piece of pasta.

[southwest]

This reminds me that in quebec, one man came to vote with a pumpkin on his head, after the election officials said that showing the face is not necessary, to allow voting to women in integral burqa.
 

 
This act did the trick: soon after they changed the rules.

[telemann.livejournal.com]

Kind of OT, but the EU ids are beautifully designed ;)

[htpcl.livejournal.com]

I hate them. I hold mine in my backpocket and I've broken two in 2 years. Had to pay a fine and apply for new IDs.