Court to spaghetti: You are not a god

[rug]

Kimberly Winston | April 13, 2016

(RNS) A federal court has ruled that the Flying Spaghetti Monster, referred to as “His Flying Noodliness” by fans and followers, is not, alas, the object of a real religion.

In a 16-page decision, the U.S. District Court of Nebraska ruled that Pastafarianism is satire, not sacred, and that anyone who thinks it is a religion has made an error “of basic reading comprehension.”

“This is not a question of theology,” the ruling reads in part. “The FSM Gospel is plainly a work of satire, meant to entertain while making a pointed political statement. To read it as religious doctrine would be little different from grounding a ‘religious exercise’ on any other work of fiction.”

The Tuesday (April 12) ruling came in response to a prisoner’s request to have Pastafarianism recognized as his religion, which would entitle him to Pastafarian literature and trappings. For example, Pastafarians sometimes wear colanders on their heads.

http://www.religionnews.com/2016/04/13/court-to-pastafarian-you-are-not-a-god/

Decision: https://www.scribd.com/doc/308299698/Cavanaugh-v-Bartelt

[hrmjustin]

1. .

[rug]

3. Let the twirling begin.

[JoePhilly]

2. About time courts decided what constitutes a real Religion.

Talking snakes, GOOD.

Pasta based, BAD.

[rug]

6. Page 1.

"The Court finds that FSMism is not a "religion" within the meaning of the relevant federal statutes and constitutional jurisprudence. It is, rather, a parody, intended to advance an argument about science, the evolution of life, and the place of religion in public education. Those are important issues, and FSMism contains a serious argument but that does not mean that the trappings of the satire used to make that argument are entitled to protection as a "religion." Nor, the Court finds, has Cavanaugh sufficiently alleged how the exercise of his "religion" has been substantially burdened. The Court will grant the defendants' motion to dismiss."

[Politicalboi]

4. Is this the Onion?

What makes "real" religion? Dancing with snakes? Eating the body of Christ? Heaven? This is ridiculous. ALL religion should be treated equal. This judge has no right to say what's "real" and what's not. I'm sure it will be appealed as it should. I have no religion. I wish more people had no religion. It's ALL unreal to me.

[rug]

7. No, it's the Opinion.

All your questions are answered in its 16 pages.

[Journeyman]

5. Throw every religion against a wall, see which one sticks . . .

then bow before his Holy Noodliness.

[rug]

8. A comedic extrapolation is not a religion.

Page 4.

[AtheistCrusader]

20. Unprovable.

It sufficed as legal standing for me to officiate a wedding.

[rug]

21. Actually, the complaint was dismissed because the claim it was a religion was unproved.

[stellanoir]

9. shucks

am so disappointed.

then again,

a court denounced Christ & he gained an enormous following.

Ramen will endure !!!

/sarcasm

[rug]

11. There's always the Church of Bacon.

http://unitedchurchofbacon.org/

[Gidney N Cloyd]

10. Clearly not a real religion. Not like Dudeism.

[rug]

12. It's got the sandals at least.

[msongs]

13. not enough bodies piled up in its name to be a real religion nt

[rug]

14. No, the Court simply found it's bullshit.

Or, in legal parlance, "For the purposes of a motion to dismiss a court must take all of the factual allegations in the complaint as true, but is not bound to accept as true a legal conclusion couched as a factual allegation." Page 6.

[edhopper]

15. so starting a religion as satire

is not a "real" religion. But one started as a con game for money is?
Hmmm?

[rug]

16. The answer to your first question is yes.

As to your second question ask Jim Bakker.

[edhopper]

17. I was thinking

L Ron Hubbard and Joseph Smith.

[rug]

18. L. Ron Hubbard died a fugitive on a yacht and Smith was taken from a cell and lynched.

Cynical hoaxsters who invent a religion do not go far.

Still, the LDS Smith left behind has prevailed. But I think Scientology has peaked.

[edhopper]

22. True

look at Paul

Just joking.

[MisterP]

19. live by the fair use, die by the fair use