Ha Ha Ha..."The Flying Spaghetti Monster has stretched its noodles to Polk County."

[madfloridian]

I read this and laughed out loud. I guess the word has been getting around about the School Board members in Polk County, Florida. They have been getting some emails.

This has been one of my favorite topics for quite a while now.

A county paper shares some of the emails, and in the process shows its sense of humor. They also show the picture that started it all.



The Flying Spaghetti Monster has stretched its noodles to Polk County.

The Flying Spaghetti Monster, or FSM, is a satirical group that pokes fun at intelligent design. It first emerged in 2005 during the debate in Kansas over whether the belief should be taught in science classes. The group has sent dozens of e-mails to Polk County School Board members demanding that the idea of a Flying Spaghetti Monster creating the world receive classroom equal time with other views. The e-mail campaign began after four of seven board members said in November that they supported teaching intelligent design in addition to evolution.

"I and many others around the world are of the strong belief that the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster," Henderson wrote.

"It was He who created all that we see and all that we feel. We feel strongly that the overwhelming scientific evidence pointing towards evolutionary processes is nothing but a coincidence, put in place by Him."

Polk board members' support of intelligent design came to light after they learned the proposed science standards for Florida schools listed evolution and biological diversity as one of the "big ideas" that students need to know for a well-grounded science education.

E-mails to board members can be seen on the Flying Spaghetti Monster Web site at www.venganza.org.

Great article, and I was glad to see a positive piece that really caught what the FSM is all about. Kudos to The Ledger.

[Rock_Garden]

1. No wonder you're mad!

[Cha]

2. Yes, kudos to the Ledger!

Looks the school board has a majority who lack intelligence.

[mike_c]

4. LOL-- one of the greatest ironies of school board members...

...pushing intelligent design is that most seem to lack-- well, intelligent thought.

[Nikki Stone1]

23. Perhaps they were not designed intelligently

Which, I think, disproves their "theory".

How are you Professor Mike? :)

[madfloridian]

5. It's common here.

So many here just think it is natural. It's the mindset here.

I think it woke a lot of people about the school board.

[madfloridian]

3. Here is a direct link to the FSM letters, and a great picture.

http://www.venganza.org/2007/11/30/polk-county.htm

One of the letters:

"Hi just to let you know I sent the board this:

Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am contacting you all as I have heard that there is a proposition to teach Intelligent Design along with Evolution in your Public Schools. I support your endeavor to provide the best education possible for young people by looking at all sources of teaching and studying all theories relevant to modern knowledge.

This is why I must make you aware of Pastafarianism. It is a religion that has a theory of where life originated from that is just as valid as Evolution or Intelligent Design. Many academics have endorsed its teaching please see

http://www.venganza.org/evidence/endorsements1/

I feel you would be doing your students, who may themselves be Pastafarians too afraid to speak up, a great disservice if you ignore our equally valid theory. Please visit http://www.venganza.org/ for more information on our faith. Thank you for your time.

May you be touched by His Noodly Appendage"

[NewJeffCT]

6. The FSM looks a bit like Cthulhu to me

or, are my eyes deceiving me?

[pinto]

7. LOL.

Thanks for the post.

[robbedvoter]

8. An unexpected ally in the war on Chri(f)smas too!

But I see your point about that photo of the board members - I could have almost predicted their vote by just looking at them!

[TheDoorbellRang]

9. put the fsm back in chrifsmas

I love that! :rofl:

[madfloridian]

10. Wonderful....

:evilgrin:

[madfloridian]

11. You need to read the hate mail at the FSM site. People lack depth in humor.

http://www.venganza.org/category/hate-mail/

Amazing, some don't get it at all.

"I stumbled upon your website and I just have to say, WHAT THE HECK? I’m trying to understand, but I just don’t get it. You invented your own religion that says pirates are holy and that we should pray to noodles? Are you on something?"

Just a sample.

[robbedvoter]

12. I especially like the "God Bless" and "love" right after the insults!

I don’t care who you are, or what the f*** you’re
thinking, but if that CRAP shows up in our school
systems, my girls will NOT GO TO SCHOOL! Jesus Christ
is our Lord and Saviour, and I hope for the sake of
your soals that you wise up and get back to the REAL truth!

GOD BLESS
LOVE DEEDEE

My "soal" is about to get back to the REAL truth...It's my soul that's still searching :rofl:

[madfloridian]

13. Which reminds me.

4 years ago right after a neighbor yelled at us that we must NOT criticize our leaders like Bush who were chosen by God...right after we asked them to leave our house until they could respect us.

Well, as she walked out the door she said God bless you anyway.

[Canuckistanian]

20. Hahaha! Good one!

Ramen to that!

[Swamp Rat]

14. HAHA! ...... All hail the Flying Spaghetti Monster!!

R'Amen! :D

[madfloridian]

17. That's great, Swamprat.

Love your creations.

:hi:

[kineneb]

18. brilliant!

I want to post that picture in my kitchen (from whence comes many good things...like pasta).

[madfloridian]

15. A really outrageous letter to the editor today.

http://www.theledger.com/article/20071211/NEWS/712110488/1037/Edit

"Evolution Makes No Sense

Where is the missing link? Bravo to Polk County School Board member Kay Fields for not bowing down to the rubes who want to pollute the minds of our school children with the lie of their theory of evolution.

In order to believe in the evolution theory as it pertains to creation and the order of such, one has to drain the brain of all intelligent thought, and accept conjecture, supposition and hocus-pocus as the truth. Where is the missing link when you need him? One never knows does one?"

This is one of the worst I have read.

Previous ones here, pro and con.

[TalkingDog]

16. I have been blessed by a foodstuff in His Holy form (lessness)

I found this image of the FSM in my bag of Gluteno Pretzels (Awesome pretzels with no gluten -made in the Holy Land of Israel- <-- not joking here)

I am sorely tempted to put it up on e-bay as is, but I am torn. I could have it enshrined in a reliquary and keep it as a testament to his ability to affect the workings of pasta extrusion devices or I could be a crass money-changer and put it for bids.

What think ye, Matey-Bretheren?





My Favorite Master Artist: Karen Parker GhostWoman Studios

[Pastiche423]

19. I'm not even saying what I think that looks like

But Georgia O'Keefe comes to mind.

[DCKit]

21. Reaffirming my gayness now. Thanks Pastiche. n/t

[Pastiche423]

22. Huh?

What does that mean?