Name of Religion: Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (Pastafarianism)
Country of Origin: Kansas State Board of Education, United States of America.Β
Time Period Started: 2005
Countries Active: North America, Western Europe, Australia & New Zealand.
Started as a parody religion, grew to become a social movement. Began when Bobby Henderson sent a letter to the Kansas Board of Education, which debated the inclusion of intelligent design theories in high school classes on evolution. The letter parodied the reasoning used to argue a scientific basis for smart design, stating that teaching about it must also include the alternative theory that a Flying Spaghetti Monster created the universe. However, Henderson did not receive a response, and he posted his proposal letter to the internet, where it attracted a great deal of popular attention.Β
Notable Dates:Β
2005: Henderson sent the letter to the Kansas Board of Education
2006: Henderson expanded and published (i) The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster
Dec 2006 & 2008: The Hunger Artists Theater Company produced comedic plays about FSM History, including "The Flying Spaghetti Monster Holiday Pageant" and its sequel.
2011: A Pastafarian (this is what they call their worshippers) was allowed to wear a colander on his head in his driver's license photo in AustriaΒ
2012: Pastafarian Giorgos Loizos was arrested in Greece for creating a satirical Facebook page, leading to political controversy.
2013: Russian Pastafarians who organized a rally were attacked by Orthodox activists & some were arrested for unauthorized assembly.
2014: London South Bank University student union initially banned and then apologized for banning FSM posters at student events.
2014 - 2021: The city of Templin in Germany authorized city signage for FSM pasta masses, including court battles up to the European Court of Human Rights & a final 2021 permanent authorization
Founder:Β
Bobby Henderson (Physics graduate from Oregon State University)
Key Leaders:Β
Bobby Henderson: Founder of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster
RΓΌdiger Weida: Pastafarian with a church in the town of Templin, Germany
Hashton (Popetimus Prime): Leader in some communities, responsible for communicating with the FSM and issuing decrees
Michael Lusefovich: Arrested for about 2 years, but released in 2023, and head of Russia's church of the FSM
Core Belief:Β
The core belief of the FSM is that an invisible and undetectable Flying Spaghetti Monster created the universe, but makes it appear billions of years old as a test of faith, playfully parodying creationism and intelligent design. Followers reject dogma and rituals, embracing a light-hearted view of religion with pirate culture and Fridays as a religious holiday.
God/Spirits:Β
Flying Spaghetti Monster: Is the central god and deity, depicted as a floating mass of spaghetti noodles with two large meatballs and eyestalks. It is considered the one true god and creator of the universe.
Sacred texts:
The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (2006): Written by Bobby Henderson, the main satirical holy book outlining the creation myth, Pastafarian beliefs, and moral guidelines called the "I'd Really Rather You Did n'ts."
The Loose Canon (2010): Collection of texts compiled by members to form a broader holy book akin to the Bible, including humorous and satirical excerpts about the FSM.
The New Testament of the Flying Spaghetti Monster: Dinner 2.0 (2018): A sacred text that expands on beliefs, promoting harmony, art, and untethered life while outlining behaviors followers should and shouldn't follow.Β
Worship Style:Β
Worship includes lively celebrations like Talk Like a Pirate Day, wearing colanders as religious headgear, and embodying traits such as "Meatitude" (Strength) or "Noodliness" (Flexibility), all to critique the traditional religious dogma with a light-hearted and inclusive approach.
Holy Practices/Rituals/Festivals:
All Fridays Are Holidays: Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays are days of rest. Fridays are especially celebrated with wine, beer, or spirits and easy-to-prepare pasta for relaxation.Β
Pastafarian Calendar: The calendar starts from the burning of the ship Linguini in 75 BC; the current year is counted as 2085.
New Year's Eve: Celebrated on September 25 with a special pasta dishΒ
Talk Like a Pirate Day: On September 19, followers talk like pirates to receive FSM's blessing, which is equivalent to Christmas for them.Β
Parrot Festivals: A festival honoring parrots, who are considered prophetic vessels and symbolize spreading FSM's blessing by releasing parrots into the wild.
Rite of Passage:Β
FSM practices a playful baptism, often symbolized by one's first meal of spaghetti & meatballs or a humorous ritual involving the slurping of spaghetti noodles to signify conversion.Β
How it spread to other areas:Β
When the founder, Bobby Henderson, spread his open letter to the internet, supposedly intended for the Kansas Board of Education, it received widespread media attention. This global spike fellow Pastafarians in communities such as North America, Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.Β
Estimated followers today:Β
There is no specific number for its current followers, but according to the official website of the FSM, it is estimated to have thousands to millions of followers worldwide, with active communities & social media groups in many countries.Β
Symbols:
The Flying Spaghetti Monster: A floating mass of spaghetti noodles with two meatballs and eye stalks, serving as the central figure and deity.
The FSM "Jesus fish" emblem: A parody of the Christian fish symbol, often depicted with noodles and eye stalks or a pirate-themed fish skeleton.Β
Clothing:
Pirate Regalia: Such as Eyepatches or hats are worn religiously to symbolize the revered status of pirates as the original Pastafarians and the playful spirit of the church.
Colander/Strainer: Worn on the head by followers during ceremonies or protests, has become a widely recognized symbol of Pastafarian faith and identity.
Sacred Sites:
Online communities and websites such as spaghettimonster.org
The city of Templin in Germany, which hosts a "Noodle Mass"
