The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster has been given the go-ahead to apply for registration as an official religion in Poland.
A Warsaw court decided that a previous court ruling stopping the religion from applying - due to late submission of the required documennts - should be overturned, leading to jubilation from the church's followers, known as Pastafarians. They were heard loudly shouting "pasta" outside, during the hearing.
Pastafarianism is a parody foundation that mocks traditional religious practices, while also opposing the teaching of creationism and intelligent design in the country's schools.
Their website says that, "With millions, if not thousands, of devout worshippers, the Church of the FSM is widely considered a legitimate religion, even by its opponents – mostly fundamentalist Christians, who have accepted that our God has larger balls than theirs...The Church of FSM is real, totally legit, and backed by hard science. Anything that comes across as humor or satire is purely coincidental."
They go on to state that, "by design, the only dogma allowed in the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is the rejection of dogma. That is, there are no strict rules and regulations, there are no rote rituals and prayers and other nonsense. Every member has a say in what this church is and what it becomes."
They list some general aspects of their beliefs, including the idea that pirates were the original Pastafarians, they're fond of beer, every Friday should be a religious holiday, they don't take themselves too seriously and they embrace contradictions.
Where do we sign up?
(Images: James Dunbar/Shutterstock)
[via Telegraph]
