NEW YORK: Nation's First Elected Pastafarian Sworn In Wearing A Colander

From the Dunkirk Observer:

A unique style of headwear was present during newly-seated Pomfret Town Council member Christopher Schaeffer's oath of office Thursday afternoon, but it wasn't intended to keep his head warm. Schaeffer wore a colander (a strainer typically used to drain water from spaghetti) while Town Clerk Allison Dispense administered the oath of office to him before the board's reorganizational meeting. When the OBSERVER asked afterward why he wore a colander on his head, Schaeffer said he was a minister with an even more unique organization - the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. "It's just a statement about religious freedom," he said. "It's a religion without any dogma."

We presume that Schaeffer's campaign promises included beer volcanoes and stripper factories.

RUSSIA: Eight Pastafarians Arrested After Clashing WIth Orthodox Church Members

Eight followers of the Flying Spaghetti Monster were arrested for marching without a permit in Moscow yesterday after members of the Russian Orthodox Church attacked them during a mock religious rally.

Followers of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster planned to hold a “pasta procession” in Moscow and St. Petersburg to honor the birthday of Robert De Niro, who once played a character named Noodle in the movie Once Upon A Time in America. The “pasta procession” in Moscow was disrupted by the Orthodox activist group Bozhaya Volya, or God’s Will, who sprayed ketchup on a march participants. The Orthodox group has held demonstrations against homosexuality, the punk rock group Pussy Riot, and the Darwin natural history museum. Moscow police dispersed the marchers, claiming the procession was not sanctioned by authorities. “We were detained for simply walking,” one Pastafarian wrote on a social networking website. “In particular, I was taken in for a sieve on my head.”

On June 30th, the same day that Vladimir Putin signed the bill against "homosexual propaganda," he signed into law a bill which makes it a crime to "insult the religious sensitivities of believers." That law has received much less attention.

CZECH REPUBLIC: Pastafarian Wins Right To Wear Pasta Strainer For ID Photo

A man in the Czech Republic has won his religious battle to wear a pasta strainer on his head for his official government ID photo.

Prankster Lukas Novy, from Brno in the Czech Republic, claims that his Pastafarian faith means he has to wear the sieve at all times. Officials ruled that turning down Novy's request would be a breach of the country's religious equality laws. Brno City Hall spokesman Pavel Zara explained: 'The application complies with the laws of the Czech Republic where headgear for religious or medical reasons is permitted if it does not hide the face.' Novy claims to be a member of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, when emerged in the USA as spoof on organised religion. According to its tongue-in-cheek website their 'only dogma ... is the rejection of dogma'. Members claim to believe that an invisible alien made of spaghetti and meatballs created the universe after 'drinking heavily.'

All praise His noodly appendage!

Headline Of The Day

Score one for the FSM. In New Jersey:

Motor vehicle workers in Dayton called police on a man who insisted on wearing a pasta strainer on his head during the taking of his driver’s license photo, according to a police report. South Brunswick police officers responded to the MVC facility on Route 130 on a call that a man renewing his driver's license refused to remove the strainer on his head, according to a police report. The incident occurred about noon on Saturday, Feb. 2. The man, Aaron Williams, 25, who gave an Egg Harbor Township address, told motor vehicle workers the strainer was a religious head covering and he had a right to wear it in his driver’s license photo.

(Tipped by JMG reader Mick)

Holiday Lights Winner

Source.

Ramen

The Friendly Atheist has more about the Florida Senate bill I mentioned here on Thursday.

Strictly For Pastafarians

Let the Flying Spaghetti Monster tree topper embrace your holiday with His noodly appendages. Only $8.50. Includes adjustable eyes so that He may watch over you. (Via - Friendly Atheist)

Pirates Arrr Saving The World

A few years ago the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster proved conclusively that global warming was being caused by a decrease in the number of pirates. Since pirates are back in strong numbers now, I guess we can all go back to our planet-destroying ways. Bless his Noodley Appendage!

I Have A Personal Relationship With Him

(Via- By The Bayou.)