Pastafarians unite

[bmc]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14135523

Austrian driver's religious headgear strains credulity
Driving license of Niko Alm Having received his driving license, Niko Alm now wants to get pastafarianism officially recognized

An Austrian atheist has won the right to be shown on his driving-license photo wearing a pasta strainer as "religious headgear".

Niko Alm first applied for the license three years ago after reading that headgear was allowed in official pictures only for confessional reasons.

Mr Alm said the sieve was a requirement of his religion, pastafarianism.

The Austrian authorities required him to obtain a doctor's certificate that he was "psychologically fit" to drive.

The idea came into Mr Alm's noodle three years ago as a way of making a serious, if ironic, point.

A self-confessed atheist, Mr Alm says he belongs to the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, a light-hearted faith whose members call themselves pastafarians.
Passport photos of Niko Alm with a colander on his head A medical interview established the self-styled 'pastafarian' was mentally fit to drive

The group's website states that "the only dogma allowed in the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is the rejection of dogma".

In response to pressure for American schools to teach the Christian theory known as intelligent design, as an alternative to natural selection, the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster wrote to the Kansas School Board asking for the pastafarian version of intelligent design to be taught to schoolchildren, as an alternative to the Christian theory.
Straining credulity

In the same spirit, Mr Alm's pastafarian-style application for a driving licence was a response to the Austrian recognition of confessional headgear in official photographs.

The license took three years to come through and, according to Mr Alm, he was asked to submit to a medical interview to check on his mental fitness to drive but - straining credulity - his efforts have finally paid off.

It is the police who issue driving licenses in Austria, and they have duly issued a laminated card showing Mr Alm in his unorthodox item of religious headgear.

The next step, Mr Alm told the Austrian news agency APA, is to apply to the Austrian authorities for pastafarianism to become an officially recognized faith.

[iflyforpie]

I always though the COTFSM was non-dogmatic. Isn't 'required' specific attire something we want to get away from?

Maybe I'll have to create a splinter sect...

[Blakey]

Natty looking too!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14135523

[flyinggreasemonkey]

I don't care how weird it is....this guy should be commended for sticking up for his freedom from religion.

[. ._]

Simply AWESOME!!!

[Rowdy]

Fan-freakin-tastic!!

[Jastapilot]

Ramen.