Pastafarians are finally getting a little respect. Representatives of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM), a faith that emerged amid the debate over intelligent design and soon garnered a cult Internet following, have been invited to headline a panel at the American Academy of Religion's annual meeting.
The FSM phenomenon got its start in 2005 when school districts in Kansas were considering a plan to add intelligent design to its science class curriculum. Bobby Henderson, an Oregon State physics graduate student, jokingly sent a letter to the Kansas School Board as a representative of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and demanded equal time for his faith in Kansas classrooms.
"We have evidence that a Flying Spaghetti Monster created the universe. None of us, of course, were around to see it, but we have written accounts of it," Henderson wrote.
His letter eventually hit the Internet and the FSM Web site has become a go-to point for intelligent design detractors. The site sells "Pastafarian" gear and offers FSM computer screensavers (WWFSMD?) and wallpaper for the tech-savvy faithful.
Satire aside, the FSM has shed light on the deeper issue of what actually constitutes a religion, and prompted the Academy to include the FSM on its panel about the "subversive function of religious parody."
No word on whether his highness and his Noodly Appendages will make an appearance at the conference.
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