In a bizarre turn of events, a man in a small town in Idaho was recently granted a driver’s license that listed his religion as “spaghetti strainer”. The man, who goes by the name of Paul Henderson, is a member of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, a satirical religion that was created in 2005 as a protest against the teaching of intelligent design in schools.
Henderson, a self-proclaimed Pastafarian, applied for a driver’s license renewal earlier this month. When filling out the religious affiliation section of the application, he decided to put down his true beliefs and listed his religion as “Spaghetti Strainer”. To his surprise, the clerk at the Department of Motor Vehicles did not question his choice and issued him a license with his unconventional religious affiliation printed on it.
When asked about his decision to list his religion as “Spaghetti Strainer”, Henderson explained that he wanted to make a statement about religious freedom and the separation of church and state. He believes that all religions should be treated equally, regardless of how ridiculous or unconventional they may seem.
The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, also known as Pastafarianism, was founded by Bobby Henderson as a way to satirize organized religion and advocate for the teaching of evolution in public schools. The religion’s central tenet is that a flying spaghetti monster created the universe and that worshipers should wear a colander on their head as a symbol of their faith.
Despite its seemingly frivolous nature, Pastafarianism has gained a following in recent years, with members holding religious services, performing wedding ceremonies, and even advocating for the right to wear colanders in official identification photos. In some countries, including New Zealand and the Netherlands, Pastafarians have successfully argued in court for the recognition of their religious beliefs.
In response to Henderson’s driver’s license, the American Civil Liberties Union issued a statement reaffirming the right of individuals to practice any religion of their choosing, no matter how unconventional. The organization expressed support for Henderson’s right to identify as a Pastafarian and praised the DMV for respecting his religious freedom.
The DMV, however, has since issued a statement clarifying that Henderson’s driver’s license was issued in error and that they do not officially recognize “Spaghetti Strainer” as a valid religious affiliation. They have offered to reissue Henderson’s license with a more traditional religious affiliation if he so chooses.
Henderson, for his part, has declined the DMV’s offer and has vowed to fight for the recognition of Pastafarianism as a legitimate religion. He has hired legal representation and plans to take his case to court in hopes of setting a precedent for the rights of all religious minorities.
As the debate over Henderson’s driver’s license continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is not going away anytime soon. Whether or not it will ever receive official recognition as a legitimate religion remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain – Pastafarians like Paul Henderson are determined to make their voices heard. And who knows, maybe one day we’ll all be wearing colanders on our heads in the name of religious freedom.
