After claiming that wearing a sieve was a religious requirement, a man has been granted the right to have his official ID card display a photo of him wearing the kitchen utensil on his head.
According to Lukas Novy, a member of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, the plastic kitchenware is a vital part of his Pastafarian faith. He claims that wearing it is a religious requirement to show respect to the Pastafarian deity; a monster made of meatballs and spaghetti.
It was ruled by the Czech officials that if his request was rejected, it would mean that the religious equality laws of the country were being breached. Subsequently, the Czech officials were left with no choice but to turn the other cheek while this 28 year old man from Brno, used the controversial image on his new and updated ID card. According to spokesman Pavel Zara’s explanation in a statement from Brno City Hall, the application is in accordance with the laws of the Czech Republic where citizens are allowed to wear headgear for medical or religious reasons as long as their face is not hidden.
Soorej Jones Pothoor, a fellow Pastafarian, claimed to feel like a target of discrimination due to this unrecognized religion. While addressing Christians, he recalled being angrily told that it was not a “ball of Spaghetti” but the Lord Jesus who would save mankind. He took this as an insult to his lord and claimed that Pastafarians needed no proof to be certain that His Noodliness will be the one saving mankind, unlike Christians who turn to a book for proof.
Thus, the Czech Republic becomes the second country where a cooking utensil has been accepted as an official religious head gear. The first was Austria where Niko Alm, a Pastafarian businessman received permission to have a photo wearing a similar sieve on his driving license. The wearing of a sieve has not been recognized as a religious requirement in many countries, and many Pastafarian have failed in countries like Poland.
Niko Alm
It was back in 2005 in the United States that Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster was founded in order to mock all organized religions. Today, it is “insisted” by thousands of followers all over the world that Pastafarianism is an authentic religion. The deity of the religion is referred to as His Noodliness the Flying Spaghetti Monster by the followers.
It is also claimed by the followers of Pastafarianism that the universe was created by His Noodliness after a night of heavy drinking. They also believe that there are beer volcanoes and a stripper factory in heaven and that pirates are holy beings.
