What's Good For The Religious Goose Is Good For The Atheist Gnocchi Eater
A "pastafarian" gets his driver's license in full pasta-prep regalia. From the BBC:
An Austrian atheist has won the right to be shown on his driving-licence photo wearing a pasta strainer as "religious headgear".Niko Alm first applied for the licence 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.
Later a police spokesman explained that the licence was issued because Mr Alm's face was fully visible in the photo.
"The photo was not approved on religious grounds. The only criterion for photos in driving licence applications is that the whole face must be visible," said Manfred Reinthaler, a police spokesman in Vienna.
No word on whether they let you get licensed if you're wearing one of those red and white-checked tablecloths over your head.
Thanks, Jay J. Hector
It's ON, bitches!!
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at July 16, 2011 5:48 AM
Interesting how one way is a crime and the other way is "security."
Amy Alkon at July 16, 2011 6:46 AM
Personally, I think tin foil makes a stronger fashion statement. But to each his own.
Michael P (@PizSez) at July 16, 2011 9:37 AM
An Austrian atheist has won the right to be shown on his driving-licence photo wearing a pasta strainer as "religious headgear".
Maybe I am missing something, but how in the hell does an "atheist" fight for the right to wear "religious headgear" and still get to be called an atheist by any self respecting journolist deserving of the name? Does anyone else want to stamp OXYMORON, with the emphasis on moron, on this story? And don't tell me it's a made up religion. That starts a whole other discussion. And gets my midichlorians in a bunch :P
Kat at July 16, 2011 10:35 AM
@Kat, He's not advocating a religion or a religion's right to do anything. Rather, he's trying to point out the absurdity that religions get special societal privileges. In other words, if someone is allowed to wear a religious headscarf in a DL photo, why can't sports fans wear their team's baseball cap? Is that fair? He thinks not.
Most "pastafarians" are atheists. They don't actually believe in the "Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster."
If you want a good laugh, there's more here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_spaghetti_monster
sofar at July 16, 2011 5:04 PM
So, if I say a journolist is reporting a load of crap by spewing a load of crap to demonstrate a load of crap, do I win the trophy for most craptastic? I call BS. He's a crank, he wanted to wear his shiny little strainer, and now some dipstick newspaper writer is reporting it as if it is some sort of "win" when they probably just let him have his way to get on with more important business.
You win a debate with facts, and logic, not by mocking the other person's beliefs.
Kat at July 17, 2011 12:12 AM
He must be a Reform Pastafarian - they have no respect for tradition and just wear the strainer.
It's the Orthodox who wear the full tablecloth.
Ben David at July 17, 2011 1:49 PM
"You win a debate with facts, and logic, not by mocking the other person's beliefs."
Really? Bobby Henderson found otherwise, and so wrote this letter, which started it all.
When the facts and logic don't get any attention because the mob is only interested in emotion and spectacle, you do what you can.
BTW, nice touch, B-D.
Radwaste at July 17, 2011 6:51 PM
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