Created for viewing and discussion in my History of Western Philosophy class.

1. The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster a skeptical response to religion through parody and satire

2. A parody religion formed in response to the Kansas State Board of Education’s decision to allow Intelligent Design to be taught in schools. The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster

3. Behold the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM), today’s fastest growing carbohydrate-based religion. According to church founder Bobby Henderson, the universe and all life within it were created by a mystical and divine being: the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

4. What drives the FSM’s devout followers, a.k.a. Pastafarians? Some say it’s the assuring touch from the FSM’s “noodly appendage.” Then there are those who love the worship service, which is conducted in pirate talk and attended by congregants in dashing buccaneer garb.

5. . Still others are drawn to the Church’s flimsy moral standards, religious holidays every Friday, or the fact that Pastafarian heaven is way cooler: Does your heaven have a Stripper Factory and a Beer Volcano? Intelligent Design has finally met its match–and it has nothing to do with apes or the Olive Garden of Eden.

6. The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster Official Website http://www.venganza.org/about/

7. Here, Rachel Maddow discusses the Church of the FSM and Darwin Day http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loCekJ_i2z0&feature=related

8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyR_XOWzc6s&NR=1

9. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_rmVCNUB0w&feature=related SIGHTINGS: Irrefutable truth

10. It’s a Sign! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQDEC56Wjls

11. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36uAoe8e2dY&feature=fvw Another popular parody diety is the Invisible Pink Unicorn

12. The Flying Spaghetti Monster vs. The Invisible Pink Unicorn (Sort of a Book of Revelation in really terrible music video form) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZK5tCY39x0&feature=related

13. Philosopher/Theologian William Lane Craig responds to Flying Spaghetti Monster http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqBa8b5BIqU&feature=related Serious religious philosophers and theologians have taken on the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

14. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfK8diCvWwk Bad Atheist arguments: The Flying Spaghetti Monster discussed by the apologetics.com guys.

15. Many cultures have dieties and creation stories that differ radically from our Judeo/Christian/Islamic traditions with which we are more familiar. For instance, here is the Iroquois creation story: http://www.crystalinks.com/namcreationwomen.html

18. Does an evolutionary connection between primates and man undermine the value of humans?

19. IS there a difference between the doctrine of the existence of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and the arguments of the major world religions for the existence of God?

20. Does the theory of Intelligent Design depend upon the traditional understanding of God as we know it?

21. Does it make you uneasy to view and discuss parodies of religion? If so, why do you suppose that is?

22. Consider creation stories beyond the Judeo/Christian/Islamic traditions—for instance, the Iroqoi creation myth. Would you attribute more value to this account than to the Flying Spaghetti Monster? Why or why not?