NZ Grants Church of FSM the Right to Perform Marriage Ceremonies

I couldn't be happier for my Pastafarian brothers, this is a momentous day for religious equality in New Zealand!

Registrar-general of births, deaths and marriages Jeff Montgomery's decision said the church applied in November for approval as an organisation to solemnise marriages. They included a statutory declaration made before a solicitor and the "objects of the church".

The application was approved under a sub-section of the Marriages Act, satisfying the registrar-general that the principal object of the organisation was to uphold or promote religious beliefs, philosophical or humanitarian convictions.

Montgomery said the purposes set out by the church were educating and training people, particularly atheists and superstitious people, about Flying Spaghetti principles and practices. Those principles covered human rights, cultural and spiritual diversity, ethics, relieving poverty and advancing education.

"In considering the matter I have referred to the Objects of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, reviewed material available online about this organisation and considered other organisations already able to nominate marriage celebrants.

"A review of media and the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster's international website show a consistent presentation of their philosophies. While some claim this is a 'parody organisation', members have rebutted this on a number of occasions."

New Zealand law does not define religious, or philosophical, organisations eligible for approval to perform marriages.

Most organisations approved to perform marriages are faith-based and cluster around well-known religious views.

However, alternative philosophies have been granted official licensing capabilities, including yoga, Wicca, Scientology, Heathen, Druidism, Humanism and Reiki spiritual healing.

"As registrar-general it is my role to apply the relevant legislation. In this case, my decision can only be based on whether the organisation upholds or promotes religious beliefs, or philosophical or humanitarian convictions.

"No judgment is made on the validity of those beliefs or convictions."

The next step for the church, if they choose to do so, is nominating a marriage celebrant for approval.

In Australia, the Spaghetti-ites say the group is in the process of establishing an official presence in "His Noodly Honour".

-stuff

This comes less than one year after deep sea explorers discovered and photographed an aquatic spaghetti monster; clearly there is evidence all around us of his noodly divinity.


Anyone here interested in having a pastafarian wedding? I know I am!

Our Spaghetti, who art in meat sauce, flying be thy way.
Thy meatballs come, thy noodling done, on earth as it is inside us.
Give us this day our bolognaise, and forgive us our pizzas,
As we forgive those who eat pizza before us.
And lead us not to the salad bar, but deliver us from tofu.
For thine is the gnocchi, the penne and linguine,
Forever and ever
Ramen

Pasta be with you.

Friggin hilarious.
And whats wrong with a little bit of Tofu. Tofu has been misunderstood for too long. Tofu adds balance in the meat sauce. Without Tofu how would we understand and appreciate Spaghetti and the path that Lord FSM set out for us.
I find it difficult to resist salad but I am trying but...
To resist and overcome Salad is to experience what it truly is to be a follower of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
Pasta be with you too brother.
Ramen

a reply to: spygeek

Some people REALLY need to get a life.

This is just political posturing to take advantage of loopholes in the law to stretch it beyond it's original intention.

a reply to: spygeek

However, alternative philosophies have been granted official licensing capabilities, including yoga, Wicca, Scientology, Heathen, Druidism, Humanism and Reiki spiritual healing.

Heathen???


HAHAHAHA... All those times I have been called a Heathen and I didn't even know it was a respected philosophy.

The saddest part of this is some people consider marriage a very important commitment
Not just a commitment but a lifelong journey based on love, honour and all that marriage entails

The FSM "church" for the sake of posturing and belittling just tore a huge hole in that ideal. and its not a church, every one knows that
unless and sadly that atheism has become a religion

originally posted by: markosity1973
a reply to: spygeek

Some people REALLY need to get a life.

This is just political posturing to take advantage of loopholes in the law to stretch it beyond it's original intention.

There is nothing political about this, Mark, and the law is being applied correctly. In New Zealand anyone can become a marriage celebrant, and organisations that are granted the power to perform ceremonies and appoint celebrants do so by honouring the law and upholding the values of marriage.

There are no "loopholes" in this legislation. FSM fit the required criteria, so to reject their application would be discriminatory.

originally posted by: Raggedyman
The saddest part of this is some people consider marriage a very important commitment
Not just a commitment but a lifelong journey based on love, honour and all that marriage entails

The FSM "church" for the sake of posturing and belittling just tore a huge hole in that ideal. and its not a church, every one knows that unless and sadly that atheism has become a religion

This does not belittle or undermine the importance of marriage at all. FSM certainly do no such thing. Anyone, religious or not, may apply to become a celebrant and perform a legally recognised marriage ceremony. The tenets of pastafarianism uphold all the values of unconditional love and marriage.

FSM is, by definition, a church. They are not atheists. They worship a deity and embrace the supernatural. To say they are not a religion is ridiculous.

I am detecting more than a hint of anti-pasta sentiment here. Please brothers, be respectful of other people's beliefs, they are no threat to you, and do nothing to infringe on your rights.

originally posted by: Grimpachi
a reply to: spygeek

However, alternative philosophies have been granted official licensing capabilities, including yoga, Wicca, Scientology, Heathen, Druidism, Humanism and Reiki spiritual healing.

Heathen???


HAHAHAHA... All those times I have been called a Heathen and I didn't even know it was a respected philosophy.

"Heathen" is, more or less, another word for pagan or neopagan. The term was derived from the phrase "living on the heath", and although it was (and still often is, as you have mentioned), predominantly used in a pejorative manner by Christians towards those who didn't convert or don't subscribe to their beliefs, many pagans these days have claimed the word for themselves.

May your parmesan always be fragrant and your pasta forever el dente, Grimpachi.

a reply to: spygeek

I think the very idea of Spaghetti Monsterism being taken seriously as anything other than its original intent is patently ridiculous...

Which is why it's AWESOME!

In all seriousness, I think if any modern day person wants to "make up" a religion, they should, and it is no more or less valid than any other religion, even should one of them some day turn out to be full-on real. Is religion/spiritualism, at its core, a methodology of accessing the Sacred/Divine?

Moral codes and rituals are merely a component of the path any religion provides. Some people are better off having a path laid bare for them to tread, others use path(s) as starting points, then customize it as they see fit, while still others can most thrive and grow spiritually by creating their own.

I'm willing to bet there are followers of the FSM out there who take their path quite seriously, amidst the ridiculousness of it, and have taken greater spiritual strides than multitudes of followers of other paths in the process. I'm also willing to bet there are adepts/mystics of nearly every path who, if they were aware of FSM, would definitely see its value and potential, and they would be right.

That, and, well, I would jump at the opportunity to attend a Pastafarian wedding. I wonder what they would serve? Wait... No I don't. Count me in!

a reply to: Raggedyman

Meh.

People can spend their lives together in love and respect without requiring a religious ceremony's endorsement. An FSM marriage doesn't have to mean the wedding is a sham. Arguably, the USA is the home of the comedy wedding with so many people getting married in costumes and being ordained by people dressed like Elvis.

In that light, does it matter how they marry if the marriage lasts a lifetime? Conversely, does a conventional marriage even hold more validity when the divorce rate is so high?

a reply to: spygeek

FSM is a total construct.

I give it as much credibility as the McGillicuddy serious party.

Yes it's funny, but jokes can be taken too far.

In case anyone is interested, here are the 8 "I'd really rather you didn'ts" also known as the 8 Condiments of Pastafarianism as handed down by the FSM himself:

• "I'd Really Rather You Didn't Act Like A Sanctimonious, Holier-Than-Thou Ass When Describing My Noodly Goodness."

• "I'd Really Rather You Didn't Use My Existence As A Means To Oppress, Subjugate, Punish, Eviscerate, And/Or, You Know, Be Mean To Others."

• "I'd Really Rather You Didn't Judge People For The Way They Look, Or How They Dress, Or The Way They Talk, Or, Well, Just Play Nice, Okay?"

• "I'd Really Rather You Didn't Indulge In Conduct That Offends Yourself, Or Your Willing, Consenting Partner Of Legal Age AND Mental Maturity."

• "I'd Really Rather You Didn't Challenge The Bigoted, Misogynist, Hateful Ideas Of Others On An Empty Stomach."

• "I'd Really Rather You Didn't Build Multimillion-Dollar Churches/ Temples/Mosques/Shrines To My Noodly Goodness When The Money Could Be Better Spent (take your pick)
o Ending Poverty,
o Curing Diseases,
o Living In Peace, Loving With Passion, And Lowering The Cost Of Cable.

• "I'd Really Rather You Didn't Go Around Telling People I Talk To You."

• "I'd Really Rather You Didn't Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You If You Are Into, Um, Stuff That Uses A Lot Of Leather/Lubricant/Las Vegas. If the other person is into it, however (Pursuant To #4), then have at it."

originally posted by: markosity1973
a reply to: spygeek

FSM is a total construct.

Aren't they all?

Isn't that the point??

originally posted by: markosity1973
a reply to: spygeek

FSM is a total construct.

I give it as much credibility as the McGillicuddy serious party.

Yes it's funny, but jokes can be taken too far.

This is a common misconception. although the original concept of the spaghetti monster was written to show how unscientific biblical claims are in a humourous way, there has developed an organised "moral code" encompassing rationality and humanity.

True followers of FSM maintain that the name and image of the deity is irrelevant and beyond expression, and that by praising and appreciating creation is to show gratitude to the supreme being. The chose a flying spaghetti monster and a mythological creation story of humans being descended from pirates because in their rational worldview, it is just as likely as any other limited human description of His ways, and it gets a laugh.

Giving thanks for a delicious boloagnaise as it is a reflection of the creator's natural genius and everlasting love, is a religious practice.

As Freija pointed out, they have a set of Commandments and they follow them.

originally posted by: Freija
In case anyone is interested, here are the 8 "I'd really rather you didn'ts" also known as the 8 Condiments of Pastafarianism as handed down by the FSM himself:

• "I'd Really Rather You Didn't Act Like A Sanctimonious, Holier-Than-Thou Ass When Describing My Noodly Goodness."

• "I'd Really Rather You Didn't Use My Existence As A Means To Oppress, Subjugate, Punish, Eviscerate, And/Or, You Know, Be Mean To Others."

• "I'd Really Rather You Didn't Judge People For The Way They Look, Or How They Dress, Or The Way They Talk, Or, Well, Just Play Nice, Okay?"

• "I'd Really Rather You Didn't Indulge In Conduct That Offends Yourself, Or Your Willing, Consenting Partner Of Legal Age AND Mental Maturity."

• "I'd Really Rather You Didn't Challenge The Bigoted, Misogynist, Hateful Ideas Of Others On An Empty Stomach."

• "I'd Really Rather You Didn't Build Multimillion-Dollar Churches/ Temples/Mosques/Shrines To My Noodly Goodness When The Money Could Be Better Spent (take your pick)
o Ending Poverty,
o Curing Diseases,
o Living In Peace, Loving With Passion, And Lowering The Cost Of Cable.

• "I'd Really Rather You Didn't Go Around Telling People I Talk To You."

• "I'd Really Rather You Didn't Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You If You Are Into, Um, Stuff That Uses A Lot Of Leather/Lubricant/Las Vegas. If the other person is into it, however (Pursuant To #4), then have at it."

In case anyone's interested, here's the Church Website, and here's an introductory video. =)

a reply to: markosity1973

Not really, New Zealand is secular on the whole, so they can't refuse. The funny thing is one "only" needs to become a justice of the peace to marry people.