Pastafarian wins right to wear strainer on government ID

[eye_of_the_storm]

http://socialreader.com/me/content/Dm4TL?chid=31023&utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=srfan

 

Lukas Novy claims that his Patsafarian faith means he is forced to wear the sieve at all times.

 

In some countries, cooking is like a religion. In the Czech Republic, it apparently is.

 

Lukas Novy, a Czech "Pastafarian," has legally won the right to don a spaghetti strainer in his official government ID card photo, citing religious reasons, as a devout member of the “Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.”

 

What is Pastafarianism, you ask? According to their Website, the satirical sect was formed by a bunch of peaceful pirate explorers with a penchant for beer, ruled by an invisible noodly monster who "boiled for your sins." Surprisingly, it's not the first time a government has recognized Pastafarian's sieve-donning habits as legitimate as any other religious practice.

 

A spokesperson explained that Novy's crockery “complies with the laws of the Czech Republic where headgear for religious or medical reasons is permitted," as long as it doesn't cover his face, reported Think Progress, who rightly raised the issue of the legitimacy in religious liberty claims:

 

Obviously, this is an intentionally absurd story of a man finding a legal loophole and exploiting it in a humorous (and harmless) way. But Novy’s Pastafarian ID card does speak to a broader problem facing any religious liberty regime: a religious liberty regime must be able to sort legitimate religious objections from attempts to game the law. In the United States, for example, individuals claiming they are exempt from the law due to religious objections must base those objections in “sincerely held” religious beliefs — not in a non-religious belief, a made up belief, or a prank. The alternative to policing this line is virtual anarchy, because without it anyone could raise virtually any objection to virtually any law and receive a religious exemption from having to comply with it.

 

It is presumed that tonight, hundreds of thousands of self-listed Jedis around the world will help celebrate Novy's small win in the battle for freedom of expression for all religions, hoping perhaps that soon the time will come when their own saber-wielding ways will be enshrined in legislation.

[Chang]

Very good. I am however somewhat concerned that Lukas is wearing his sieve skew-whiff. It surely shows a lack of respect for his tradition.

[Cheshire Cat]

[Stosh]

They did put a limit on his religious expression. It couldn't cover his face. So it doesn't mean that leniency toward religion is going to destroy law and order, if it is judiciously applied.

Besides that, the strainer adds to the amount of information available on the ID.

[Vanir Thunder Dojo Tan]

law and order decimate human spirit. your argument is invalid.

[Leif]

While the underlying topics remain valid for the discussion, this particular ID case is completely misinterpreted by those who published it, it doesn't comply with the law and there was no "small win" involved,

 

He was issued a temporary ID, not full ID, based on a benevolency in legal terms interpretation of a single ID issuing officer. At the same time the officer asked the Ministry to issue an explanation how to handle cases like this. But the case is relatively clear, so it's almost sure Lukas Novy will not get a real full ID, unless strainer is down.

 

Simply because Pastafarians are not legally recognized as a church in Czech republic. (It shouldn't be extremely hard to get Pastafarians recognized though, but I doubt anybody will bother with it, it's just a show-off of people around the Pirate party.)

[Stosh]

law and order decimate human spirit. your argument is invalid.

I respectfully disagree Sir. The human condition is inherently bipolar. There is both an imperative for individual fulfillment , and a social instinct. Law and order is the means by which these conflicting tendencies are both mitigated and fulfilled. Suggested reading ... LORD OF THE FLIES.

[Stosh]

While the underlying topics remain valid for the discussion, this particular ID case is completely misinterpreted by those who published it, it doesn't comply with the law and there was no "small win" involved, He was issued a temporary ID, not full ID, based on a benevolency in legal terms interpretation of a single ID issuing officer. At the same time the officer asked the Ministry to issue an explanation how to handle cases like this. But the case is relatively clear, so it's almost sure Lukas Novy will not get a real full ID, unless strainer is down. Simply because Pastafarians are not legally recognized as a church in Czech republic. (It shouldn't be extremely hard to get Pastafarians recognized though, but I doubt anybody will bother with it, it's just a show-off of people around the Pirate party.)

Darn , the hat suited him.

[Leif]

Austrians are way ahead though, you can have a pasta strainer on driving license there:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14135523

Which brings me to an important thought, once I'm bald can I have that strainer with spaghetti LOL

Edited August 4, 2013 by Leif

[Jetsun]

That is excellent