“I agree that I will always put salt in the water and allow it to boil before cooking the pasta.” These are the vows that were said when the world’s first ever Pastafarian couple got married. On the 16th of April 2016, Toby Ricketts (35) from Britain, married Marianna Fenn (33) from New Zealand.
The wedding was held aboard a pirate ship in New Zealand. New Zealand’s government is one of three countries that recognizes the religion of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and legalized Pastafarian marriages in 2015.
“Let us remember that there are multiple theories of Intelligent Design. I and many others around the world are of the strong belief that the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster. It was He who created all that we see and all that we feel. We feel strongly that the overwhelming scientific evidence pointing towards evolutionary processes is nothing but a coincidence, put in place by Him.” – Bobby Henderson http://www.scq.ubc.ca/open-
That is an extract from the letter a physics graduate from Ohio State University, called Bobby Henderson, sent to the Kansas State Board of Education, to oppose a decision that was made to teach Intelligent Design as an alternative to Evolution in 2005.
In 2006 he wrote the Gospel of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and became the “Prophet” of Pastafarianism. Pastafarianism is a legally recognized religion in Poland, the Netherlands and New Zealand. In New Zealand, according to Wikipedia, there are “727 religions, denominations, congregations and ministries authorised to perform legal marriages”.
A Federal Judge in the United States ruled that the “Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster” is not a real religion, but this did not stop the Ricketts from tying the knot in true pirate style. Karen Martyn, a New Zealander from Wellington, conducted the wedding, she has been given the legal right to conduct marriages in New Zealand. She was saying that she has many more couples waiting to be married this year.
The Ricketts exchanged spaghetti rings whilst blindfolded and had their guests wear pirate clothes. Toby wore an eyepatch and Marianna wore a colander on her head. Tomatoes, vegetarian meatballs, pasta and bread was served, though one might say this actually goes against the religions Noodles Prayer by the prophet Ragu: “Our pasta, who art in a colander, draining be your noodles. Thy noodle come, thy sauce be yum, on top some grated Parmesan. Give us this day our garlic bread, and forgive us our trespases, as we forgive those who trample on our lawns. And lead us not into vegetarianism, but deliver us some pizza, for thine is the meatball, the onion, and the bay leaves, forever and ever. R’Amen.”
But both Toby and Marianna seems very devote to their God, Flying Spaghetti Monster. “Our deity’s just as valid as any other supernatural deity,” Toby said. “The church doesn’t require that anyone literally believes. Scepticism is encouraged. Asking questions is part of the faith. The flying Spaghetti Monster, I believe, is as plausible as any of the other thousands of deities around the world. And the idea makes me happy,” new bride Marianna Fenn said.
The church of the FSM has their own prayers, a Hail Mary – worded to suit the Pastafarian religion, and the “Our Father” hereto onwards referred to as the “Noodle Prayer” and even believes in Heaven and Hell. They believe that in Heaven there is a volcano where beer flows from and a stripper or prostitute factory. And they believe that Hell is the opposite from heaven, the beer is stale there and the strippers all have sexually transmitted diseases.
Hashtags: #Pastafarianism 
