So-called Pastafarians of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster have erected a holiday display to join those of Christians, Jews and Satanists on the capitol lawn in Lansing, Michigan.
Followers of the satirical church — which describes itself as having “flimsy moral standards” and a “way better” heaven complete with a stripper factory and beer volcano — brought a monument to its creator, the Flying Spaghetti Monster, to display outside the statehouse Friday, the Lansing State Journal reported.
The display shows a mound of spaghetti with eyeballs on top and giant meatball orbs on either side.
The latest controversial holiday display comes after the Satanist church announced it would erect a Snaketivity display in response to a live Nativity outside the statehouse, sponsored by Sen. Ted Cruz’s presidential campaign.
Capitol rules prohibit permanent displays so the holiday scenes on the lawn are temporary and must be removed daily.
Mr. Cruz’s nativity and a Hanukkah display sponsored by state Rep. Mike Calton, Nashville Republican, have already been displayed on the lawn earlier this month.
Two other state lawmakers are sponsoring another nativity display that will be on the lawnSaturday morning and a Satanist Ekphrasis Ceremony will take place Saturday evening, the Journal reported.
The church, also known as Pastafariansim, has been dubbed a social movement that promotes a satirical view of religion. Pastafarians oppose the teaching of intelligent design and creationism in schools.
Earlier this month, New Zealand approved Pastafarian weddings and in Nov. the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles allowed a woman who claimed to be a Pastafarian to wear a colander on her head in her driver’s license photo after she cited her religious beliefs.
• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.
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