South Carolina Pastafarians in the News

May 13, 2009

A local news station in Columbia, South Carolina, did a report on the recent ARIS results that more people are claiming to hold no religious affiliation.

The Pastafarians at the University of South Carolina were featured in the report. They’re on a press roll lately, having been featured in The New York Times just a couple weeks ago!

Also featured in the WLTX piece — annoying shots of the sea, sky, and sun every single damn time God is mentioned.

We get the symbolism. No need for overkill.

You have to sit through a commercial before the piece begins.

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What Are Your Thoughts?leave a comment

Zar

One thing I thought the piece missed is why people are less interested in Christianity. The pastor they interviewed had it backwards. It’s not because Christians aren’t zealous enough—it’s because many of them are too zealous and bigoted. I think a lot of young people are turned off of Christianity because they associate it with being homophobic, racist and sexist. The most visible, famous religious figures in America are televangelist types. Anyone who isn’t completely crazy runs screaming away from that.
sc0tt

A few observations –

1. All three of the live newscasters seemed to have a really difficult time discussing the story.

2. The reference to Pastafarians was completely unexplained and unreferenced – it’s a JOKE people.

3. The statement on the immorality of being non-Christian went unchallenged.

4. Are they really surprised that 1/4 of people never go to church?
Cafeeine

“Are they really surprised that 1/4 of people never go to church?”

I would add the last two percentages together. Someone who goes to church twice a year, likely doesn’t do it for religious reasons, but for social ones.
This bumps the percentage of those away from regular churching to 36%.
«bønez_brigade»

@sc0tt,

2. The reference to Pastafarians was completely unexplained and unreferenced – it’s a JOKE people.

Yeah, I know. They made it look like those USC dudes were serious about calling themselves Pastafarians (not that they didn’t look serious, anyway). It will make for many lulz, though, when Xians (unfamiliar w/ FSM) who saw that report attempt to mock their local atheists for being “Pastafarians”.
Tom

Anyone else thinking that pastor is definitely a closeted homosexual?
anonymouse

I love how the first woman interviewed equated morals with religion. Because I don’t believe in god, I am apparently raping and murdering everyone…?
Todd

Of course, that poll could use some tweaking…wltx.com, page down, on right…
elf_man

That pastor (or at least his words were used as such, dunno if he was actually commenting on that or if it was just the editing) also implied that those atheists and agnostics they interviewed weren’t raised properly Christian. Thank you my fine Scotsman.

And he says the problem isn’t the message? Has he read the Bible lately?
NeuroLover

I love the tone of voice all the reporters got whenever they mentioned a word like “atheist *shudder*” 🙂
Gustavo Keener

Thank the FSM that we have so many people getting out of the rut! All praise, glory, and honor the the almighty FSM!
Jason

Todd Davis might be a touch gay. Reminds me of Ted Haggard.
Porky Pine

@Tom

You beat me to it. I had him nailed as a pedophile or a closet gay. 🙂

I didn’t realize that a pastafarian was a synonym for atheist.

Ramen!
Beth B.

I love the implication that Christian children who grow up to become atheist or agnostic reflect a defect in parenting. Because it’s not like a person would ever think independently and come to their own conclusions. Of course not…
Jayne

that pastor sounds like Jim J. Bullock.
Edward

There was a disturbing theme in this piece that people who are Christian are moral and those who are not Christian are not moral.

Christianity has no exclusive license on morality. There are MANY religions and moral systems that help provide pro-social values.

Many non-Christian societies flourish in all areas of human endeavor, arts, science, philosophy and spirituality. To imply that they do not because they are not Christian is the height of arrogance and ignorance.

Historically, much of western advancement came from the influences of peoples from the near and far east, which includes China, India, Japan, Arabia… all of which are non-Christian. Were these powerful and in many ways advanced societies lacking in a moral center? Was their population in chaos?

What pro-social values does modern Christianity provide? Exclusion of gays, homophobia, blockage of equal rights under the law based on hysteria and innuendo, condemnation of others who do not agree, attacks on scientific reasoning, disruption of society, black-white thinking, and blatant attempts to force their beliefs into law and create a totalitarian state where all must adhere to “Christian principles.” It cannot possibly survive because it is based on a destructive construct.

I believe that Christian churches are a propaganda machine for Christianity, plain and simple. Thanks to their political activism, they have reduced their religion to a political movement based on exclusion, guilt, shame and condemnation. This naturally makes people start to question them and their beliefs.

Psychologically, Christianity is negative. It teaches that people have no inherent goodness or morality and no value UNLESS they believe in a certain religious system and are “saved”. This completely denies the ability of human beings to achieve, reducing them to puppets whose strings must be pulled. It rejects independent thinking, self improvement, achievement and ultimately personal responsibility.

Their own moral system is designed to collapse in on itself and destroy morality. Since “I believe, therefore I am saved.” equates to “It doesn’t matter WHAT I do as long as I believe, I am saved.”

If one is not accountable for ones actions, as the “I am saved approach” implies, then one can do just about anything and get away with it. Try pulling that in a court of law “I believe in the Constitution, therefore, I am not responsible for any crimes I have committed.”

The decline in Christianity in the United States is a direct result of their teachings. They simply went over the top too many times. Even self described Christians are leaving Christian Churches.

Spirituality and morality, social mores and ethics are diverse. Christianity seeks to exclude, not include. Of course, they will eventually lose followers, how could they not?