If Scientology can legally stretch the concept of what is a religion into being classified as one, you should be able to make any belief, real or made up, into a religion, right?

An Austrian atheist has won the right to be shown on his driving-licence photo wearing a pasta strainer as “religious headgear”.

Niko Alm first applied for the licence three years ago after reading that headgear was allowed in official pictures only for confessional reasons. Mr Alm said the sieve was a requirement of his religion, pastafarianism.




  1. lynn says:

    Pastafarianism – LOL!

  2. What? says:

    Obviously Herr Alm is an Ultra-Orthodox Fundemenalist Pastafarian Extremeist. He should be on the No Fly list, and be subject to 24 monitoring.

  3. Dallas says:

    Quite practical headgear and if designed right could protect brain from unhealthy radio waves.

  4. Jasontheodd says:

    viva la ravioliution…

  5. Rob says:

    This guy looks no more or less ridiculous than any other headgear-wearing religious observent.

  6. atheist with sense says:

    > This guy looks no more or less ridiculous than any other headgear-wearing religious observent.

    This guy **is** no more or less ridiculous than any other religious observent.

    FTFY

  7. Two to the head says:

    He is from the ultra orthodox wing of the church of the flying spaghetti monster. What do you expect…

  8. admfubar says:

    >>>> you should be able to make any belief, real or made up, into a religion, right? <<<<

    REAL or made up?? WTF???

  9. Uncle Dave says:

    #9: Sarcasm.

  10. NobodySpecial says:

    So this is a made-up religion, not a real one?

  11. msbpodcast says:

    In #9 admfubar said: REAL or made up?? WTF???

    Right WTF???

    They’re all made up. God, Allah, Yaweh, Zoroaster, they’re all made up.

    I look up at the sky and its full of … lies.

    A Pastafarian who worships the Flying Spaghetti Monster makes perfect (non)sense to me.

    You might as well wear a colander on you beaner and keep out the FBI/CIA/Russian/Chinese mind control rays

  12. professional-amateur says:

    If his hair were longer he could wear pasta-locks

  13. Skeptic says:

    Soooo… if I wear a tub on my head I’ll be a Batholic.

  14. Animby says:

    I didn’t follow the link since I read this story earlier today. The part that made me laugh was that he had to bring a note from his doctor stating he was okay to drive! I couldn’t help but wonder if Jews had to bring a note from the dr in order to wear a yarmulke or Sihks for their turbans.

    “To Whom It May Concern;
    This is to certify that I have personally examined Rabbi Morechai Goldblum and declare him sufficiently circumcised to drive in Austria.”

  15. Faxon says:

    Maybe he could stretch a douchebag over his head.

  16. JimD says:

    Any Crackpot can MAKE UP A RELIGION !!!

    They’ve been doing it for THOUSANDS OF YEARS !!!

    Just look in the Yellow Pages under “Houses of Worship” !!!

  17. spsffan says:

    I’m not entirely sure that ANYONE with a belief in an afterlife should be allowed to drive. Or be a pilot. Or a member of Congress.

    But what do you expect from the atheist step-son of the atheist son of an atheist Baptist minister? That’s me folks!

  18. spsffan says:

    Oh, and just for kicks, they should have allowed the strainer but made him shave before taking the picture.

  19. sargasso_c says:

    Scientology is classified as a “cult” in some western countries, and as such it is banned as an exploitative secret organisation.

  20. scandihoovian says:

    He uses the strainer when he hands out the kool-aid to catch any leftover cyanide pulp.

  21. bobbo, one true libertarian balancing all the equities says:

    ……and DOGMA still applies……

    Had a girl friend once who was surprised I used a pasta strainer to separate the water from my boiled potatoes. Using it for anything but pasta had never occurred to her. Yes, I thought that was adorable.

  22. foobar says:

    NobodySpecial said “So this is a made-up religion, not a real one?”

    Yup, it’s a made up one. Like Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

  23. So what says:

    #20 Give a about a thousand years of continued silliness. Then it becomes a religion.

  24. SubGenius says:

    “Slack”

    religion sell sell sell… at least at the end of the day those Pastafarians will have something to eat

  25. Somebody says:

    “Mr Alm said the sieve was a requirement of his religion, pastafarianism.”

    No, it isn’t.

    I sense an ugly schism brewing.

  26. Phydeau says:

    I have been Touched by his Noodly Appendage!

  27. Urotsukidoji says:

    Hey Phydeau, as have I. Our dogma is we have no dogma. It’s such a beautiful religion.

    Ramen.

  28. gildersleeve says:

    I don’t think this guy’s so smart. I’m pretty sure that Austria requires you to pay a fee to register as belonging to a religion.

  29. Shiriki says:

    Well, the church you belong to can ask you to pay a fee. But I doubt anybody is collecting from Pastafarians…


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