Epic #Pastafarian Defeat: #TracyMcPherson loses the battle (but not the war?)

I wrote about this just a couple of posts ago, and despite my hope for the best, namely that McPherson’s group be allowed, per the First Amendment, to put up a holiday display of their own on public land, it seems, for now, it’s a no-go.  From A-News:

“Despite many phone calls and emails of support, as well as statements by Pastafarian supporters for Holiday Tree and from atheist supporters for the Tree of Knowledge, commissioners Farrell and Costello rejected the motion to nullify Resolution 58-10 which was passed in 2010 and stops all displays except the Jewish menorah, the Christian nativity, and select “secular” christmas symbols picked by the commissioners such as a wreath, a tree, candy canes, santa, and a choo-choo train.

Commissioner Cozzone courageously voted to nullify the resolution in favor of a more inclusive display. We thank her for that. However, since her two colleagues voted against it, the motion did not pass.
As your minister, I am now exploring legal options to bring equality to this county.”

–Tracy McPherson

This is wat I think is gonna happen. McPherson, maybe with a little ACLU help, will sue. It’ll move up a notch It’ll make news. It’ll piss off pundits. People will piss and moan about the rights of “real” religions as opposed to “made up” ones. (A total aside: How was the LDS church, when it began, any different from what the FSM church is now??) After all the hot air has spewed, what this commission will decide to do, rather than recognize Pastafarian rights, will be what Santa Monica did recently, and just say no to all.

It may surprise you to read that I’m in favor of that. I really don’t think it’s a good idea to put up every display possible for the holidays. What it inevitably turns into is a free-for-all of ideas, including intentionally pissy ones, which, let’s be honest, is not in the spirit of the holiday season. The fact is, even for us non-believers, we want to celebrate the season, not just poke our fingers in people’s butts. So rather than force the government to recognize all faiths (oh, yes, we really mean “all”), we need to just say, if the kids can’t play well together, nobody gets to have recess.

#TracyMcPherson rocks #Pennsylvania County with her #Pastafarianism! Ramen!

I was first introduced to the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster a couple of years ago, I think by random chance. I saw the FSM site and the letter to the Kansas State Board of Education. I thought it was funny and cute and certainly appreciated the effort, but didn’t really see it going anywhere.

Then, I saw that Bobby Henderson had written the Gospel and I was more impressed. Not that writing a book is impossible, but it does take time and effort, and I was impressed that he’d gotten legitimately published (as opposed to self-published), and so was available in mainstream book stores.

Since then, I’ve occasionally kept tabs on the FSM movement, but hadn’t seen much that impressed me since the Gospel.

Until today:

I’m mostly impressed that McPherson took the time to prepare her statement and actually go to the meeting. There’ve been similar activities here in LA and I most often don’t find the time.

Good on you, Tracy. No matter what happens, even if the cats ignore you, people have had to consider what you had to say.

My Statement (and Conversation with Sheri K F and Jaime C) on 3/24/12

This one’s a mixed bag, not in terms of content, but in format. It consisted of statements made to a believer with others’ comments included. I’m filing it under Statements to Believers, though, not in Conversations with Theists (especially because one of the conversationists probably isn’t a theist). As per my last Statement to Believers, I’m paraphrasing the believer who did not grant my permission to use his or her words. As for the others, I’m using my tradition of their first name and last initials. My text is in italics. All others’ is in bold. My comments are [in brackets].

via Sheri K F
This is cute and an example (of the power of prayer).

[What followed was a video with this description:]

3-yr-old rejoicing after being healed
Amazing! A three year old girl rejoices and praises God for healing her. Unbelievable praise and worship to God for healing.

Jaime C

Nothing like pseudo science to help us re-assure ourselves that the spaghetti monster will cure everything…i do not honestly think that a 3 year old can be used as an example of faith and factual information.

You’ve gotta be kidding me. There’s not one shred of evidence that prayer affects anything in any way ever. Percent of people healed through prayer alone: 0. Percent of people healed through medical science, their bodies’ natural defenses, or some combination thereof: 100. Don’t teach kids lies about healthcare. It’ll kill them. Just ask the Christian Scientists.

Believer

I respect your opinion, Jaime C and Anton Hill. Different viewpoints = good.

The fact that if I let go of my iPhone, it will fall to the bus floor isn’t my “opinion.” It’s the result of observed, tested, physical laws. So, too, is the fact that prayer is 100% ineffective. There’s been at least one study that’s demonstrated this.

My conversation with #RobynHill (part II) on 3/16/12

Robyn returned for more! I get a little condescending at times. Oops. My text is in italics. Hers is in bold. Theirs is in italic bold.

http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/designun.html
Here is a link to just a piece of why I consider a higher being more reasonable than flying random monster.

As I’ve said, the evidence is 100% indifferent in regards to what you find reasonable. Plus, you can no more disprove the influence of His Noodly Appendage than I can disprove the influence of Yahweh. But either of our inability to disprove is not evidence that either influencer were present.

I’ve taken a look at the page you linked and, right off the bat, the title irritates me: “Evidence for the Fine Tuning of the Universe.” Evidence. Not “Reasons Why I Assume There Must Be a Creator” or “It Seems Too Complex to Have Arisen without Sentient Influence, therefore it Must Have.” No, the article claims evidence. And what is this evidence?

“Evidence shows that the constants of physics have been finely tuned to a degree not possible through human engineering.”

How does the “evidence” show that? Things are the way they are, therefore someone put them in place like that? I agree that it may seem that way, but seeming is not evidence of the conclusion. And that’s it for the article. No evidence at all. Just “it seems fine-tuned, therefore is.” If you feel I’ve misrepresented the page and that there is evidence, please feel free to point it out. To make it easier, I’ve reproduced the article in its entirety.

My conversation with #RobynHill on 3/9/12

Before you ask, no, Robyn and I are not related. Robyn happened onto a post about Mike Lee.

She made the following comment:

“ha ha, Mike Lee makes athesists look ridiculous in the eyes of anyone who knows a thing about logic. Move away from Ad Hominem arguing Lee.”

I responded with this:

“Hey Robyn,

“Thanks for dropping by. Funny you say that as I’d say the exact same thing about any religious person and logic. What, specifically, makes you say that? I don’t actually remember seeing Mike argue anything. Are you saying he’s used ad hominems? if so, when?”

Then I went to her Facebook page, by the link to which she’d provided, and started a conversation. Here is that conversation. My text in italics. Hers in bold. And a few links, pics, and vids to keep your attention ’cause FUCK is this epic!

(Unrelated side note: from now on, the “on X” dates of those conversations won’t necessarily reflect the literal date on which they occurred or ended, but rather more likely the date on which I get around to posting them. Carry on.)

Anton Hill
Hi Robyn,

Thanks for your comment. I just left my reply on AtheistAsshole.com.

Best,

Anton.

Robyn Hill
Sorry, but Mike Lee just uses bad tactics to argue his cause. He needs to take a few logic and debate classes.