Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Who is the Flying Spaghetti Monster?
A growing phenomenon in contemporary culture is the Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM). A satirical reaction to the intelligent design movement, the FSM has taken on a "life" of its own. Created by Bobby Henderson, a physicist and graduate of Oregon State University, the FSM is a supernatural creator that resembles spaghetti and meatballs. Henderson argues that the FSM should be taught in science classrooms as an additional alternative to evolution. Obviously, the point is to mock intelligent design proponents by showing the supposed absurdity of their argument.
Wikipedia's introduction to the FSM shows how the movement has grown: "The Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM) has become the center of a phenomenon with followers who call themselves Pastafarians, a play on 'Rastafarians.' Although 'Flying Spaghetti Monsterism' was created as a parody religion, Pastafarians say it is a legitimate one; some argue that the FSM is no more or less fictional than any other deity."
Now "Flying Spaghetti Monsterism" is taking another step forward with its own scripture, The Gospel of The Flying Spaghetti Monster. As interest in the FSM continues to grow, we will continue to see more and more about Henderson's new "religion." The Record has recently reported on this growth (as posted by KansasCity.com) in "Church that reveres Flying Spaghetti Monster’ finds growing following."
What should we think about this development? I wonder if it is a display of desperation. If we cannot refute, then we will ridicule. "Flying Spaghetti Monsterism" could easily backfire on its adherents; showing the bankruptcy of those who uncritically accept evolution. I think this is one big flash-in-the-pan that will fizzle out as quickly as it has grown.
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4 Comments:
I don't think this is a display of desperation; rather, I see it as a glimps of the arguments that are to come with the new generations. Have you noticed the randomness with which teen/college age people debate? Abandoning critical thinking and logical debate, they turn to the easier venue of hypothetical irrationalism and attempt to defeat their opponent by showing (without evidence) that their opponent's position is "absurd."
Although this tecnique may influence the masses of those who choose not to think and evaluate evidence for a while, I don't believe it is anything we must get up in arms about. This too will pass and will hold no more water in important debates than does the "what came first, the chicken and the egg" argument.
What concerns me more is that this mindset will transfer into science as the upcoming generation finds their carreers. By attaching themselves to arguments such as this, they automatically set up presuppositions and, therefore, loose the objectivity to which the science community prides itself on (eventhough they too hold many unseen presuppositions).
I still think that Hitler is our answer to Evolution in an apologetical situation. He took evolution to the logical conclusion: we must aid evolution by exterminating the weaker genes in the species.
They have an imaginary Flying Dinner but we have a real monster that destroyed a large part of civilization. It is a legitamite argument that we should stamp the swastica on evolutionary textbooks.
You are hilarious!
Yeah, right, that´s what the FSM is, a display of desperation...really, with this highly developed skills of interpretation of yours, it´s not a surprise you actually give credit to the intelligent design "theory".
Oh, and about what Jodi said...it is REALLY easy to point out the intelligent design as absurd. Only that´s not due to the abandoning critical thinking - that´s what leads people to religion, you should be glad America´s educational system is so trashed.
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