Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, Crossville: Spaghetti Monster Retires from Courthouse Lawn to Begin Crossville Tour

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Spaghetti Monster Retires from Courthouse Lawn to Begin Crossville Tour

Today, the FSM has retired from the courthouse lawn--- few statues still remain and the future of religious and political displays on government property remains unknown. The Flying Spaghetti Monster is worn but not beaten in spirit. Not knowing the next time It will make the pilgrimage to Crossville again, It will take the last week in April to do some much needed sightseeing around beautiful Cumberland County.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...: Oh my goodness. I'm so glad my friend and I took our pilgrimage from Texas to see FSM last weekend.; April 26, 2008 at 8:14 PM
Debbie Barnard said...: Where can we see the FSM? My friends and I drove over from Cookeville today--we even had pasta for it to bless--but were dismayed that it was gone.; April 27, 2008 at 3:24 PM
Anonymous said...: My friends and I were going to make a pilgrimage next week...alas, if only we had gone earlier!; April 28, 2008 at 12:11 PM
Anonymous said...: If that is spaghetti sprouting from the ground, then Iam an Aardvark. Your PvC contraption killed the grass.And by the way, Aardvarks can't comment......; May 4, 2008 at 8:17 AM
Anonymous said...: Why does it not surprise me that over sixty percent of this town believes in the spaghetti monster? You really don't want me to answer that.....; May 13, 2008 at 7:52 PM
Anonymous said...: Hubby just watching the Libertarian convention on CSpan caught a delegate walking by in full Pirate regalia- Arrgh

FSM is everywhere!; May 25, 2008 at 2:32 PM
Sly fox said...: I just can't wait for it to get a hold over here in Italy, what with all the different forms they have here!
Wow! just think of Creative Design!!! in Theory it would work!

Here's the proof!
There are more than 400 different pasta shapes and sizes. Among the popular cord forms of pasta are spaghetti (little strings), That answers science's string theory.
And Lasagne explains the formation to the earth.
And look at Fossils, well have you never seen pasta shells!; May 31, 2008 at 9:48 AM
Jeff said...: I just found your blog. I wish I had known about it months ago. I have been a devout Pastafarian for several years and was extremely excited to see all of the press coverage. I linked to several articles on the Crossville courthouse display from our filmmaking blog in Knoxville. I was even planning a group trip to see it when I learned that it had been removed. I only hope to have an opportunity to visit this icon of our delicious diety.

May You Be Touched!; August 14, 2008 at 9:33 AM
Anonymous said...: Nice work. We are electing new School Board members again in Kansas. I hope the FSM can make an appearance if needed; August 20, 2008 at 8:28 PM
Anonymous said...: i am a photographer in Nashville Tennessee. Does anyone know where this statue is now located?; January 15, 2009 at 3:07 PM
Anonymous said...: Has It's noodley greatness been seen recently?
I note the anniversary of It's departure from the lawn of the Courthouse with a feeling of greatfullness at It's appearance.

Forrest Erickson; April 26, 2009 at 5:48 AM
Anonymous said...: My friend, a humble pastafarian, recently introduced me to his Noodliness and my life has change dramatically since being touched by his starchy appendage. I have now see that we have lived in a FSM-forsaken world filled with blasphemers who can't see the truth right in front of their eyes. In order to spread FSM's truthiness, I created this latest t-shirt design for those proselytizing pirates. Arggh!

http://www.skreened.com/truthswag; May 14, 2009 at 1:36 PM
Keith R said...: Nice work! I have a suggestion. To drive the point home further, follow references to the FSM (sbuh) with "sbuh". The 's' is for 'sauce'.

If you don't get the joke, google "pbuh".; September 13, 2009 at 8:57 AM
jen said...: are you kidding me with this bullshit? seriously whoever believes this is a complete fucking moron. why dont you start living in reality?

hope i didn't offend the FSM. wouldn't want to be smited by his "noodly appendages".; May 12, 2010 at 7:51 AM
TymexPyres said...: Iam glad the thing is gone. Next time why don't you just build a big golden calf? I'll tell you why, because it's wrong.But, Iam sure you'll beg to differ.; May 23, 2010 at 12:24 PM
Anonymous said...: Is this church tax exempt? Does it survive on 10% tithes and additional offerings? If no on all accounts then it's not a true church in my opinion(lol)!; June 22, 2010 at 4:47 AM
said...: Most Cool, indeed.; May 16, 2011 at 10:45 AM

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Why is displaying the Flying Spaghetti Monster important?

The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster represents many things to many people and yet it is a faith that is often neglected by the general public. When Bobby Hendersen, a devoted Pastafarian, patriotic American, and concerned citizen of Kansas, realized that local students would never even learn about the Spaghedeity in public schools, he was gravely upset. Mr. Hendersen wrote to the school board immediately:

I am writing you with much concern after having read of your hearing to decide whether the alternative theory of Intelligent Design should be taught along with the theory of Evolution. I think we can all agree that it is important for students to hear multiple viewpoints so they can choose for themselves the theory that makes the most sense to them. I am concerned, however, that students will only hear one theory of Intelligent Design.

Just as Mr. Hendersen was concerned when Pastafarianism was neglected in public schools, I worry when our courthouse lawn is absent of the Spaghetti Monster's holy image. Many would argue that no type of religious symbols should be put on government property. Those few would say that worshipping should be the decision and act of an individual, and not the government. But I disagree. I am thankful that that is not how it is in Crossville. I believe all of us should share our beliefs on that nicely cut piece of grass on Crossville's Main Street. My only concern is that as it stands now, the Spaghetti Monster and others are absent. By displaying only one type of symbol on our great town's communal property, an atomsphere could be created in which other faiths and ideas are stifled.

I would like to be a voice to spread the love of It and It's teachings. Hunter Thompson stated, "Freedom is something that dies unless it's used." Please follow me on my two month journey to understand more about It's Holy Pilgramage from the Heavens to Crossville and back again.

The Vision

Tonight at dinner as I was staring down at my spaghetti and meatballs I was startled to discover that the remains of spaghetti sauce took the shape of It, the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

It came to me then, that in only a few short weeks, on March 21, is Day of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, followed by six weeks of spaghetti fasting. The six weeks ends with huge festivities on May 1, the Day of National Prayer. It occured to me looking at the holy image of It that stared up at me from my plate that this is indeed a Sign. I sense that I am supposed to build the image of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and display its holy appendages on the Courthouse lawn of my hometown, Crossville Tennessee. There its blessed presence can help all the world celebrate Day of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and the six week fast.

Tomorrow I will begin the build. I do not have long to build this sculpture...nor much money to buy the necessary tools to make it worthy of It. Time is also racing...in only a few short weeks is that sacred Friday, March 21.

If you would like to make a donation to help purchase the materials for me to follow my holy vision.

Why March 21?- What is Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster Day?

March 21, a Friday on the first day of Spring, is the day the Flying Spaghetti Monster appeared from the giant pasta pot....or so the the Cook Book says. The monster had to cook up the universe because nothing yet existed. As the Flying Spaghetti Monster created everything, there was no food. It created light, and plants, and monkeys, and much much more. However, It began to get hungry. It was almighty and powerful, so It refused to let hunger stop creation. It continued creating butterflies and the ocean, and the sky. The Book describes that the hunger increased, It became dizzy...It tried to continue and just as the Flying Spaghetti Monster was about to create the first Pirate, It passed out from hunger. It realized it did not have the strength to finish creating. It had not eaten since the creating had started several hours before. With the last of Its strength the Flying Spaghetti Monster created a sturdy pot and put on some water to boil from the ocean. The Flying Spaghetti Monster then dropped angel hair pasta into the boiling water. Every moment as It watched the boiling water consume the spaghetti noodles, the Flying Spaghetti Monster felt weaker and weaker. 1 minute passed....then 2...3.....4.....5.....and then just as the Flying Spaghetti Monster was passing into unconciousness the sixth minute passed, and It saw that the spaghetti was perfect. It ate and it ate...and had enough food to share with all of Its creations. The monkeys ate, and the butterflies ate. The Flying Spaghetti Monster threw the perfectly boiled spaghetti into the ocean, into the sky, and into the rich soil where flowers immediately bloomed. Now the Spaghetti Monster sat up strong and with Its new energy It created Women and Men pirates at the exact same time.

And so you see, Spring is the time of the birth of Pirates, the birth of butterflies and monkeys. It is a time to be grateful for creation and life and spaghetti. We fast from ALL spaghetti products for six weeks to represent the six minutes that the Flying Spaghetti Monster waited in hunger and pain without food, and then we celebrate the creation of Pirates in the form of men and women when the fast ends.

The story is told in many ways by many tellers. But as a person of faith this is the version I choose to believe. And so, renewed by the struggle of It, I will not complain that I have been chosen for this building task. Somehow I will find the strength and continue.