Talk:Flying Spaghetti Monster

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Flying Spaghetti Monster has been listed as one of the Philosophy and religion good articles under the good article criteria. If you can improve it further, please do so. If it no longer meets these criteria, you can reassess it.

Article milestones
Date	Process	Result
August 23, 2005	Articles for deletion	Kept
October 26, 2006	Good article nominee	Listed
February 9, 2007	Good article reassessment	Delisted
September 20, 2009	Good article nominee	Not listed
January 6, 2010	Good article nominee	Listed
December 10, 2012	Peer review	Reviewed
May 24, 2013	Featured article candidate	Not promoted
Current status: Good article

This article has previously been nominated to be moved. Please review prior discussions if you are considering renomination.

Move logs: Flying Spaghetti Monster

Discussions

RM, Flying Spaghetti Monster → Pastafarianism, not moved, 14 July 2011, Talk:Flying Spaghetti Monster/Archive 9#Requested move
RM, Flying Spaghetti Monster → Pastafarianism, not moved, 2 December 2015, Talk:Flying Spaghetti Monster/Archive 17#Requested move 2 December 2015

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Frequently asked questions

To view the response to a question, click the [show] link to the right of the question.

Flying Spaghetti Monster FAQ

Q1: Why is this described as a parody religion? Who determines whether or not a religion is a parody?

A1: Reliable sources. There is unanimity among reliable, third-party sources that the Flying Spaghetti Monster is a satire. Moreover, founder Bobby Henderson is implied to have said it was in an interview with USA Today. "I don't know if (the FSM parody) makes a difference," Henderson says. "People who really need to get it aren't probably listening. But if anything, it might bring some awareness to undecided people out there." In any case, Wikipedia's standard for inclusion is verifiability, not truth. The bottom line is that we report what reliable sources have said.

Q2: This offends me, a true Pastafarian, or could offend others. Should Wikipedia really be deliberately offending others?

A2: Putting aside whether a "true Pastafarian" exists, Wikipedia is not censored for one group or another, even if that means offending some people.

Q3: Why does such an "insignificant" topic deserve such a long article?

A3: Simply put, the Flying Spaghetti Monster is notable. It has been mentioned in detail by news sources throughout the world. In the US, the New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post and many others wrote about it. In the UK, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, BBC and others wrote about it. In Germany, Der Spiegel wrote about it. In Canada, the Toronto Star wrote about it. In Australia, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation wrote about it. Even the Council of Europe mentioned the Flying Spaghetti Monster in a report about Creationism in science standards, and this is not to mention its ubiquity among online technology sites and notable blogs. Like it or not, the Flying Spaghetti Monster is famous. A comprehensive presentation requires a certain length.

This article has been mentioned by multiple media organizations:

Daniel Finkelstein (August 27, 2009). "The 10 best wikipedia entries". The Times.
Sarah Boxer (August 29, 2005). "But Is There Intelligent Spaghetti Out There?". The New York Times.

???

Latest comment: 2 months ago3 comments2 people in discussion

What is this religion bro ~2026-43770-07 (talk) 01:50, 10 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

It explains it in the first, introductory paragraph. Viriditas (talk) 01:57, 10 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

I forgot this website was nothing like youtube ~2026-43770-07 (talk) 18:06, 10 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

Request to revise categorical “parodic” wording in the lead

Latest comment: 19 days ago5 comments3 people in discussion

This LLM-generated text has been collapsed and should be excluded from assessments of consensus.

The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.

I am requesting reconsideration of the article’s categorical description of Pastafarianism as a “parodic new religious movement.”

That wording presents disputed characterizations as objective facts. Some media outlets, commentators, and secondary sources characterize Pastafarianism as parody or satire and associate its modern public emergence with Bobby Henderson’s 2005 writings. However, the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster rejects the characterization that Pastafarianism is merely parody or satire, and Pastafarian source material teaches that the religion predates its modern public emergence.

The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster’s official About page states that it is “not a joke” and rejects the claim that the Church is simply satire. Independent legal scholarship published in the Rutgers Journal of Law & Religion also discusses sincere Pastafarian belief and quotes Bobby Henderson explaining that Pastafarianism is “not a joke.”

Pastafarian churches, congregations, and organizations also exist in multiple countries, where adherents gather, organize, conduct religious activities, and sincerely practice Pastafarianism. The existence of practicing religious communities further complicates a categorical description of the entire religion as parody.

Sources:

https://www.spaghettimonster.org/about/

https://march.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/09/Dowdy.pdf

I suggest revising the lead so that these characterizations are attributed rather than presented as an uncontested definition. For example:

“The Flying Spaghetti Monster is the deity of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, or Pastafarianism. The religion came to widespread public attention in 2005 through writings by Bobby Henderson. Some media outlets and commentators characterize Pastafarianism as parody or satire, while the Church rejects that characterization and teaches that Pastafarianism predates its modern public emergence. Pastafarian communities and organizations exist internationally, and many adherents sincerely regard and practice Pastafarianism as a religion.”

This wording preserves the documented modern history and the existence of published outside characterizations without presenting those characterizations as uncontested facts. Pasta Lore (talk) 05:53, 4 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

This is a perennial question on this talk page, so please see the FAQ near the top. --Tryptofish (talk) 22:04, 4 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

This LLM-generated text has been collapsed and should be excluded from assessments of consensus.

The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.

The FAQ conclusion is incorrect because religion is a major cultural force that shapes human history, ethics, and community life by addressing existential questions and fostering a shared sense of purpose. There are Pastafarian churches and organizations across the globe that do exactly that. I am a Pastafarian whose life has been improved by this religion. Pastafarianism inspired me to be a more patient, forgiving, and generous person and being part of this faith community surrounds me with support and people who share my values. By labeling a religion as a parody, you are downplaying and dismissing the lived experiences and spiritual journey of others. Pasta Lore (talk) 23:35, 4 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Not to mention indigestion. --Tryptofish (talk) 23:39, 4 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Exactly.

I find His Noodly Appendage difficult to digest, especially when He wiggles it around like He does sometimes. Maybe I should have chosen a religion with a less active communion wafer. Mr. Swordfish (talk) 02:15, 5 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Addition to 'influence' section, to someone who has the availability

Latest comment: 17 days ago1 comment1 person in discussion

So I cannot edit the page, but an addition to the influence section I would've added or, as someone to, is Tasty Planet Forever's depiction in it. On the final level of the game you can see it near the end of the progression. Tasty Planet Forever was released on Oct 16, 2026. Geographists (talk) 03:09, 7 October 2026 (UTC)Reply