The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster

by Bobby Henderson

Paperback, 2006

Status

Available

Call number

818.607

Collection

Publication

Villard (2006), Edition: Illustrated, 192 pages

Description

Fiction. Humor (Fiction.) HTML: CAN I GET A "RAMEN" FROM THE CONGREGATION?! Behold the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM), today's fastest growing carbohydrate-based religion. According to church founder Bobby Henderson, the universe and all life within it were created by a mystical and divine being: the Flying Spaghetti Monster. What drives the FSM's devout followers, a.k.a. Pastafarians? Some say it's the assuring touch from the FSM's "noodly appendage." Then there are those who love the worship service, which is conducted in pirate talk and attended by congregants in dashing buccaneer garb. Still others are drawn to the Church's flimsy moral standards, religious holidays every Friday, or the fact that Pastafarian heaven is way cooler: Does your heaven have a Stripper Factory and a Beer Volcano? Intelligent Design has finally met its match--and it has nothing to do with apes or the Olive Garden of Eden. Within these pages, Bobby Henderson outlines the true facts-- dispelling such malicious myths as evolution ("only a theory"), science ("only a lot of theories"), and whether we're really descended from apes (fact: Humans share 95 percent of their DNA with chimpanzees, but they share 99.9 percent with pirates!) See what impressively credentialed top scientists have to say: "If Intelligent Design is taught in schools, equal time should be given to the FSM theory and the non-FSM theory." --Professor Douglas Shaw, Ph.D. "Do not be hypocritical. Allow equal time for other alternative 'theories' like FSMism, which is by far the tastier choice." --J. Simon, Ph.D. "In my scientific opinion, when comparing the two theories, FSM theory seems to be more valid than classic ID theory." --Afshin Beheshti, Ph.D. Read the book and decide for yourself! From the Trade Paperback edition..… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member Helob
Hilarious but with underpinning issues which we should all consider. The book was written as a rebuttal to the Kanas Board of Education's decision to force the inclusion of teaching of intelligent design into schools. If thnot taken for its political, scientific, and moral issues, this book
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fantastic for its satirical values alone.
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LibraryThing member JorgeCarvajal
It was better than the Bible.
LibraryThing member Ninja337
A book by Bonny Henderson, a parody of intelligent design. Not as funny as his website.
LibraryThing member SatansParakeet
An amusing mockery of Intelligent Design that peters out after the first few chapters. Henderson is a pretty funny guy, but most of the book feels like filler material designed to make the still slim volume long enough.
LibraryThing member Djupstrom
Very funny satire on religion! If you love carbs and pirates, this is the religion for you! Great pictures, illustrations, and diagrams too!
LibraryThing member alizera
Hilarious. I love the satirical take on all religions.
LibraryThing member alv
Could have been better, sometimes just boring. Arrrgh!
LibraryThing member mcandre
A hilarious parody of Intelligent Design.
LibraryThing member True54Blue
I expected this book to be a satire aimed at ID proponents. However satire is defined as "A literary work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony, derision, or wit." Henderson begins well but in terms of clever writing and wit never progresses beyond his original letter to the Kansas
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School Board. He ceased to be funny with his attacks on "Born Again" Christians by which he means "Fundamentalists," stating "...with drug addicts comprising some 90 percent of Born Agains" (95). "It is interesting to note, however, that there's only one thing Born Agains enjoy more than telling people what to think, and that is drugs" (100). He concludes with the statement that, "If you didn't learn anything, it is our sincere wish that The Gospel of the FSM made you think. If you didn't even have a thought, then there's no doubt you're a Born-Again Christian, in which case we hope that you're able to keep off the crack long enough to get a vasectomy or have your tubes tied" (166). He could have made his points in a thoughtfully satirical way but instead he stoops to name calling and ridiculous attacks that undermine his own Pastafarian claims. For that reason he gets a single star.
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LibraryThing member psybre
Putting the FSM concept to paper was mandatory due to overwhelming demand of the pastifarians, so some of the book's content seems rushed. But the message is five stars. Disclaimer: I'm a fan, but not a pastifarian myself. The book is actually a totable venganza.org web site. I highly recommend
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this book to all religious people of any stripe.
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LibraryThing member steadfastreader
May the peace of pasta and pirates be with you.
Aye... the gospel.
LibraryThing member DarthDeverell
Though "The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster," as revealed to the Prophet Bobby Henderson by FSM Himself, may seem like satire, it does support itself with many mathematical and ontological proofs in its conclusion. Pastafarians do not oppose those who want to teach intelligent design;
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rather, they encourage it and want to join them in presenting any and all available theories to the public so that they can decide for themselves. In the end, FSM rejects dogma and embraces a more satisfying and accepting lifestyle than any yet promoted by existing religions.
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LibraryThing member Devil_llama
There are some genuinely funny moments in this send-up on religions. The book is not consistently funny, and some parts are just strained. Perhaps that is a generational difference: it is often difficult for one generation to fully grasp what the next generation finds funny. Overall, the humor that
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fell flat was just that - flat. The only ones likely to find it offensive would be the religions it is spoofing (and midgets, of course, but he explains that at the beginning). Certainly a worthwhile contribution to the genre of spoof books.
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LibraryThing member joeteo1
The Flying Spaghetti Monster was a clever comeback to the Intelligent design trying to creep into school curricula. Expanding the whole thing into a book was probably excessive (although that did not stop all the other religions). It does have some funny passages that made me laugh. Ramen.
LibraryThing member SpikeSix
Very funny and full of ridiculous jokes and impossible happenings, non of which, however, are as ridiculous or impossible as the garbage in the bible.
Religious people who dismiss this work as nonsense are missing the point, which is probably why they followed religion in the first place. Five full
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stars (Plus the one over the stable.)
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LibraryThing member deckla
Henderson tries to prove the flying spaghetti monster is god through a series of specious scientific and logical arguments. A humorous critique of the "intelligent design" ridiculousness.

Subjects

Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

2006

Physical description

192 p.; 9.22 inches

ISBN

0812976568 / 9780812976564
Page: 0.366 seconds