A pastor representing of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM) offered the invocation to open a local government meeting in Alaska, while wearing a colander on his head.

Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster followers believe an invisible and undetectable monster made of spaghetti and meatballs created the universe after drinking heavily, and that his “noodly appendages” hold great power.

Pastafarians, as the church’s followers call themselves, are able to purchase certificates of ordination through the church’s website in order to perform weddings, and many groups have gatherings somewhat similar to a Catholic mass — with pasta and beer substituted for the more traditional symbols.

In a radio interview, Barrett Fletcher, a Pastafarian pastor noted that a few of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly members “seem to feel they can’t do the work without being overseen by a higher authority.”

In 2016, that local assembly initiated a policy that said, people who wanted to give an invocation at the government body’s meetings had to belong to an official organization with an “established presence” in their jurisdiction.

The assembly cited certain criteria in order to meet their definition of established presence, which included requiring I.R.C.501(c)(3) tax exempt status for charitable organizations for anyone wanting to give the invocation. That tax exemption criterion effectively excluded citizens whose organization lacked that tax exempt status or those individuals who could not file their taxes under that IRS code provision. Under the new assembly policy, non 501(c)(3) holders did not “qualify” to be allowed to offer a prayer to start the local government body’s meetings.

After the assembly refused to let an atheist, a Jewish woman, and FSM to give their invocation to that august body, FSM sued with the help of the ACLU.

The Alaska Supreme court found the policy unconstitutional, so the borough government changed their policy to allow anyone in their jurisdiction to offer invocations regardless of religion.

The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster was established in 2005 in response to the Kansas State Board of Education’s hearings on how evolution was to be taught in Kansas schools. FSM challenged the validity of “creation science,” which was being presented as an alternative to accepted scientific evolutionary theory being taught to Kansas school children. (Think Scopes Monkey trial redux)

Note: actual science is based on empirical evidence, including verifiable facts. Science often gets things wrong, after all science is done by fallible human beings. But, science is self correcting, as old information and scientific conclusions are challenged by new evidence or better theories. Scientists don’t claim scientific theories are absolutely true or absolutely false, because scientific discipline is open to challenge (even by creationists). Consequently, science is ever evolving, ever increasing our understanding of how the universe works.

FSM member Barrett Fletcher started the local congregation of Pastafarians, who then challenged the Alaska borough assembly’s policy. Fletcher called the idea of an invocation before a government meeting offensive, saying that if such a policy exists, the government should not weigh the legitimacy of one religion against another, referring to the Alaskan borough’s policy requiring an “established presence.”

“I think you [should] just pound the gavel and call the meeting to order,” he said.

Barrett concluded his opening prayer by asking the Flying Spaghetti Monster to provide each assembly member “satisfaction in the perception of accomplishment and allow them true relaxation and an ample supply of their favorite beverage at the end of this evening’s work.”

He then ended the prayer with: “Ramen.”

Jeff Konicek is a retired educator and bonsai expert living in Laytonville.