Flying Spaghetti Monster comes to Capitol

Justin A. Hinkley | Lansing State Journal

Show Caption Hide Caption Raw Video: Accordion music accompanies Spaghetti Monster display at Capitol Raw Video: Accordion music accompanies Spaghetti Monster display at Capitol.

LANSING - Christians, Jews, Satanists and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz's presidential campaign have already staked their holiday claims to a piece the Capitol lawn. Add to that list the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

The tongue-in-cheek church — its pamphlet advertises "flimsy moral standards" and a "WAY better" heaven that includes a stripper factory and beer volcano — brought its monument to its creator to the statehouse on Friday. The monument shows a sort of blob of spaghetti with eyeballs on top and giant meatball orbs on either side.

The holiday cacophony kicked off when the Satanists announced they'd erect their Snaketivity display in response to a live Nativity sponsored by the Cruz campaign.

The Cruz nativity and a Chanukah display sponsored by state Rep. Mike Callton, R-Nashville, already happened earlier this month. State Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, and state Rep. Tom Barrett, are planning a Nativity display Saturday morning, and the Satanists' Ekphrasis Ceremony is scheduled for Saturday evening.

Capitol rules prohibit permanent displays, meaning all of the holiday scenes must be removed daily.