Atheist campaigner becomes first in country to wear pasta strainer in government ID photo by claiming it is part of his 'religion' in the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster



A college student in Lubbock, Texas, says he is the first American allowed to wear a pasta strainer on his head for a government-issued ID photo by claiming that he was was a member of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.



The satirical 'religion' was originally cited in a 2005 letter opposing the teaching of intelligent design in Kansas public schools. Writer Bobby Henderson used the preposterous Flying Spaghetti Monster deity to illustrate his point that government should not seek to validate or side with any one religion.

Texas Tech University student Eddie Castillo hoped to take the joke even farther by claiming he should be allowed to wear a spaghetti strainer on his head for his state ID picture because he is a 'Pastafarian' - a follower of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.



It's official: This is the temporary ID that was issued to Eddie Castillo after he was allowed to take his photo with a pasta strainer on his head

Castillo believes he is the first person in the United States to be allowed to take an official state ID picture with a strainer on his head

A previous attempt by a New Jersey man to wear a strainer for a drivers license picture was shot down.



Mr Castillo, 22, told KLBK-TV that he had prepared paperwork to show his adherence to his 'religion' and prepared to fight his case.

When he approached the clerk at the Texas Department of Public Safety branch, it seems his victory was a result of bureaucratic indifference, rather than winning on principle.



A video Mr Castillo provided to the TV station shows him explaining that his 'religion' requires him to wear a pasta strainer on her his head for the picture.

The clerk replies: 'If you choose to do that, that's great.'

Indifference: Undercover video that Castillo's friend shot of his encounter at the BMV shows that the clerk likely didn't even care that he put the colander on his head

Castillo, seen here with his metal colander, is an atheist activist who is hoping to use his made-up 'faith' as a means of spreading religious tolerance

'Once she allowed me to I put the pasta strainer on my head, I took the biggest, cheesiest smile I probably ever took,' MR Castillo told the TV station.



The Texas Department of Public Safety later seemed to suggest that it didn't agree with the decision made in the Lubbock license branch.

It said it planned to have the legal department contact Mr Castillo and 'rectify the situation.'