Asia Carrera wears Pastafarian headgear for drivers liscense photo

[Prometheus]

Utah Woman Wears Colander For Driver’s License Photo As Religious Statement

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – A Utah woman says she encountered only brief resistance when she recently had her driver’s license photo taken while wearing a colander on her head as a religious statement.

Asia Lemmon, whose legal name appears on her driver’s license as Jessica Steinhauser, said the pasta strainer represents her beliefs in the satirical Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

The Flying Spaghetti Monster movement, also known as “Pastafarianism,” started in 2005 as a protest against teaching intelligent design as an alternative to evolution in Kansas schools.

When she had the photo taken Sept. 29, Lemmon said she wasn’t sure if officials at the Division of Motor Vehicles office in Hurricane would allow her to wear the headgear, but “it was surprisingly really, really easy.”

Nannette Rolfe, the director of Utah’s Driver License Division, said about a dozen Pastafarians have had their state driver’s license photos taken with a similar colander or pasta strainer on their heads in recent years.

“As long as we can get a visual of the face, we’re fine if they choose to wear the headgear,” she said.

Hats and headgear are not allowed for driver’s license photos unless they’re religious garments, Rolfe said. After the first few Pastafarians came in about two years ago, state officials determined the church is a recognized religion and its members don’t require any special paperwork, she said.

Lemmon, a St. George resident, is a former porn star who performed under the name Asia Carrera, The Spectrum of St. George reported Monday (http://bit.ly/1xDEkdk ).

She said she wanted to make a statement with the photo.

“I’m a really proud, outspoken atheist,” she said. “I am proud of Utah for allowing freedom of all religions in what is considered by many to be a one-religion state.”

About two-thirds of the state’s residents are Mormons, and Utah is home to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Lemmon said even though Utah is a conservative state, everyone has been respectful of her religious views.

 

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press.

[equanimity]

This sort of thing is really silly.

[Prometheus]

Yeah, but that is kinda the point in the first place.

[equanimity]

Guess I meant to say mean-spirited and pointless.  This is why I don't really care for Richard Dawkins and his brand of angry atheism- a person secure in their own beliefs shouldn't feel a need to make fun of others for what they believe.

[mashleshmash]

I think I heard about this.

[Prometheus]

I would, and have, called Pastafarians many things, but angry doesn't usually make the list. Yeah, it's poking fun at religion, but they're having fun with it. 99 times out of a hundred, when they offend someone it's solely because they are different and people don't like different. They might as well be Muslim, gay, black, or gay black Muslims.

I agree that Dawkins is an asshole, but if I dismissed what someone had to say just on that criteria, I would halve fled here immediately.

[equanimity]

I would, and have, called Pastafarians many things, but angry doesn't usually make the list. Yeah, it's poking fun at religion, but they're having fun with it. 99 times out of a hundred, when they offend someone it's solely because they are different and people don't like different. They might as well be Muslim, gay, black, or gay black Muslims.

I agree that Dawkins is an asshole, but if I dismissed what someone had to say just on that criteria, I would halve fled here immediately.

I didn't mean that "Pastafarians" are angry, just that they're mean-spirited at times.  And that meanness brought my mind around to Richard Dawkins.  Who said anything about dismissing what he has to say?  Guy's just a jerk.

[Flowerz]

This sort of thing is really silly.

No, actually it isn't. Its much less silly then being allowed to get your picture taken for government issued ID while wearing full head gear because you believe in some completely retarded religion that has no proof for any of its claims. At least this is comical and it still shows your face.

Guess I meant to say mean-spirited and pointless.  This is why I don't really care for Richard Dawkins and his brand of angry atheism- a person secure in their own beliefs shouldn't feel a need to make fun of others for what they believe.

Mean spirited? How so? If you have the gall to insist your bullshit religion is real you best have the fucking hall to tolerate other peoples religions, or their making fun of yours.

"This is why I don't really care for Richard Dawkins "

.....

Ok got it. Do you support complete and total anarchy? No? Well then your statement of "a person secure in their own beliefs shouldn't feel a need to make fun of others for what they believe." is complete and total horse shit. You are objectively saying that so long as you are content with your own world view, you shouldn't care what anyone else does or do anything to inhibit them from doing it.

What do you think about people that believe trannys should be shot on general principle? Do you care? How about people who molest children? I mean you're secure, who gives a shit what they do, right? What about serial killing cannibals? Do they deserve to be judged?

When you live in a society, you judge other people and their beliefs. In this case, sane citizens have every right to criticize the fact that the government grants special rights to fucking mentally insane people. Its a slippery slope. In my country, sikh boys are allowed to bring fucking swords to their grade schools. Where the fuck is the line drawn exactly?

If you object to people criticizing aspects of society move the fuck into the middle of forest and eat squirrels and bark in peaceful solitude, or better yet, just shut the fuck up about shit you clearly have no comprehension of. If aspects of society were not analyzed and criticized we would still be a bunch of wandering fucking barbarians and your face would have been eaten by some alpha caveman a long time ago.

[equanimity]

Mean spirited? How so? If you have the gall to insist your bullshit religion is real you best have the fucking hall to tolerate other peoples religions, or their making fun of yours.

How is it mean spirited?  They're mocking real religions, and the people that wear head coverings that have actual religious significance.  I went to high school with a Christian girl who always wore head coverings, and sometimes people said really hurtful things to her for it.  Religious tolerance is something all societies should strive for, and this comes across petty and mean- counterproductive, to say the least.

Ok got it. Do you support complete and total anarchy? No? Well then your statement of "a person secure in their own beliefs shouldn't feel a need to make fun of others for what they believe." is complete and total horse shit. You are objectively saying that so long as you are content with your own world view, you shouldn't care what anyone else does or do anything to inhibit them from doing it.

What do you think about people that believe trannys should be shot on general principle? Do you care? How about people who molest children? I mean you're secure, who gives a shit what they do, right? What about serial killing cannibals? Do they deserve to be judged?

Are you really comparing peaceful religious practice to murder and rape?  Obviously the "live and let live" thing has limitations.  You could have at least brought up some real issues, like religious groups wanting to tear down the division between church and state.

When you live in a society, you judge other people and their beliefs. In this case, sane citizens have every right to criticize the fact that the government grants special rights to fucking mentally insane people. Its a slippery slope. In my country, sikh boys are allowed to bring fucking swords to their grade schools. Where the fuck is the line drawn exactly?

Religious people aren't mentally ill.  That's kind of a ridiculous claim.

Are the swords real?  Read somewhere that they aren't even sharp these days, and are always pinned firmly to their clothing.  I'd say the line is drawn at the point the rights of others are threatened.  It's okay for you to believe and practice what you will, so long as I'm not forced into doing anything I don't want to do.  The christian folk here that were trying to teach creationism in schools was a perfect example of religious expression crossing the line.

If you object to people criticizing aspects of society move the fuck into the middle of forest and eat squirrels and bark in peaceful solitude, or better yet, just shut the fuck up about shit you clearly have no comprehension of. If aspects of society were not analyzed and criticized we would still be a bunch of wandering fucking barbarians and your face would have been eaten by some alpha caveman a long time ago.

You're free to criticize whatever you want, but so am I.  And you seem kinda unreasonable and mean.

[Flowerz]

Mean spirited? How so? If you have the gall to insist your bullshit religion is real you best have the fucking hall to tolerate other peoples religions, or their making fun of yours.

How is it mean spirited?  They're mocking real religions, and the people that wear head coverings that have actual religious significance.  I went to high school with a Christian girl who always wore head coverings, and sometimes people said really hurtful things to her for it.  Religious tolerance is something all societies should strive for, and this comes across petty and mean- counterproductive, to say the least.

Ok got it. Do you support complete and total anarchy? No? Well then your statement of "a person secure in their own beliefs shouldn't feel a need to make fun of others for what they believe." is complete and total horse shit. You are objectively saying that so long as you are content with your own world view, you shouldn't care what anyone else does or do anything to inhibit them from doing it.

What do you think about people that believe trannys should be shot on general principle? Do you care? How about people who molest children? I mean you're secure, who gives a shit what they do, right? What about serial killing cannibals? Do they deserve to be judged?

Are you really comparing peaceful religious practice to murder and rape?  Obviously the "live and let live" thing has limitations.  You could have at least brought up some real issues, like religious groups wanting to tear down the division between church and state.

When you live in a society, you judge other people and their beliefs. In this case, sane citizens have every right to criticize the fact that the government grants special rights to fucking mentally insane people. Its a slippery slope. In my country, sikh boys are allowed to bring fucking swords to their grade schools. Where the fuck is the line drawn exactly?

Religious people aren't mentally ill.  That's kind of a ridiculous claim.

Are the swords real?  Read somewhere that they aren't even sharp these days, and are always pinned firmly to their clothing.  I'd say the line is drawn at the point the rights of others are threatened.  It's okay for you to believe and practice what you will, so long as I'm not forced into doing anything I don't want to do.  The christian folk here that were trying to teach creationism in schools was a perfect example of religious expression crossing the line.

If you object to people criticizing aspects of society move the fuck into the middle of forest and eat squirrels and bark in peaceful solitude, or better yet, just shut the fuck up about shit you clearly have no comprehension of. If aspects of society were not analyzed and criticized we would still be a bunch of wandering fucking barbarians and your face would have been eaten by some alpha caveman a long time ago.

You're free to criticize whatever you want, but so am I.  And you seem kinda unreasonable and mean

If you don't think religious people are insane then there isn't any point in having a logical discussion/argument.

If I believe in something totally fucking insane and try to make the government believe me, I'm called insane, and get locked up in a hospital.

If I believe in something totally fucking insane, and get a group of people to believe it as well, were are called a cult.

If that totally insane cult gets enough members, then its called a religion, and then it gets special benefits, like tax breaks and the ability to not follow certain laws.

Make sense? No. No it doesn't.

Every religious person is either a coward, an idiot, or incapable of questioning things they are told, or some combination of those things. There is no proof for any of the religions. Anyone who believes in such absolutely crazy shit based on nothing is insane. Be quiet please.

[Suicidal Fish]

Just another reason all Religion should be banned

[equanimity]

Well, this lady got people talking.  That's something worthwhile, and she's likely happy with her decision for that reason.

Guess maybe I was being too judgmental.  Still seems mean, but whatever

[Suicidal Fish]

Well, this lady got people talking.  That's something worthwhile, and she's likely happy with her decision for that reason.

Guess maybe I was being too judgmental.  Still seems mean, but whatever

Youtube will have a million videos of people acting like bigger dicks.

This should not be news, they need to aim higher, like while wearing the 'Headgear' go and shoot up a school

[Prometheus]

When you live in a society, you judge other people and their beliefs. In this case, sane citizens have every right to criticize the fact that the government grants special rights to fucking mentally insane people. Its a slippery slope. In my country, sikh boys are allowed to bring fucking swords to their grade schools. Where the fuck is the line drawn exactly?

Religious people aren't mentally ill.  That's kind of a ridiculous claim.

Are the swords real?  Read somewhere that they aren't even sharp these days, and are always pinned firmly to their clothing.  I'd say the line is drawn at the point the rights of others are threatened.  It's okay for you to believe and practice what you will, so long as I'm not forced into doing anything I don't want to do.  The christian folk here that were trying to teach creationism in schools was a perfect example of religious expression crossing the line.

I don't know about whatever country you're living in, but around here (Detroit area, USA) the knives that Sikh students wear are actually welded into the sheath. Because it has to be worn, not drawn, it's rare for either the schools or the Sikhs to have a problem with this.

[Slave of the Beast]

When you live in a society, you judge other people and their beliefs. In this case, sane citizens have every right to criticize the fact that the government grants special rights to fucking mentally insane people. Its a slippery slope. In my country, sikh boys are allowed to bring fucking swords to their grade schools. Where the fuck is the line drawn exactly?

Religious people aren't mentally ill.  That's kind of a ridiculous claim.

Are the swords real?  Read somewhere that they aren't even sharp these days, and are always pinned firmly to their clothing.  I'd say the line is drawn at the point the rights of others are threatened.  It's okay for you to believe and practice what you will, so long as I'm not forced into doing anything I don't want to do.  The christian folk here that were trying to teach creationism in schools was a perfect example of religious expression crossing the line.

People who believe the Universe was created and run by a deity and attribute desires and objectives to him¹ are suffering from a delusion, of varying severity, that can harm themselves and other people, i.e. their beliefs are frequently pathological and therefore a mental illness. For example, people who espouse creationism are trying to harm you by increasing your level of ignorance and disabling your critical faculties. They inhibit the mental development of the young. Not only are they mentally ill, they actively try to spread their disease. As with so many mental illnesses the most socially effective solutions are containment and/or sterilization.
 
1) The smarter ones project their desire on to God and then state it's God's will. The sane ones who don't believe in any of the bullshit but tell others they do are probably running the show.
 

If you object to people criticizing aspects of society move the fuck into the middle of forest and eat squirrels and bark in peaceful solitude, or better yet, just shut the fuck up about shit you clearly have no comprehension of. If aspects of society were not analyzed and criticized we would still be a bunch of wandering fucking barbarians and your face would have been eaten by some alpha caveman a long time ago.

You're free to criticize whatever you want, but so am I.  And you seem kinda unreasonable and mean.

No. He's logical and blunt, making him your polar opposite. This makes you uncomfortable, not comparatively reasonable and nice.
 
*Waits for Zek to derail alter the natural flow of the thread with personal statements.*