'Pastafarians' clamor for representation in PA holiday display; wants to include pasta decorated tree

The Church of Flying Spaghetti Monster has created a pasta decorated tree which it says it wants included in Philadelphia's annual holiday display. It has formally asked Chester County commissioners to have its tree included.  The commissioner's office has indicated it intends to consider the matter in the form of a formal motion next Tuesday.  The Westchester Daily Local News adds:

Tracy McPherson of Thornbury, who identified herself as a minister of the Evangelical Pastafarian Church, told the commissioners that she had been dismayed last year when she drove by the courthouse in downtown West Chester and noticed the lack of any display concerning her faith.

 “It would be meaningful to our congregation to see our faith recognized on public property at the Chester County Courthouse in the same way that the Christian and Jewish religions are currently acknowledged,” said McPherson, who was accompanied by Thomas Reistle of Coatesville in making the request.

“The holiday season is very important to Pastafarians, as it coincides with out primary holiday, which is called Holiday,” McPherson said. “It is a time of joyful feasting, with unlimited pasta and grog, the favored drink of our Lord.”  McPherson’s request, which she insisted was quite serious, came prior to a presentation by the leader of the Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia, Margaret Downey of Birmingham, to have the group’s “Tree of Knowledge” included in the courthouse display.

The Tree of Knowledge request was denied by the commissioners.  It remains to be seen whether the Pastafarians will be successful in their request.  In the past, the church has called for "putting the spaghetti back in the holidays."

Dakota O'Leary

Dakota O'Leary is a freethinker, and often sassy, scholar of theology and literature. She got her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Theology from the State University of New York College at Buffalo, and her Master of Arts degree in Theology and Literature from Antioch University-Midwest. She is a contributing writer focusing on eschatology, biblical prophecy, and general religious news. Dakota is a co-host of the God Discussion radio show, offering insight to the news stories of the week. We like to call her "our in-house Biblical prophecy expert" as her articles on eschatology have received over 200,000 views on God Discussion.

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