The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster isn’t real and it’s followers, who call themselves Pastafarians, are just kinda’ being jerks, a federal court in Nevada. (OK, the court didn’t say they were being jerks but hey I’m allowed some editorial leeway. It’s just a blog anyway.)

A blast of common sense from the bench. Whoa.

Newsweek:

Worshippers of the Flying Spaghetti Monster call their faith FSMism or Pastafarianism, a portmanteau of pasta and Rastafarianism. One such worshipper, Stephen Cavanaugh, a prisoner in a Nebraska state penitentiary, sued the state in 2014 over the right to practice his faith.

Cavanaugh argued that his religion requires him to wear special religious clothing in the form of “full pirate regalia,” but that prison officials refused to allow him to do so, despite allowing members of other, recognized religions to purchase and wear special clothing and other items. Cavanaugh also argued that prison officials kept him from meeting and holding religious services with other members of his faith. He also demanded $5 million in damages for “deep emotional, psychological, and spiritual pain.”

But the U.S. District Court of Nebraska found that the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is not a religion. “It is, rather, a parody, intended to advance an argument about science, the evolution of life, and the place of religion in public education,” District Judge John Gerrard wrote in a 16-page decision.

I say make the dude who sued wear “full pirate regalia” in prison every day. Let’s see how things go from there.

*subhead*Common sense.*subhead*