In a landmark decision, Austria has granted “pastafarian”, Niko Alm, the right to wear a pasta strainer on his head for his driver’s license photo.

Alm applied for the license three years ago, when he heard that wearing religious headgear in your license photo is now allowed in Austria.

As Alm is a  devout member of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, he was obliged to wear the strainer for the photo.

The religion’s website states:

the only dogma allowed in the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is the rejection of dogma.

So it seems he just made up his own dogma to suit the occasion.

The fun-loving atheist came upon the idea three years ago, in order to make a serious, if somewhat ironic point- a reaction to the Austrian authorities’ recognition of confessional headgear in official photographs. If other religions can wear silly hats, why shouldn’t he?

Before he was allowed to get his license, the Austrian authorities said that he needed a doctor’s certificate to prove he was “psychologically fit to drive”. But now he’s got his license and he’s achieved freedom from religious oppression all at the same time.

The next step Mr. Alm says is to lobby the Austrian government to make pastafariansim an officially recognised faith. Hear Hear!

[Source : BBC]