# 'Pastafarian' fights to wear colander in BC driver's licence photo **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 14, 2014, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-bc-drivers-licence-photo/695526 "2014-08-14T17:15:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Timetrvlr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Timetrvlr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Timetrvlr)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-bc-drivers-licence-photo/695526/1 "2014-08-14T17:15:59Z")
Headline this morning on [CTV News](http://bc.ctvnews.ca/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-b-c-driver-s-licence-photo-1.1959706) **‘Pastafarian’ fights to wear colander in BC driver’s licence photo** I thought it a bit strange until I noted this comment in the story: > [@](#): > > At least four countries, including the U.S., allow Pastafarians to wear colanders in their driver’s licence photos. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-bc-drivers-licence-photo/695526/2 "2014-08-14T18:14:37Z")
That is probably true, about the USA, accorfding to the particulars in this site: [http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/litigation/documents/LWVJ.pdf](http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/litigation/documents/LWVJ.pdf) I.e., many states have not addressed the issue, which means that if a person declares headgear is a religious obligation, it is accepted as such. Much the same way that if you say your dog is a service animal, it’s a service animal and everyone is required by law to grant the accorded privilege. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-bc-drivers-licence-photo/695526/3 "2014-08-14T18:27:08Z")
Some people are really convicted to make their point. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-bc-drivers-licence-photo/695526/4 "2014-08-14T19:35:57Z")
If you start taking your parody as seriously as the thing you’re making fun of, you’ve just crossed sides. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-bc-drivers-licence-photo/695526/5 "2014-08-14T21:31:50Z")
I hope he gets derisive snorts and eye rolls every time he has to present his driver’s license. Every time a cop pulls him over, I hope the cop gives him a contemptuous “You’re a real dick, you know that” sneer. Even Catholic bishops don’t wear robes and mitres in their driver’s license photos, genius! ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-bc-drivers-licence-photo/695526/6 "2014-08-20T18:12:32Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > I hope he gets derisive snorts and eye rolls every time he has to present his driver’s license. And I hope he gets applauded for exposing to well-deserved ridicule the notion that certain classes of irrational beliefs are deserving of special legal protection. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-bc-drivers-licence-photo/695526/7 "2014-08-20T18:37:52Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > And I hope he gets applauded for exposing to well-deserved ridicule the notion that certain classes of irrational beliefs are deserving of special legal protection. Yeah, THAT’S the first thing people will think when they see his driver’s license photo. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-bc-drivers-licence-photo/695526/8 "2014-08-20T18:50:52Z")
Two previous threads; there are probably more. [Student allowed to wear pasta strainer in official photo](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=700446) [Austrian Atheist Wins Right To Wear Spaghetti Strainer As Religious Headgear](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=616192) ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-bc-drivers-licence-photo/695526/9 "2014-08-20T19:19:57Z")
I don’t care if it’s the first thing they think of, so long as they think of it eventually. The entire point is that there isn’t any essential difference between Pastafarianism and other religions. Not going through with the fight for his rights would mean he’d failed at both parodying other religions and failed at his own religion. Regardless of whether he sincerely believes in Pastafarianism or if he considers it an amusing joke, he would have reason to act similarly. Who are we to judge? If we decide as a society that we can determine which religions are _real_, then that opens up the possibility that we can decide that none of them are. Religion has, culturally, been trying to carve out a place for itself that is beyond real and fake, factual or fictional. It wants to transcend such distinctions. (For example, consider Gould’s “non-overlapping magisteria”. Or everyone who has ever said that “science explains _how_ but religion explains _why_”.) Forcing the issue of deciding what counts as a “real” religion helps pop that bubble. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-bc-drivers-licence-photo/695526/10 "2014-08-20T19:46:05Z")
> [@BlackKnight](#): > > I don’t care if it’s the first thing they think of, so long as they think of it eventually. > > The entire point is that there isn’t any essential difference between Pastafarianism and other religions. Not going through with the fight for his rights would mean he’d failed at both parodying other religions and failed at his own religion. Regardless of whether he sincerely believes in Pastafarianism or if he considers it an amusing joke, he would have reason to act similarly. Who are we to judge? > > If we decide as a society that we can determine which religions are _real_, then that opens up the possibility that we can decide that none of them are. Religion has, culturally, been trying to carve out a place for itself that is beyond real and fake, factual or fictional. It wants to transcend such distinctions. (For example, consider Gould’s “non-overlapping magisteria”. Or everyone who has ever said that “science explains _how_ but religion explains _why_”.) Forcing the issue of deciding what counts as a “real” religion helps pop that bubble. Piffle. His driver’s license photo will not make anyone think about the meaning of religion. Next time he has to pull out his license as ID when he’s cashing a check, the cashier will think “What a dick.” And she’ll be right. Who am I to judge him? I’m me. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-bc-drivers-licence-photo/695526/11 "2014-08-20T19:51:31Z")
> [@BlackKnight](#): > > I don’t care if it’s the first thing they think of, so long as they think of it eventually. > > The entire point is that there isn’t any essential difference between Pastafarianism and other religions. Not going through with the fight for his rights would mean he’d failed at both parodying other religions and failed at his own religion. Regardless of whether he sincerely believes in Pastafarianism or if he considers it an amusing joke, he would have reason to act similarly. Who are we to judge? > > If we decide as a society that we can determine which religions are _real_, then that opens up the possibility that we can decide that none of them are. Religion has, culturally, been trying to carve out a place for itself that is beyond real and fake, factual or fictional. It wants to transcend such distinctions. (For example, consider Gould’s “non-overlapping magisteria”. Or everyone who has ever said that “science explains _how_ but religion explains _why_”.) Forcing the issue of deciding what counts as a “real” religion helps pop that bubble. That’s quite a bit to expect some bored cop to get from a dude wearing a colander in his licence photo. Which is MORE likely? (a) “Ah, I get it now. This _totally_ punctures the bubbble of the claim for non-overlapping Magisteria! How could I have been so blind?”; or (b) “This is some doofus wearing a coleander on his head”. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-bc-drivers-licence-photo/695526/12 "2014-08-20T20:03:07Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > “This is some doofus wearing a coleander on his head”. +1 ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-bc-drivers-licence-photo/695526/13 "2014-08-20T20:03:29Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Piffle. His driver’s license photo will not make anyone think about the meaning of religion. Next time he has to pull out his license as ID when he’s cashing a check, the cashier will think “What a dick.” And she’ll be right. > > Who am I to judge him? I’m me. It’s not about what’s happens when he gets pulled over, it’s about what’s happening _now_. He’s being talked about on message boards, he’s getting news coverage, I assume his story is getting some air time on call-in radio shows (of the left, right and non-political type). I assume what he didn’t want is to walk in, put on his colander, have his picture taken and walk back out with no one even batting an eye. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-bc-drivers-licence-photo/695526/14 "2014-08-20T20:10:39Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > … > I assume what he didn’t want is to walk in, put on his colander, have his picture taken and walk back out with no one even batting an eye. What if three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people walking in putting on their colanders and walking out. They may think it’s an Organization. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-bc-drivers-licence-photo/695526/15 "2014-08-20T20:14:10Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > What if three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people walking in putting on their colanders and walking out. They may think it’s an Organization. Group W bench for you buddy. ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-bc-drivers-licence-photo/695526/16 "2014-08-21T13:08:47Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > That’s quite a bit to expect some bored cop to get from a dude wearing a colander in his licence photo. I don’t know why we’d restrict this to cops. Do you really think his purpose was directed at cops and cashiers? They are more likely to see the actual license, but there are thousands of people who have heard about the story even though they will never see the license themselves (including everyone in this thread). Most people will just roll their eyes or chuckle slightly then go on with their day. However, the number of people who give thought to the role of religion in society will be slightly greater due to this sort of action than if it had not occurred. Since nobody is harmed by his actions (other than, perhaps, himself), I don’t see how he’s in any way a “dick”. (“Doofus” I can see.) ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-bc-drivers-licence-photo/695526/17 "2014-08-21T13:30:23Z")
> [@BlackKnight](#): > > I don’t know why we’d restrict this to cops. Do you really think his purpose was directed at cops and cashiers? They are more likely to see the actual license, but there are thousands of people who have heard about the story even though they will never see the license themselves (including everyone in this thread). Most people will just roll their eyes or chuckle slightly then go on with their day. However, the number of people who give thought to the role of religion in society will be slightly greater due to this sort of action than if it had not occurred. > > Since nobody is harmed by his actions (other than, perhaps, himself), I don’t see how he’s in any way a “dick”. (“Doofus” I can see.) It’s a stunt that could only possibly appeal to those already convinced that religion and its symbols are a crock - and then, only to some of them, those that believes that the symbols revered by other people are not worthy of respect. Some folks - myself among them - have no belief in any gods, but understand that others do, or have some emotional attachment to some sort of ethnic garb, and that this is their business and that their business is worthy of respect, even though we DON’T believe in any part of it or share in their ethnicity. To us, this guy is pulling a jejune stunt, one that makes him look like a doofus, and his “deep message” isn’t really very deep at all - contempt for the “other”. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-bc-drivers-licence-photo/695526/18 "2014-08-21T13:36:57Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > It’s not about what’s happens when he gets pulled over, it’s about what’s happening _now_. He’s being talked about on message boards, he’s getting news coverage, I assume his story is getting some air time on call-in radio shows (of the left, right and non-political type). > I assume what he didn’t want is to walk in, put on his colander, have his picture taken and walk back out with no one even batting an eye. If he is serious in his belief I would expect him to be wearing the colander before he walks in, after he leaves and every waking moment that he is out in public, with a history of having done this for a good long while since his last license picture. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-bc-drivers-licence-photo/695526/19 "2014-08-21T13:43:28Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Piffle. His driver’s license photo will not make anyone think about the meaning of religion. Next time he has to pull out his license as ID when he’s cashing a check, the cashier will think “What a dick.” And she’ll be right. > > Who am I to judge him? I’m me. I wouldn’t think he was a dick, I’d laugh. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-bc-drivers-licence-photo/695526/20 "2014-08-21T14:16:08Z")
> [@BlackKnight](#): > > The entire point is that there isn’t any essential difference between Pastafarianism and other religions. Not going through with the fight for his rights would mean he’d failed at both parodying other religions and failed at his own religion. Regardless of whether he sincerely believes in Pastafarianism or if he considers it an amusing joke, he would have reason to act similarly. Who are we to judge? Who are we to judge? We’re rational thinking human beings which makes us eminently qualified to judge. When I see a Jew in a kippah, a Mennonite woman in a prayer cover, a Muslim man wearing a head cover, or a Sikh wearing a turban the words douche bag and troll don’t immediately pop to mind like they do with a Pastafarian. > [@](#): > > If we decide as a society that we can determine which religions are _real_, then that opens up the possibility that we can decide that none of them are. Religion has, culturally, been trying to carve out a place for itself that is beyond real and fake, factual or fictional. I don’t really see Pastafarians helping anything in this regard. The Satanist who wanted to put the Satan Monuement in Oklahoma? Now that was awesome because they’re actually using the same arguments the religious folks used to get their monuments in the public sphere. Some asshole insisting he gets to wear his colander? Sure, I’m not going to fight against it or anything but what a douche nozzle. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-bc-drivers-licence-photo/695526.md?page=2)