FSM'ism as a Valid Religion?

[Crossroads Inc.]

Ok, The Church of The Flying Spaghetti is well known as a sarcastic and rather amusing play upon Intelligent Design and Religion in general.

It is full of amusing, funny and random silliness. The church is a giant pirate ship, you can worship however you like as long as you talk like a pirate, and Heaven consists of a Beer Volcano and a Stripper Factory.

Yet as silly as all this is, upon reading "The Gospel of The FSM" you get a sense for the 'Commandments' that the Religion is founded upon.

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I'd Really Rather you didn't act like a Sanctimonious, Holier-than thou ass when describing my Noodily Goodness.  If some people don’t believe in me, That's ok. Really, I'm not that vain. Besides This isn't about them so don't change the subject.

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I'd Really Rather you didn't use my existence as a means to oppress, subjugate, eviscerate, and/or, you know, be mean to others. I don't require sacrifices and purity is for drinking water, not people.

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I'd Really Rather you didn't Judge people for the way they look, or how they dress or the way they talk, or, well, just play nice ok? Oh, and get this in your thick heads: Women = Person. Man =Person. Samey-Samey.  Once is NOT better then the other, Unless We're talking about Fashion and I'm sorry, but I give that to Women and Some Guys who know the difference between Teal and Fuchsia

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I'd Really Rather you didn't Indulge in conduct that offends Yourself, Or your willing, Consenting partner of Legal age AND Mental Maturity.  As for anyone who might Object, I think the Expression is Go F*** yourself. Unless you find THAT Offensive in which case they can Turn off the TV for once and go for a walk

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I'd Really Rather you didn't Challenge the Bigoted, Misogynist, Hateful Ideas of Others on an Empty Stomach.  Eat, and then go after the Bastard 

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I'd Really Rather you didn't build multimillion-dollar Churches/Temples/Mosques and Shrines to My Noodily Goodness when the Money could be better spent on:
A: Ending Poverty
B: Curing Diseases
C: Living in Peace, Loving with Passion, and Lowering the cost of cable

I Might be a Complex-Carbohydrate Omniscient Being, but I enjoy the simple things in life.  I ought to know, I AM the Creator.

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I'd Really Rather you didn't Go around Telling people I talk to you. You’re not that interesting, get over yourself.  And I told you to Love your Fellow  man, Can't take a hint?

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I'd Really Rather you didn't  'Do unto Others as you would have them do unto you' If you are into, um, Stuff that uses a Lot of Leather/Lubrication or Las Vegas.  If the Other person is into it, however (pursue to #4) Then Have at it, take pictures, and for the love of Mike, WEAR A CONDOM! Honestly it's a Piece of Rubber. If I didn't want it to feel good when you did 'IT' I would have added Spikes or Something

And after reading them, I have to say, could you perhaps found a 'Real' religion based on these? Every single one of them seems tailored toward everything that is wrong in modern religions. From mindless doctrine, to sheep like obdiance, to blind hatred of others because they don't agree with you.

The question is, for those who have read the above, and for those that more of FSM'ism, could this work? Could it be any worse then what we have today?

RAmen

[Simplicius]

And after reading them, I have to say, could you perhaps found a 'Real' religion based on these? Every single one of them seems tailored toward everything that is wrong in modern religions. From mindless doctrine, to sheep like obdiance, to blind hatred of others because they don't agree with you.

The question is, for those who have read the above, and for those that more of FSM'ism, could this work? Could it be any worse then what we have today?

I wonder if the biggest problem with a 'good-guy' religion is that it would go extinct. There was an article in the NY Times earlier in the month about the dwindling numbers of Zoroastrians (whether in the US or everywhere, I don't remember), and a quick scan of the tenets presented made it pretty obvious why the religion was fading out: worship services are optional, marriage outside the faith is permissible, no forced indoctrination of children, etc. Compare that to more hardcore 'bad guy' religions, where marriage outside the faith is discouraged, children are brainwashed from birth, outsiders are guilted or frightened into joining up, you sin if you fail to worship appropriately, and you begin to see why a religion that doesn't keep its members on a leash won't last for too long - people just don't see the point. Why be religious if no-one makes you be religious?

I can't imagine a laid-back religion ever replacing a dominating, controlling one.

[Winston Blake]

I wonder if the biggest problem with a 'good-guy' religion is that it would go extinct. There was an article in the NY Times earlier in the month about the dwindling numbers of Zoroastrians (whether in the US or everywhere, I don't remember), and a quick scan of the tenets presented made it pretty obvious why the religion was fading out: worship services are optional, marriage outside the faith is permissible, no forced indoctrination of children, etc. Compare that to more hardcore 'bad guy' religions, where marriage outside the faith is discouraged, children are brainwashed from birth, outsiders are guilted or frightened into joining up, you sin if you fail to worship appropriately, and you begin to see why a religion that doesn't keep its members on a leash won't last for too long - people just don't see the point. Why be religious if no-one makes you be religious?

I remember a thread some time ago about how you would make a religion that would propagate itself as quickly as possible. IIRC just about everything raised was already a part of Christianity and Islam in some way. For all the anti-evolution rhetoric, it's as if the major religions have evolved towards maximising survival, and the dominating, controlling model is the result.