Christopher Schaeffer was recently sworn into office as a council member in Pomfret, a town in New York.
The unusual part of the swearing in was what Schaeffer was wearing on his head--a colander, or a spaghetti strainer.
When asked why by the Observer, he said he’s a minister with Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
“It’s just a statement about religious freedom,” he said. “It’s a religion without any dogma.”
The website of the church says:
“Most of us do not believe a religion - Christianity, Islam, Pastafarianism - requires literal belief in order to provide spiritual enlightenment,” the church’s website states. “That is, we can be part of a community without becoming indoctrinated. There are many levels of belief.”
Schaeffer elaborated, saying that he’s committed to working for all of the residents in the town. In Chautaqua County near the border of Canada, the town has a population of around 15,000.
“Mostly, I’m just looking forward to making sure that the town is run smoothly and we meet the needs of all of our citizens,” he said. “If anybody ever has any concerns or questions, I hope they contact me, because I want to make sure that everyone is represented.”
