Noise #163: Ten Commandments and the Flying Spaghetti Monster

Louisiana's "Ten Commandments" struggle conjures memories of a brilliant two-decade-old tribute to religious freedom.

“If you want to respect the rule of law, you’ve got to start from the original law giver, which was Moses.”

Spoken by Louisiana’s governor and reported in today’s New York Times, this odd statement references the state’s decision to post the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom—a move that Louisiana parents are now suing to prevent. Out of my own respect for the rule of law, and America’s founding principle of religious freedom, I hope they succeed in stopping it.

I recorded Noise #163 thinking about these events, and how vital it is to respect religious differences, to honor the joy and meaning that varied beliefs and practices bring to disparate communities. How golden perspective can be gained by approaching someone else’s tradition from a place of humble learning, rather than haughty judgment.

I recorded Noise #163 also thinking about The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. If you’re not familiar, it’s a twenty-year-old satire, originally created to protest Kansas’ injection of religious doctrine into public school curricula. It’s kind of brilliant.

Noise #163 channels the funny, jagged subversion of the Spaghetti Monster meme, as well as my own jagged reaction to those who relish forcing dogma onto those who simply don’t want it.

I hope you enjoy listening:

Wishing you safety, respect, and peace,

Michael

(Noise #163 by Michael Gallant. Copyright 2024 Gallant Music LLC. All Rights Reserved.)