Pastafarian Refuses To Take Off Pasta Strainer At New Jersey MVC
SOUTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A New Jersey man warranted a call to police earlier this month, after he refused to take a pasta strainer off his head for a driver's license photo on the grounds that it was his religious right as a Pastafarian.
A South Brunswick police report obtained by the Smoking Gun said Aaron Williams, 25, of Egg Harbor, walked into a New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission facility in Dayton, N.J., to get his driver's license renewed.
Williams was wearing a pasta strainer off his head, and he refused to take it off while standing for his driver's license picture, police said.
An MVC employee told Williams it was against state policy for people to wear head coverings on driver's license pictures unless it was for religious reasons, and also told police that Williams had made a video recording of the incident with his cell phone – also against policy.
But Williams would not take the pasta strainer off his head.
"Williams advised his pasta strainer was a religious head covering, and it was his right to wear it for his license photo," the police report said. "I advised Williams that the pasta strainer is not approved by the MVC and he would have to apply to the state for it to be allowed."
Williams was not arrested, and agreed to take the strainer off for the picture. He also deleted the video recording he made on his cell phone, police said.
"Williams never made any threats or statements other than it was his religious right to wear the strainer," the reports said.
Pastafarianism is a satirical religion that opposes the teaching of creationism and intelligent design in schools. Its deity is known as the "Flying Spaghetti Monster" – a creature who has inspired am image of a squid-like character made of past and meatballs touching fingertips with a man in a parody of Michelangelo's "The Creation of Adam."
On his Google+ page, Williams says he works for S&P Dow Jones Industries and attended Rutgers University.
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