Atheist Wins Right to Wear "Religious Pasta Strainer" in ID Photo

Austrian atheist Niko Alm supports the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, a joke religion conjured up by atheists who say their make-believe stories are no better or worse than any traditional church's. In 2008, to make a point about his faith's sanctity compared to others, Alm asked to wear a pasta strainer on his head for his driver's license photo. Austrian citizens are only allowed to wear headgear in state IDs for religious purposes, so Alm, a Spaghetti Monster "pastafarian," argued that a colander is his "religious headgear."

This week, after avoiding Alm for three years and even making him submit to a psychiatric examination, the Austrian government caved. Alm now has a valid Austrian drivers license, complete with colander.

Score one for the freethinkers. Now who will be the first to try this on in America?

photo via Niko Alm and the BBC