Corey Lutz first heard about Pastafarianism when he was a freshman in high school. A few years later, Lutz took his passion for the faith a step further and became an ordained minister of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster before bringing his love for the religion to Penn State.

He founded the Penn State University Pastafarian student organization last year, and by April it was officially recognized by the Office of Student Activities — making the organization one year old this month.

“We aim to inform the students of Penn State of the existence of this magnificent religion,” Lutz said. “We’re still figuring out which is the best method to raise awareness.”

Pastafarianism was established in 2005 after Robert Henderson wrote a letter to the Kansas State School Board of Education about intelligent design being taught as an alternative to evolution. In the letter, Henderson describes the Flying Spaghetti Monster as the one “who created all that we see and all that we feel.”

“Pastafarianism is many things to many people,” Lutz said. “I would say its primary purpose is to give people a more relaxed alternative to what one might consider an assortment of indoctrinating and judgmental religions.”

As president of the organization, Lutz said he holds himself responsible for ensuring that all religious exceptions made on campus are also made for the Pastafarians. The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is not a satirical religion either, Lutz said. Members of the religion praise His noodly appendage by eating carbohydrates, drinking in His honor, and celebrating holidays such as Friday and Talk Like a Pirate Day.

And if believing in something that resembles dinner isn’t your thing — that’s okay with the organization.

“It’s perfectly alright with us if you don’t believe in the FSM,” Lutz said. “Some people require actual proof of the existence of deities. However, we would hope that it is understood that we have just as much certainty in our beliefs as any other religion.”

“I don’t want to convert a bunch of people,” Lutz added about the relatively small organization. “I’ll be content with people hearing our rants for a few seconds and laughing in our faces as they walk away.”

For more information on Pastafarianism, visit www.venganza.org.