Niko Alm colander to license "is just not fun"

The Vienna Niko Alm, Which had been approved a license with colander in the photo as "religious head covering", has explained to him the serious backdrop of his action now.

When you get your photo for your driver’s license taken you are not allowed to wear a hat or head covering unless it is for religious or medical reasons. One Austrian follower of the satirical Church of The Flying Spaghetti Monster won the right to wear a pasta strainer on his head on religious grounds for his driver’s license.

The whole thing fun is not just," said Niko Alm on Thursday in a press conference convened at short notice. Actually the self-confessed atheist in the alleged exceptions for members of religious communities "a small privilege" for Churches in Austria.

Alm, who is also spokesman for the referendum against " Church privileges "Is that 2008, a leaflet drop from the Transport Ministry had into the hands of head coverings on driver's license photos prohibited - except for members of religious communities. So he gave himself to adherent of the religion of the satirical " Pastafarianismus "Out, could be photographed with a colander on his head and made ​​on a credit card application for driving license.

Driving Licence Photo for pasture yet approved

The authorities said at the first photo and sent instead to the Alm medical officer, who confirmed but to drive. "I'm probably one of the few Austrians who have been specifically certified to be mentally healthy." The entrepreneur asks themselves now, about Whether Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, a nun or a Muslim would be sent to the medical officer as if the Latter bear a sacred headdress in the driver's license photo.

There followed a summons from the traffic authority, not the pasture but nachkam. Approved, the license - including the colander in the main - but then in April 2009, Alm had been informed but never, he said. "It was obviously thinks that I had an obligation to collect." After he had learned from a "friend of a friend of a friend" that the document had been issued long time, Alm was finally on Tuesday the new credit-card- certificate along with unusual headgear in his hand.

International interest in the "colander"

With the international interest in the license alp would not count. International media siege since the Vienna To interview requests from around the world, he can overcome his own words no more: BBC, CNN, the Deutsch news magazine "Spiegel", "image", "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" and "Sueddeutsche Zeitung" are a few of the many media who wish to speak with Alm via Facebook was a real hype, many users set themselves for their profile picture is thus a colander.

Alm media darling - self-avowed atheist and constantly in use for the separation of church and state - but also pointed to the important background to the campaign for him. That would apply after that is quiet state exemptions for religious organizations. "We are now in the 21st century and one could expect that the Republic of Austria does not bump moreland before the Church performed. We want to secularism in this country and we believe that religion a private matter is. "

Alm wants to fight such "privileges," among others, the church referendum, For Which declarations of support are currently being collected. The Necessary 8.000 signatures would be Achieved Safely, Alm said, "We are making good progress." But also to the further recognition of the "Pastafarianismus" - whose followers worship the "Flying Spaghetti Monster "- working one. So will fun-Alm the Register as a registered religious confessional community, then as a legally recognized church - including their own kindergarten, schools to universities, cemeteries, and legal benefits, "If someone says a bad word about us, he can be prosecuted ".

Support for the "Science Squad"

Alm receives support among other scientists and the cabaret (" Science Squad ") Harry Oberhummer. Satire is "one of the most effective methods" in order to established religion in the public arrive. Oberhummer so criticized that there was some planned that the confessional ethics courses for free so can be held by religious teachers.

And so now the increased deductibility of the Church's contribution is bothering him: "This means that we will all be asked to pay just to pay the most taxes Catholics."

Colander on driver's license was "not fun" 

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