By Steven Harduk

It’s a bird; it’s a plane; no, it’s a . . . Flying Spaghetti Monster? The Flying Spaghetti Monster is not a new super-villain, but it does have some connections we need to consider in order to comprehend where our society is and how we can respond to the moral malaise around us.

Many Issues or One?

Many American Christians see our culture imploding, as wave after wave of anti-Christian and ungodly behavior becomes commonplace. The response is typically fear, intimidation, or confusion. Instead of engaging our culture, Christians may seek to isolate themselves from it. However, scoffers and mockers have always existed, so let us step back to recognize the situation and respond, not react. The Scriptures not only teach us that scoffers have always been around but also help us understand that scoffers’ views are unified in their opposition to God. Further, the Scriptures help us identify how to respond: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7).

So what do Blaise Pascal, Tim Tebow, Ted Cruz, Gisele Bündchen, and the Flying Spaghetti Monster have in common? If you’re a football fan, you’ll recognize the names Tebow and Bündchen (Tom Brady’s wife). If you follow politics, you’ll know Cruz; if science and history, perhaps Pascal. I suppose fewer are familiar with the Flying Spaghetti Monster (we’ll get there in a moment, and no, I’m not making it up).