New Zealanders Can Now Get Married By The Church Of The Flying Spaghetti Monster

New Zealand now officially recognises marriages conducted by the Church of The Flying Spaghetti Monster.

The church has just had its first marriage celebrant – aka, a Ministeroni – approved by the New Zealand Government, ABC News reports.

Dr. Karen Martyn, the church’s NZ head and its sole Ministeroni, insists her church is not merely a parody, despite being founded on the claim that the existence of a god made of spaghetti and meatballs is just as reasonable or likely as the existence of any other gods.

Instead, she insists that the Church has real values.

"So we have no dietary restrictions,” she tells the ABC.

“You can wear any clothing you want. You can look like what you want. You can speak what you want. You can act like what you want. You can even belong to other religions and we don't care,” she added.

"You can make fun of us because we really believe all religions should be subject to scrutiny and to humour. And they should be for the greater good — not something that tears people apart, communities apart, or pits people against each other.”

It’s for these reasons that the New Zealand Government decided to sanction the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, as their law insists that marriages can be performed by any group that "upholds or promotes religious beliefs or philosophical or humanitarian convictions."

Now, the church’s members – aka, Pastafarians – will be able to join in matrimony at a special ceremony in which they’ll be invited to wear pirate outfits (if they feel like it).

As for the wedding meal…. do we really have to tell you what’s on the menu?

FYI, Australia has about 1,500 pastafarians. However, the Australian government has rejected the church's application to be recognised as a not-for-profit organisation.

Photo: Church Of The Flying Spaghetti Monster.