I realize that, in the world of blogging, many folks -- take your GetReligionistas -- are pretty open when it comes to talking about where they are coming from on topics directly linked to their writing. I'm an Eastern Orthodox layman and a pro-life Democrat who is committed to defending old-fashioned, "American model of the press" journalism. I think most people know that. The Divine Mrs. M.Z. Hemingway is a Libertarian Missouri-Synod Lutheran, although I don't think that is a separate branch of that denomination. Etc., etc., etc.

Nevertheless, I was rather surprised when a blog at Time magazine let it all hang out in the religion department.

Go check this out!

What We (Probably Won't) Ditch This Lent

Sure, NewsFeed isn't Catholic. (Do websites have religions? If so, we're devotees of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.)

Even so, we think Lent is a great way to temporarily rid ourselves of our guiltiest of pleasures. But instead of ditching chocolate or caffeine, NewsFeed's writers are pondering 40 days without cute kitten pictures.

Can we do it? Probably not. But root for us anyway.

Surely GetReligion readers are familiar with the Flying Spaghetti Monster spoof, which is one of the funnier developments in the era of the new atheist-agnostic evangelism.

What does that look like in practice? Here's a sample, from what looks like a fan site. Click here to read what the opening of the Gospel According to St. John actually says.

John 1: The Flying Spaghetti Monster Became Flesh

1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with The Flying Spaghetti Monster, and the Word was The Flying Spaghetti Monster.

2. He was with The Flying Spaghetti Monster in the beginning.

3. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

4. In him was Monsterness, and that Monsterness was the Monsterness of men.

5. The Monsterness monsters in the darkness, but the darkness has not over-monstered it.

6. There came a man who was sent from The Flying Spaghetti Monster. ...

So, I realize that this Flying Spaghetti Monster testimony of faith did not take place in a news article. Obviously.

Still, an interesting statement at a mainstream news magazine like Time. A wise move? All in good fun?