# Are there any accounts of deities pooping? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 22, 2009, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-accounts-of-deities-pooping/482504 "2009-01-22T19:37:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-accounts-of-deities-pooping/482504/21 "2009-01-23T10:27:44Z")
I very clearly remember reading the sentence “Jesus ate and drank, but he did not defecate”, being presented as the conclusion some old church father came up with after he’d had a good, long think about it. I can’t recall where it’s from and google’s unwilling to back me up right now, though. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-accounts-of-deities-pooping/482504/22 "2009-01-23T12:40:27Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > **1 Kings 18:27** New International Version > I’ve heard speculation that in the original Hebrew, the phrase that’s translated “deep in though” actually means “sitting on the commode.” Sorry, no cite to back it up. FWIW, the Jehovah’s Witness _New World Translation of The Holy Scriptures_ renders it as taking a bowel movement. (No direct quote, because I’ve read it only in Spanish.) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-accounts-of-deities-pooping/482504/23 "2009-01-23T13:09:20Z")
> [@](#): > > And let’s not forget how Danaë was impregnated by Zeus disguised as a golden shower. I’m sure that **Fish** didn’t mean that in the modern sense (which is pretty recent) – Danae was impregnated by Zeus in the form of a shower of gold, as she was sealed in an underground chamber with locked doors. As A.B. Cook pointed out almost a century ago, the image was probably inspired by a meteor shower. I’ve gone further an argued that it was inspired by the _Perseid_ meteor shower. (Danae gave birth to Perseus) [/pedant] ---
**Author:** ![Chef\_Troy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Chef\_Troy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chef_Troy)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-accounts-of-deities-pooping/482504/24 "2009-01-23T14:10:50Z")
I give you… [Sterculius, God of Feces](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXgNpMUUVfo)! (link goes to a youtube video from the dawn of Beavis & Butthead… Sterculius appears at about 2:30.) ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-accounts-of-deities-pooping/482504/25 "2009-01-23T15:42:55Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > Well, Norse mythology has Loki accusing Freya of farting when caught in bed with Freyr. I have no idea if that’s a joke, but if it’s not then it’s the funniest factual statement I have ever read 😛 ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-accounts-of-deities-pooping/482504/26 "2009-01-23T16:28:14Z")
> [@K364](#): > > I have no idea if that’s a joke, but if it’s not then it’s the funniest factual statement I have ever read 😛 Factual. “Loki’s Flyting”. I don’t know that it’s THAT amusing, but Snorri thanks you for being a good audience. He’ll be here all week. Try the mead. ---
**Author:** ![a\_gherkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f6c823/32.png) [@a\_gherkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a_gherkin)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-accounts-of-deities-pooping/482504/27 "2009-01-23T16:53:19Z")
well, there’s this quote from the bible > [@](#): > > …and on the seventh day God rested and took a massive shit and said it was good ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-accounts-of-deities-pooping/482504/28 "2009-01-23T18:19:04Z")
Which is the reason you’re allowed to use the bathroom on the Sabbath. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-accounts-of-deities-pooping/482504/29 "2009-01-23T18:45:13Z")
Hi Chaim, so what IS the Straight Dope on the phrase in 1 Kings 18:27? **Can** the Hebrew phrase translated “deep in thought” really mean “taking a dump”? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-accounts-of-deities-pooping/482504/30 "2009-01-23T19:29:09Z")
> [@Chef Troy](#): > > I give you… > > Sterculius, God of Feces! He is identified in my Chiltern Seeds catalog as the God of the Loo. [Elsewhere](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterquilinus) it is claimed that he is the God of Organic Fertilization, which sounds nicer. > [@Gulo\_gulo](#): > > Native Indian tales can be very scatalogical. > > “Wolverine Creates the World: Labrador Indian Tales” by Lawrence Millman contains many examples of gods & their fecal matter. I have a Labrador that has blessed large portions of the back yard. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-accounts-of-deities-pooping/482504/31 "2009-01-23T19:52:59Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Hi Chaim, so what IS the Straight Dope on the phrase in 1 Kings 18:27? **Can** the Hebrew phrase translated “deep in thought” really mean “taking a dump”? I’m not Chaim, but I looked up various [translations](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Kings%2018%20;&version=31;). I thought the Hebrew euphemism for defecation was “covering one’s feet”. See Judges 3:24 and others. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-accounts-of-deities-pooping/482504/32 "2009-01-23T20:41:18Z")
Kimstu: > [@](#): > > Hi Chaim, so what IS the Straight Dope on the phrase in 1 Kings 18:27? Can the Hebrew phrase translated “deep in thought” really mean “taking a dump”? No. That phrase means “having a discussion” and I’m not aware of that being a euphemism for anything. More so, according to the translation I have, it’s not meant as part of the "perhaps"es. It was part of Elijah saying that since the Baal-worshippers ascribe to Baal the power of speech (i.e., discussion) and action and movement(the next phrase), Baal should certainly be capable of hearing and understanding their requests, so perhaps he’s sleeping and needs louder cries to be awakened. Even in the context of the translation Shodan linked to, it still doesn’t make sense as a bathroom euphemism. Elijah was mockingly driving them to shout louder. That might make sense to wake up a sleeper, or to get the attention of someone in deep thought, but if Baal had to go, yelling loudly wouldn’t logically get him off the pot any sooner. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-accounts-of-deities-pooping/482504/33 "2009-01-23T21:47:14Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Kimstu: No. That phrase means “having a discussion” and I’m not aware of that being a euphemism for anything. More so, according to the translation I have, it’s not meant as part of the "perhaps"es. It was part of Elijah saying that since the Baal-worshippers ascribe to Baal the power of speech (i.e., discussion) and action and movement(the next phrase), Baal should certainly be capable of hearing and understanding their requests, so perhaps he’s sleeping and needs louder cries to be awakened. > > Even in the context of the translation Shodan linked to, it still doesn’t make sense as a bathroom euphemism. Elijah was mockingly driving them to shout louder. That might make sense to wake up a sleeper, or to get the attention of someone in deep thought, but if Baal had to go, yelling loudly wouldn’t logically get him off the pot any sooner. Then I was mistaken. Thanks for the clarification. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Understander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3da27b/32.png) [@The\_Understander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Understander)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-accounts-of-deities-pooping/482504/34 "2009-01-23T22:00:02Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > What, and give in to the Devilbunny hordes? The Evil that Fluffs shall not gain a foothold in my house! Just keep your axe at your side and your Moxie-bottles strapped on tight and you’ll get 'long just fine. Down with LonGears! (as if we could tell the difference) ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-accounts-of-deities-pooping/482504/35 "2009-01-25T02:13:30Z")
Actually, it seems I spoke a little too soon. I looked at some commentaries on Kings over the weekend. A number of them do interpret the bit about “deep thought/conversation, etc” as Elijah offering reasons (like the sleeping one) why Baal would not have heard them and in particular Rashi, an 11th-century commentator (and one of the most respected ones) says that the “traveling” phrase (not the “deep thought” one) was referring to Baal “travelling” to the bathroom. ---
**Author:** ![Timchik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@Timchik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Timchik)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-accounts-of-deities-pooping/482504/36 "2009-01-25T03:46:36Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > I very clearly remember reading the sentence “Jesus ate and drank, but he did not defecate”, being presented as the conclusion some old church father came up with after he’d had a good, long think about it. I can’t recall where it’s from and google’s unwilling to back me up right now, though. You may have read it in _The Unbearable Lightness of Being_. In his disquisition on kitsch, Kundera says: > [@](#): > > Originally Posted by **Milan Kundera** > Spontaneously, without any theological training, I, a child, grasped the incompatibility of God and shit and thus came to question the basic thesis of Christian anthropology, namely, that man was created in God’s image. Either/or: either man was created in God’s image—and God has intestines!—or God lacks intestines and man is not like Him. > The ancient Gnostics felt as I did at the age of five. In the second century, the great Gnostic master Valentinus resolved the damnable dilemma by claiming that Jesus ate and drank, but did not defecate. > Shit is a more onerous theological problem than is evil. Since God gave man freedom, we can, if need be, accept the idea that He is not responsible for man’s crimes. The responsibility for shit, however, rests entirely with Him, the Creator of man. No idea how accurate this is, but Wikipedia seems to [back him up](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentinus_(Gnostic)#Cosmology). ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-accounts-of-deities-pooping/482504/37 "2009-01-25T17:10:35Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > Well, Norse mythology has Loki accusing Freya of farting when caught in bed with Freyr. Stargate will never be the same… ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-accounts-of-deities-pooping/482504/38 "2009-01-25T17:11:37Z")
Well, scientology has the god(s) dropping a load on earth. At least they apparently dropped said load into volcanoes. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-accounts-of-deities-pooping/482504/39 "2009-01-25T17:20:46Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I have a Labrador that has blessed large portions of the back yard. I wonder if the ants are bowing down to worship The Great Furry One, Munificent Provider. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-accounts-of-deities-pooping/482504.md?page=1)