# how or when did goats become evil? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 28, 2019, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-or-when-did-goats-become-evil/834667 "2019-05-28T19:46:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-or-when-did-goats-become-evil/834667/21 "2019-05-29T21:21:28Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > a religion that has a hard “sex is only for procreation and only between lawfully married couples” That’s really more Christianity than Judaism. It’s true that the regulations about sex and menstruation are designed to produce sex around the fertile period. But Judaism doesn’t have the Christian preference for virginity or for celibacy. Sex is for companionship, not only for procreation; women as well as men are expected to enjoy it; and this is right, proper, and according to God’s will. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-or-when-did-goats-become-evil/834667/22 "2019-05-30T15:34:46Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > …with one of the animals being separated into Heaven, and the other one into Hell. Yeah, that pretty much does imply evil. > > And it’s not just the size of their balls: Sheep balls are huge, too. > > **Little Nemo** , goats aren’t associated with uncontrolled sexuality because of Pan. Pan is part-goat because goats are associated with uncontrolled sexuality. For reasons that would be obvious to anyone who’s ever worked with goats. If you understand the parable it is not that the goats are evil it is that they fail to do good. Most of the imagery associated with goats and the devil is not from early Christianity, but from much later. Neopaganism came to identify the devil with Pan or Baphomet and depict him as goat headed. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-or-when-did-goats-become-evil/834667/23 "2019-05-30T16:32:04Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > If you understand the parable it is not that the goats are evil it is that they fail to do good. Oh, nice point. Subtle. I was thinking that it was merely a way two label two groups, but it seems to be related to similar things like the wheat and tares parable. And tares definitely have a negative connotation. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-or-when-did-goats-become-evil/834667/24 "2019-05-30T18:05:04Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > The parable of the sheep and the goats does not imply that goats are necessarily evil just that they are different animals that live together and need to be separated at certain time. …like for the rest of eternity, for instance… ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-or-when-did-goats-become-evil/834667/25 "2019-05-30T18:43:53Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Pouches for tea. 😉 I believe the traditional response to your comment is “You owe me a new keyboard.” ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-or-when-did-goats-become-evil/834667/26 "2019-05-30T20:56:16Z")
They are, however, suitable as Orbital Ammunition, as old timers will attest. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-or-when-did-goats-become-evil/834667/27 "2019-05-30T23:34:20Z")
You forgot the link: [Do they make PVC big enough to launch a goat out of?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=41020) ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-or-when-did-goats-become-evil/834667/28 "2019-05-31T04:15:36Z")
I hope this isn’t off-subject, but modern depictions of Satan have him looking somewhat goat- like: horns, narrow face, GOATee :o, cloven hooves, etc. Is there some relation? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-or-when-did-goats-become-evil/834667/29 "2019-05-31T11:06:36Z")
That’s exactly what we’re talking about, **nelliebly**. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-or-when-did-goats-become-evil/834667.md?page=1)