# Origin of goats, etc. for initiation **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 20, 2005, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-goats-etc-for-initiation/285820 "2005-01-20T23:45:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-goats-etc-for-initiation/285820/21 "2005-01-21T05:06:06Z")
I for one know the secret of the goats. No one is on my tail so they will never get the opportunity to do what they do to those who reveal it. No, no one will sneak up behind my computer and ---
**Author:** ![andygirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@andygirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andygirl)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-goats-etc-for-initiation/285820/22 "2005-01-21T06:40:54Z")
These days your better enlightened fratboy will use sheep. ---
**Author:** ![Bewildebeest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Bewildebeest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bewildebeest)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-goats-etc-for-initiation/285820/23 "2005-01-21T14:00:08Z")
So that whole story about grandma and the reindeer was all made up? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-goats-etc-for-initiation/285820/24 "2005-01-21T15:10:54Z")
Oh, yeah. You can definitely tell it’s Friday. _Reads thread again. Shakes head._ ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-goats-etc-for-initiation/285820/25 "2005-01-21T15:30:39Z")
You just count yourselves as lucky you only have goats. I still shudder when I think about my Oracle Priesthood initiation. I’m just going to name two things, and let your imaginations fill in the rest: Plastic, Inflatable Sheep and New Guy ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-goats-etc-for-initiation/285820/26 "2005-01-21T16:40:05Z")
I was always under the impression that Dopers did not start the goat ritual initiation. It was the goats. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![taxi78cab](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47c2d/32.png) [@taxi78cab](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/taxi78cab)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-goats-etc-for-initiation/285820/27 "2005-01-21T17:06:25Z")
There was only one goat. Once. In 1960, for 20 minutes. Her name was Mariana. And then there was a 1920s-style death ray and Mariana was no more. ::ducks & runs:: ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-goats-etc-for-initiation/285820/28 "2005-01-21T17:37:06Z")
The goats are coming! The goats are coming! _flees from the hills_ ---
**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-goats-etc-for-initiation/285820/29 "2005-01-21T18:24:45Z")
Ask not what the goats can do to us; ask, instead, what we can do to the goats. Oh, I’m sorry: “For.” Ask what we can do **for** the goats. My bad. But _don’t_ ask about The Black Goat Of The Forest With A Thousand Young! Iä! ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-goats-etc-for-initiation/285820/30 "2005-01-21T18:44:59Z")
**AHunter3** on the AOL SDMB board circa January '98 once foolishly posted: > [@](#): > > OK, OK, OK! I’ll admit it! The thirteen year old may know what you folks are talking about re: the straw, but I’m clueless. (Have an unsettling suspicion that I’d be happier remaining in that condition) Note the trailing parenthetical clause. If you do not know about the straw thing, you should really really strongly consider the possibility that you are better off that way. I still have the email from a Doper answering my unfortunate question backchannel… > [@](#): > > I’m only sending this to you via e-mail rather than posting this to the board > as this has been covered there recently and the response by those who actually > did not want to know (their professed desire to obtain this information > notwithstanding) was unfavorable. I will post there that you have received the > information so that no one else will feel obligated to enlighten you. And one of the prior posts which prompted my ignorant query in the first place ended with — : > [@](#): > > …never, ever drinking ANYthing through a straw, ever again… You must understand that this straw-related activity does not _intrinsically_ involve a goat. The problem, you see, is that it _can_ :eek: And therein lies the origin of the Ritual of the Goat. Oh, the goats are ready now? OK, come this way… ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-goats-etc-for-initiation/285820/31 "2005-01-21T18:59:08Z")
In defense of SDMB rituals, I feel compelled to point out that you’re far better using the straw than going with other methods. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-goats-etc-for-initiation/285820/32 "2005-01-21T19:16:22Z")
I, for one, welcome our new goaty overlords. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-goats-etc-for-initiation/285820/33 "2005-01-21T19:24:20Z")
> [@taxi78cab](#): > > There was only one goat. Once. In 1960, for 20 minutes. Her name was Mariana. And then there was a 1920s-style death ray and Mariana was no more. > > ::ducks & runs:: ::throws random stuff at taxi78cab’s retreating form:: Okokokok it was pretty funny. ---
**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-goats-etc-for-initiation/285820/34 "2005-01-21T21:39:00Z")
> [@](#): > > MSUbulldogs, I presume you’re a student in Starkvegas? I have a lot of high school friends going to MSU… no, i’m just a junior in HS. i will be going there. i also have friends going there. and i have friends going to Ole Miss, but thats another show… ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-goats-etc-for-initiation/285820/35 "2005-01-21T22:29:43Z")
I for one welcome our new goatse overlords. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-goats-etc-for-initiation/285820/36 "2005-01-21T22:32:28Z")
We had a Goat at my junior school that was tied to a stake in the middle of a small field, it sure used to terify us kids. I think it escaped one day and penis ensued. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-goats-etc-for-initiation/285820/37 "2005-01-21T22:50:05Z")
The earliest mention of goats that I could find was back in 1999: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=397&highlight=goats](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=397&highlight=goats) And as you can see, the OP doesn’t even have a name, and has a locked thread. I can only assume the worst. ---
**Author:** ![Strinka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strinka/32/512_2.png) [@Strinka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strinka)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-goats-etc-for-initiation/285820/38 "2005-01-21T23:06:46Z")
> [@taxi78cab](#): > > There was only one goat. Once. In 1960, for 20 minutes. Her name was Mariana. And then there was a 1920s-style death ray and Mariana was no more. Penis ensued. ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-goats-etc-for-initiation/285820/39 "2005-01-22T00:21:10Z")
> [@ParentalAdvisory](#): > > The earliest mention of goats that I could find was back in 1999: > > [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=397&highlight=goats](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=397&highlight=goats) > And as you can see, the OP doesn’t even have a name, and has a locked thread. I can only assume the worst. That thread is so old, it should be in black and white, jumpy, and have a hissing popping noise on the soundtrack. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-goats-etc-for-initiation/285820/40 "2005-01-22T00:51:29Z")
> [@Rufus Xavier](#): > > That thread is so old, it should be in black and white, jumpy, and have a hissing popping noise on the soundtrack. Yeah, back then, **Czarcasm** was still spelled **Tsarcasm** , **Lynn Bodoni** was **Lynne Garamond** , and **Cecil** had a big handlebar moustache that he kept heavily waxed. Not that anyone ever saw him back then, either. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-goats-etc-for-initiation/285820.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-goats-etc-for-initiation/285820.md?page=3)