# The Missionary Possition **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [September 6, 2006, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-missionary-possition/371637 "2006-09-06T14:40:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Klytus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Klytus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klytus)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-missionary-possition/371637/1 "2006-09-06T14:40:39Z")
You know all of those jokes about the traveling salesmen and the farmer’s daughter? Well the way I heard it told, those were oringally traveling _missionary_ jokes. Apparantly, back in in olden (as in Medeval) times, missionaries were randy buggers who took gross advantage of the hospitality they were offered as men of God, and the possition that is now known as the missionary possition was the one they favored over all others - maybe because although they were horney they knew very little about sex? Of course, this may very well be complete horse hockey, but that’s the way I heard it - and from a counselor in college who taught classes on human sexuality, no less. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-missionary-possition/371637/2 "2006-09-06T14:44:59Z")
[Linky.](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_215.html) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-missionary-possition/371637/3 "2006-09-06T15:09:23Z")
[QUOTE=Klytus] Of course, this may very well be complete horse hockey, [/QUOTE] Not only could be, but is. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-missionary-possition/371637/4 "2006-09-06T16:53:40Z")
[QUOTE=Klytus] You know all of those jokes about the traveling salesmen and the farmer’s daughter? Well the way I heard it told, those were oringally traveling _missionary_ jokes. Apparantly, back in in olden (as in Medeval) times, missionaries were randy buggers who took gross advantage of the hospitality they were offered as men of God, and the possition that is now known as the missionary possition was the one they favored over all others - maybe because although they were horney they knew very little about sex? Of course, this may very well be complete horse hockey, but that’s the way I heard it - and from a counselor in college who taught classes on human sexuality, no less. [/QUOTE] There were no “missionaries” in “medeval” times. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-missionary-possition/371637/5 "2006-09-06T18:12:02Z")
[QUOTE=DSYoungEsq] There were no “missionaries” in “medeval” times. [/QUOTE] Well, actually, there were quite a few, such as Sts. Cyril and Methodius and St. Boniface. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-missionary-possition/371637/6 "2006-09-06T21:27:26Z")
[QUOTE=John W. Kennedy] Well, actually, there were quite a few, such as Sts. Cyril and Methodius and St. Boniface. [/QUOTE] Not to mention St. Patrick and St. Brendan… ---
**Author:** ![Klytus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Klytus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klytus)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-missionary-possition/371637/7 "2006-09-07T19:28:03Z")
[QUOTE=Contrapuntal] [Linky.](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_215.html) [/QUOTE] Yes, I did read the article. That was what prompted me to post the story _I’d_ heard about the missionary possition in the first place. Sheesh. ---
**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:** [September 7, 2006, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-missionary-possition/371637/8 "2006-09-07T19:54:23Z")
> [@](#): > > Yes, I did read the article. That was what prompted me to post the story I’d heard about the missionary possition in the first place. > > Sheesh. Of course you read it, but maybe someone else who might be reading this thread hasn’t. Especially if this thread is still active a week later, when the original column would no longer be listed on the front page. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-missionary-possition/371637/9 "2006-09-07T20:37:00Z")
[QUOTE=John W. Kennedy] Well, actually, there were quite a few, such as Sts. Cyril and Methodius and St. Boniface. [/QUOTE] Mmm, sorry, I don’t identify those who were active in spreading the Christian faith to the heathens in Europe with the missionaries who were spreading the various Christian faiths to the heathens in the, say, 19th Century, so I didn’t think of that. My bad. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-missionary-possition/371637/10 "2006-09-07T20:43:09Z")
[QUOTE=Klytus] Yes, I did read the article. That was what prompted me to post the story _I’d_ heard about the missionary possition in the first place. Sheesh. [/QUOTE] Never said you didn’t read it. It is pretty much _de rigeur_ to include a link to the referenced column. Sheesh right back atcha. ---
**Author:** ![Klytus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Klytus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klytus)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-missionary-possition/371637/11 "2006-09-08T19:38:28Z")
[QUOTE=Contrapuntal] Never said you didn’t read it. It is pretty much _de rigeur_ to include a link to the referenced column. Sheesh right back atcha. [/QUOTE] Fair enough. ---
**Author:** ![Can\_Handle\_the\_Truth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Can\_Handle\_the\_Truth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Can_Handle_the_Truth)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-missionary-possition/371637/12 "2006-09-08T23:21:47Z")
By the way, position has only one “s”.