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Jesus Farted: The Vulgar Truth of the Biblical Christ

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"The deep rumblings of Jesus' body have never registered so strongly on the Richter scale." Dr T Atkin, narrator.

"This is the first book about religion I have ever read. Are they all this interesting?" Clare Marks-Menzies

Simon Perry, a Biblical Scholar and Chaplain at the University of Cambridge, claims that if you cannot hear Jesus fart, you cannot hear his biblical voice.

Jesus farted. He secreted bodily fluids, and excreted bodily solids. This is far from heretical. In fact, for Christians it is heretical to think otherwise – the name of the heresy is ‘docetism’. It means Jesus wasn’t really human, never had to relieve himself into the Jordan and never hid behind a sycamore tree to take a dump.

As one historian of shit points out, defecation ‘is a human behaviour as revealing as any other about human nature, if only it can be released from the social straightjacket of denial.’ But the vast majority of Christians and non-Christians alike remain in a state of denial about Jesus' shit. This book is an attempt to dislodge that denial, because in so doing the historical Jesus is revealed as a dangerous political, polemical, economic, and ideological threat to the imperial machinery of his day and ours.

234 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 27, 2023

44 people are currently reading
25 people want to read

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Simon Perry

23 books1 follower

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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
Profile Image for Madelon.
943 reviews9 followers
August 29, 2023
Seriously, how could I — an affirmed atheist, baptized in a Catholic church, Hebrew school attendee (with my best friend who was Jewish), confirmed Lutheran, and married in a Presbyterian church — not read a book titled JESUS FARTED?

Simon Perry has penned the life and times of Jesus in terms that would make modern ecclesiastics — from lowly brothers in seminary to the Pope in his Roman castle — shudder at the reality of it all. All through the book, if there is a word — technical or gross — for the final journey of the food we eat and the receptacle that catches it, Simon Perry has used it. He is also not above making up a few choice words of his own. Simon Perry's bio on Amazon reads: "Chaplain to Robinson College, University of Cambridge. Boxer turned pacifist, military turned academic, Christian turned biblical progressive, trying to con clever folk into believing I am one of them... " What it fails to mention is that he is also an historian.

What the bio doesn't tell you is that Perry held several get-your-hands-dirty jobs before entering the military. After military service he attended Oxford University. His writing is influenced by all of this. JESUS FARTED: The Vulgar Truth of the Biblical Christ explains the fact that there is no way for the human being Jesus to not have performed all variety of necessary human bodily function. The time in which he lived was dirty. No washing machines. No vacuum cleaners. No air conditioning. The world and the people in it stank. One of my favorite visuals is the fact that there is no way Jesus wore an immaculate "white nightie."

JESUS FARTED is a history book that takes the sanitized New Testament completely apart. From Jesus' birth to his execution and resurrection, the stories are debunked with translations of specific words from the Greek and Hebrew. You will be quite surprised by the meaning of sin and the forgiveness of it.

This is a book that every Jesus freak SHOULD read. They won't because it would upset the perfect apple cart of their religious life. And there are just too many 'dirty' words in it.

JESUS FARTED is also one of the laugh-out-loud funniest books I've read in a very long time. Just read it!
Profile Image for Marti Ward.
Author 24 books15 followers
September 4, 2023
Toilet Theology: A down-to-earth look at a down-to-earth Messiah!

Exceptionally well written, with both delicate and deliciously indelicate turns of phrase, Jesus Farted charts the promised king's course through the gospel narratives of the Bible, while its author recommends a most earthy throne as the most appropriate place to read it. Flushed with success, Perry contrasts the modern conveniences with the inconveniences of ancient Palestine, and notes that while modern versions are full of euphemisms, the King James/Authorized Bible of 1611 is more accurate, honest, and "full of shit".

In amongst the amusing stories, and decanted euphemisms, I found plenty to learn and considerable scholarship. I did not know that etymologically, 'believe' means 'by life' - and in fact a quick look up its etymology suggests more 'by love' (or 'by lief') - although deeper connections do seem to exist between the words 'live', 'love', 'leave', and the archaic 'lief' (= dear, dearly, what one holds dear or finds pleasing). The message is that what you believe is shown by how you live and what you love.

Perry uses St Paul's words to describe the people Jesus came to liberate, 'the shit of the earth' (I Cor 4:13), picking up faecal excretion terminology from the Old Testament Law (Deut 23:1-15), and contrasting that with the cost-free non-conformity of today’s marketing culture, today's 'outsiders' who are sheep in wolves' clothing living in the 'post-ideological' ideology of enlightenment.


I give Jesus Farted 5 out of 5 stars. It is a message from the bowels and recommended in moderate doses, whatever you think you believe or don't believe. Be careful though: there is the probability you will be offended. Expect to be challenged, but don’t expect to agree with everything. Expect to be targeted: targets include Americans, Atheists, Christians, Feminists, Journalists, Labelists, Politicians, Wokists, and just about any other ans and ists you can think of.
1 review
December 9, 2023
Perry’s book is strikingly human and, in some ways, childlike, but so is our consciousness that he appeals to. And how else could it be with a book so grounded in strong Biblical scholarship and tradition? The pillar of modern Christian Protestant theology, Karl Barth preached in ‘The Strange New World within the Bible’ in his parish in Switzerland in 1917 that the Bible is first and foremost of God and for bringing us to Him, even if it is retold through the prism of what is dearest to us at every particular moment of history. Whatever way we choose. And why not with or through ‘Jesus Farted’, which is devotedly Biblical.
3 reviews2 followers
October 6, 2023
Jesus was truly human

I loved the way Perry showed that Jesus was truly human. He lived and experienced life just as we all do. Yes, Jesus had intestinal problems. He was human!
Profile Image for Richard Propes.
Author 2 books193 followers
February 13, 2024
There's a meaningful book crawling around somewhere in "Jesus Farted: The Vulgar Truth of the Biblical Christ," a book by Biblical scholar and University of Cambridge chaplain Simon Perry that centers around the basic premise that if you can't hear, and potentially smell, Jesus fart then you cannot hear his biblical voice.

If the sentence I just wrote offends you, I can assure you right off the bat that "Jesus Farted" is not for you. It's bold. It's blunt. It's crass. It's potentially viewed as obscene.

And yeah, in an awful lot of theological ways it's also correct.

Did it offend me? Not in the least. However, it's worth noting that language many would consider to be obscene is used throughout "Jesus Farted" and it's absolutely unapologetic. I'm not sure there is actually any reason to apologize, of course, but it's worth stating again that this isn't a book that's going to be for everyone.

The idea, of course, is that we've sanitized Jesus. In fact, I'm not sure how anyone could argue against such an idea. While Jesus certainly went against the grain, he was still a young male who grew up in a highly patriarchal society with practices that are for the most part unheard of these days.

Jesus farted. Jesus probably peed in a river. He probably took a dump in the bushes. He most likely didn't have the beautiful table manners we witness in The Last Supper paintings everywhere. The odds are fairly strong he also hung around with people who were the same.

Perry is out to lodge what he sees as an unhealthy denial because in acknowledging the true, historical Jesus he becomes an even more dangerous political, polemical, economic, and ideological threat.

There is humor to be found throughout "Jesus Farted," though rest assured that it's a serious endeavor. With a theology that leans toward progressive, though not particularly the type of progressive one sees here in the U.S., Perry bluntly and relentlessly tackles our tendency to portray Jesus in a way that simply could not have been true.

It's an admirable effort and there were times in "Jesus Farted" when I found myself aligned with Perry.

However, I can't deny that there were also times, quite a few times, when I just plain got tired of it. It started to feel like a shtick. It started to feel like more "shock value" writing than anything of particular value. There were times when Perry's stated aims were blocked by the relentless need to use body fluid language - if you take a shot of whiskey for every time he uses "shi*" in the book, you'll likely end up in the emergency room. I have no problem with the language being used, but did it really create a better book?

In my opinion? Nope.

I never hated the book. In fact, there were moments when I genuinely enjoyed and appreciated it. There's no doubt the book has an audience. As someone who has dropped my share of F-bombs in my writing, I'm probably in that target audience. However, any language has to be used to support one's literary objectives and I'm just not convinced that's entirely successful here. I'll just own it - for me, it wasn't entirely successful.

And yet, there's a central theme here that's intriguing and Perry approaches it with enthusiasm and full-on engagement. Those who enjoy this book will likely really enjoy it.

The inability to truly take it seriously was amplified by the lack of sourcing of the material and certain claims (other than scripture quotes, of course).

Overall, I simply won't even think about trashing the book. There's some intriguing ideas here and it's clear that Perry takes these ideas seriously. However, I also can't give it a full thumbs-up because for me too much vulgar ultimately got in the way of theological truths.
Profile Image for Luigi Rondanini.
Author 18 books13 followers
April 13, 2024
As someone who has been exposed to various religious traditions at some stage in my existence, I was instantly drawn to Simon Perry's provocatively titled e-book, "Jesus Farted: The Vulgar Truth of the Biblical Christ." Perry, a chaplain at the University of Cambridge and a self-proclaimed biblical revolutionary, sets out to venture into the sanitized portrayal of Jesus that has become normal in modern-day times.

In this concept-upsetting and regularly funny painting, Perry argues that to apprehend Jesus and his message truly, we must acknowledge his humanity in all its gritty, earthy reality. By stripping away the pristine veneer that has been implemented in Jesus over the centuries, Perry exhibits a discern who lived, breathed, and sure, even farted, much like the relaxation folks.

Through a combination of biblical scholarship, historical context, and irreverent wit, Perry takes readers on an adventure through the life and instances of Jesus, highlighting the unglamorous elements of his existence that have been, in large part, omitted or glossed over. From the squalid conditions of historic Palestine to the harsh realities of bodily capabilities, Perry paints a vibrant image of a Jesus who turned into absolutely human and deeply related to the marginalized and oppressed of his day.

The reviews of "Jesus Farted" are overwhelmingly lovely, with readers praising Perry's potential to humanize Jesus and make him more relatable and personable. Many reviewers found the e-book to be both illuminating and remarkable, with identical measures of education and laughter. Some even went to date as to name it their favourite e-book on their shelves.

Readers preferred how Perry's work challenged their perceptions of Christianity and provided a unique, current perspective on the life and teachings of Jesus. They discovered the e-book to be goal and grounded in historical context, offering a fresh take on a topic that is regularly dealt with with excessive reverence.

While some readers stated that the ebook's frank dialogue of taboo topics and use of vulgar language may offend more conservative Christians, they felt that Perry's approach in the end served to restore a experience of reality to the scriptures without detracting from the underlying narrative.

Overall, "Jesus Farted" appears to be a formidable, insightful, and distinctly pleasing work that invites readers to reconsider their understanding of Jesus and his message. Whether you're a religious believer, a curious skeptic, or somewhere in between, this e book promises to venture your assumptions, spark meaningful conversations, and deepen your appreciation for the humanity of one in every of history's most influential figures.

Based on the glowing reviews and the e-book's unique attitude, I would deliver "Jesus Farted: The Vulgar Truth of the Biblical Christ" a properly-deserved 5 out of 5 stars.
2,239 reviews30 followers
February 12, 2024
The title intrigued me. I am not normally one to pick up a book on religion but I thought the premise of the book would be interesting. It is. It is also somewhat over the top, often funny and frequently quite rude.

It does make some interesting points with the argument that to make Jesus less than human, with all the human foibles and effluences would weaken his message. He makes some fascinating points about the way the scriptures have been sanitized from what was written originally in both the Old and New Testament. That Jesus had all the bodily inconveniences we all do allowed him to be closer to the real people that he wanted to touch. The poor, the downtrodden, the bottom of the heap who were so often marginalized or forgotten were his people. To lift him to an unattainable height loses the impact of his words.

The author says it is only in seeing him in the role of agitator, political and economic activist and general pain in the rump to those in power can the reader appreciate who the man truly was. I am no expert but I found his arguments persuasive and I am sure the book will lead to much heated discussion from various camps.

Four purrs and one paw up.
Profile Image for Dale Dewitt.
193 reviews7 followers
February 28, 2024
This book is a tough one. On the one hand Mr Perry is an academic who deconstructs complicated biblical ideas and events and makes them easy to read and understand. On the other hand, he seems to be truly obsessed with flatulence, poop and peoples bathroom habits to the point where I began to wonder if he had some sort of scatological complex that needs more analysis by professionals. It was hard to read this book at some points because he would make a cogent argument only to follow it up with some idea of feces that he had and extrapolate that out to the point of absurdity. I fully agree with original premise that when we humanize Jesus, yes he pooped, yes he grew up in squalor, we can see him in our own experiences and the world in which he existed. But Mr Perry diverges quite often into descriptions and language that makes the reader uncomfortable. If you want to hear about the author farting in quiet situations then please read, but I cant recommend this work with any sincerity

I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest opinion
6 reviews
February 27, 2024
It piqued my curiosity: why does Simon Perry, a Biblical Scholar and Chaplain at the University of Cambridge, claim that if you cannot hear Jesus fart, you cannot hear his biblical voice?

Perry’s stated mission is to help us “rediscover Jesus in his native vulgarity”, because the farting of Christ might save the world from disintegration. His interpretation of the events from the life of Jesus, and from his own, are outrageously hilarious.

Is it going to unite us all and save the world? No, I don’t think so.

Is it a good read? Absolutely!!! I loved the I’ll-say-it-the-way-I-want attitude.

Five stars for a book about Jesus of Nazareth written by someone from the world of the portacabin!
Profile Image for Joe.
430 reviews
October 12, 2023
HORRIBLE! This book stinks worse than a fart

The description of this book made it sound like a humorous book about how Jesus was human like us. And it starts out that way.
Well then the author starts political mudslinging getting off topic. Getting absolutely annoying and one sided.
This book was free and instill feel like I got ripped off and want my money back. This book was shit
Profile Image for Lisa Gisèle.
769 reviews12 followers
February 27, 2024
I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my own

First I 100% agree that Jesus farted and got food poisoning a time or two, I never thought of it myself, but makes complete sense.

After chapter one you lost me mostly due to my fuzzy MS brain not retaining and processing the info. It was too philosophical in its approach. Although I do now believe I was created this morning and no one can change my mind
14 reviews1 follower
November 27, 2023
Not a religious book. But this is probably the most powerful book on religion I have come across. It is graceful, foul-mouthed, insightful, brilliantly well informed and ruthless. Christianity gives you nothing. This author shows how the Bible contains dynamic ethical, philosophical and ideological insight that Christianity has managed to filter out.
883 reviews27 followers
March 25, 2024
While the book is weirdly fixated on all sorts of bodily functions, it still is a good and informative read regarding Christianity, and it feels like adding a hefty dose of humor makes it more relatable, easier to understand, more easily digestible (LOL YES).
Profile Image for Esther Dan.
1,018 reviews19 followers
August 11, 2024
Fun Read

I am glad I read the reviews of this book before ignoring it. The book describes the humanity of Jesus, as He walked among us & how His walk impacted history. It’s a fun read, a deep dive on the Gospels in modern language
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews

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