Why is the R rated version R at all?

The obvious question after watching this movie is why a movie with no cursing or nudity would merit an R. I am fascinated that this movie was R after being so heavily edited. I did not know the rating when I started watching it and about halfway through it became a burning question... this movie obviously was edited as if for a cable television station, but despite the extreme edit job would constant veiled references to sex still be enough to merit an R?

I had a horrible feeling they might be and was not let down when checking the rating after watching it.

I always thought it was specific actions within a movie that determined its rating, not the general theme. And most of the fetishes are obviously made up and presented in a comical light throughout. None of the sex is shown and the talk about it is not serious by any means, so how is this rating justified? The falling poop? The squirrels?

My other question is whether Waters did this on purpose, knowing he would still get the R even after going absurdly over the top to please them simply because of the nature of the film and thus exposing the MPAA's insanity in one fell swoop. If so, bravo Sir John, mission accomplished. (If this was not a Genius Move but in fact what was needed to get the R then God help us all)