# What's to prevent me from setting up shop and buying souls? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 2, 2005, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-to-prevent-me-from-setting-up-shop-and-buying-souls/292617 "2005-03-02T17:36:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-to-prevent-me-from-setting-up-shop-and-buying-souls/292617/61 "2005-03-10T12:22:48Z")
> [@astro](#): > > With all due respect Sam I had a fairly matter of fact question, regarding if there were any legal entanglements that were likely to stop me from doing this. The thread may have veered into a pun fest, but the OP did address a specific question. astro: It would be an iffy bussiness. I could just take your money and go. How would you know if you had received or could retain an intangible, i.e. a soul? Buying souls is the Devil’s business. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-to-prevent-me-from-setting-up-shop-and-buying-souls/292617/62 "2005-03-10T12:26:50Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Are you brave and sure enough to take a chance? The question for you are you brave enough to ‘muscle in’ on the Devil’s business? ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-to-prevent-me-from-setting-up-shop-and-buying-souls/292617/63 "2005-03-10T14:59:16Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > Sure it sounds like fun. “Nobody has to sell their soul unless they want to, so what’s the harm?” you think. But what if it catchs on? What if millions of people sell their souls and the Earth becomes overrun with soulless zombie people? Chaos, destruction, the collapse of civilization, plus Top 40 radio will suck even more. Don’t be ridiculous. Top 40 couldn’t _possibly_ suck any more than it already does. ---
**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:** [March 10, 2005, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-to-prevent-me-from-setting-up-shop-and-buying-souls/292617/64 "2005-03-10T18:33:29Z")
> [@](#): > > California passed laws against necrophilia last year. Didn’t need 'em before that, I guess. Necessity is the mother of legislation, as well. It’s my understanding that there was a legitimate need for such laws. Apparently, there were rape/murder cases where the rape part went unprosecuted, since it couldn’t be proven that the sex occured before the murder. Anti-necrophilia laws close that loophole. ---
**Author:** ![hiebram](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5fc32e/32.png) [@hiebram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hiebram)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-to-prevent-me-from-setting-up-shop-and-buying-souls/292617/65 "2005-03-10T20:54:39Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > It’s my understanding that there was a legitimate need for such laws. Apparently, there were rape/murder cases where the rape part went unprosecuted, since it couldn’t be proven that the sex occured before the murder. Anti-necrophilia laws close that loophole. Yeah, I heard another story (through actual radio news, IIRC) that people had been violating corpses inside mortuaries and there were only podunk “breaking and entering” type charges that could be used against them. [/disturbing hijack] ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-to-prevent-me-from-setting-up-shop-and-buying-souls/292617/66 "2005-03-13T18:05:41Z")
> [@nivlac](#): > > I don’t see any legal reasons why you can’t do this … just be sure to report all your income to the IRS. I can just see you listing your occupation as “Soul Collector” on your tax return! I guess you can write off your expenses incurred in your soul collection business – cost of storing all the souls, depreciating lost souls, marketing your soul proprietor business, etc. Hello Mr. IRS Auditor! Report you income and legitimate expenses (rent, advertising, cost of souls) in earning it, the IRS could care less. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-to-prevent-me-from-setting-up-shop-and-buying-souls/292617/67 "2005-03-14T00:38:36Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > astro: It would be an iffy bussiness. I could just take your money and go. How would you know if you had received or could retain an intangible, i.e. a soul? Buying souls is the Devil’s business. You could always run with the “fine print” method. My posession of your soul implies the follwing restrictions…blah, blah, blah, .1% of your income for the rest of your life…blah, blah, blah. 17 page contract signing pieces of your life away with a signature at the end. Of course there would be the handy $150 opt out clause in which if you pay me $150 I give your soul back. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-to-prevent-me-from-setting-up-shop-and-buying-souls/292617.md?page=3)