# Would you sell your soul to someone claiming to be the devil? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 11, 2013, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-sell-your-soul-to-someone-claiming-to-be-the-devil/652616 "2013-03-11T05:24:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-sell-your-soul-to-someone-claiming-to-be-the-devil/652616/1 "2013-03-11T05:24:22Z")
It’s a lovely day. Imagine that you’re approached by a gentleman who, so far as you can tell, looks normal. He’s well-dressed and well-groomed. He’s articulate, cultured, conversational, and eager to laugh, though underneath he strikes you as a serious fellow. He introduces himself to you as the devil — well, a devil, anyway, but you don’t need to know the power structure of hell to complete your business today. And he makes you an offer: Will you agree to sell your soul to him, collectible upon your death, for $75? No, no, he won’t prove that he’s the devil. He’s being honest with you, but he’s not going to do parlor tricks. You’re right to be skeptical, he agrees. He might just be an eccentric man in a suit. He might be part of some scheme surrounding you — a psychology experiment, or a reality show, or who knows what. In which case, of course, the deal is entirely to your favor. But while he understands your skepticism, he politely insists that he is, in fact, the devil. He’d rather not explain why he wants your soul, but you, of course, won’t be using it. No, he won’t kill you the moment the deal is done. He promises on whatever might make you comfortable not to kill you, nor harm you, nor otherwise hasten your allotted time alive. No paperwork involved, signed in blood, ink, or lemon juice. He trusts you. But of course, once you take the money, the deal is final. OK: If not $75, how much would it take? His pockets are deep, it seems, and he’s willing to negotiate. Your soul is a fine one. It’s a lovely day. Time to decide. And … ? ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-sell-your-soul-to-someone-claiming-to-be-the-devil/652616/2 "2013-03-11T05:28:11Z")
A crazy person wanting to give me free money still means I get free money. So hey, free money! Why not. As long as I don’t have to give him any identifying information about myself for him to track down later. Since he’s a crazy person and all. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-sell-your-soul-to-someone-claiming-to-be-the-devil/652616/3 "2013-03-11T05:31:35Z")
No way, not for any amount. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-sell-your-soul-to-someone-claiming-to-be-the-devil/652616/4 "2013-03-11T05:35:26Z")
Certainly not. ---
**Author:** ![Ms.Pumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@Ms.Pumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms.Pumpkin)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-sell-your-soul-to-someone-claiming-to-be-the-devil/652616/5 "2013-03-11T05:48:04Z")
Absolutely. Free money! ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-sell-your-soul-to-someone-claiming-to-be-the-devil/652616/6 "2013-03-11T05:58:04Z")
Tree fiddy and not a penny less. ---
**Author:** ![emcee2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emcee2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emcee2k)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-sell-your-soul-to-someone-claiming-to-be-the-devil/652616/7 "2013-03-11T06:05:43Z")
No, I wouldn’t want to take advantage of the mentally ill. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-sell-your-soul-to-someone-claiming-to-be-the-devil/652616/8 "2013-03-11T06:08:34Z")
I would have to charge much more than $75 for it given its relative rarity. I think $50 grand is a fair price for the soul of an atheist. If the self-proclaimed devil doesn’t agree, to hell with him. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-sell-your-soul-to-someone-claiming-to-be-the-devil/652616/9 "2013-03-11T06:47:23Z")
BTW I for a short time I believed I was Satan… > **[I'm Satan at the moment](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=406060)** > > Hi, I’m Satan at this point in time and I know the secrets of life. THE LAW OF REALITY EVERYTHING happens for a Good logical reason. The secret of eternal life on earth is to not break any commandments in the Bible, tempt others, be selfish, don’t... I wrote that thread while at an Internet cafe and then a nurse found me so I had to leave and they later took my to a mental hospital… but the thing is I can’t remember what happened after the guy met me… I lost my memory for a couple of days… apparently I couldn’t recognize my case worker but I kind of recognized my sisters… maybe my memory reverted back a few years… I also cut my eyebrow due to falling over. I also had to have help when going to the toilet due to the medication that made it hard to control my muscles. The thing is though that people didn’t like the offer of me granting their wishes, etc. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-sell-your-soul-to-someone-claiming-to-be-the-devil/652616/10 "2013-03-11T06:55:44Z")
Does the gentleman understand the concept of a subordinate lien holder? No? Excellent!!! ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-sell-your-soul-to-someone-claiming-to-be-the-devil/652616/11 "2013-03-11T08:21:06Z")
And not only would I take his money and run, but the joke would be on him, the chump. Because, you see, I’ve already sold my soul! ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-sell-your-soul-to-someone-claiming-to-be-the-devil/652616/12 "2013-03-11T08:29:45Z")
For $75 no, cuz I’m poor but I’m not THAT poor. For enough money to actually change my life…well, hell yeah. Sorry you’re crazy, dude, but I got my own problems to worry about. My car is 17 years old, homey. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-sell-your-soul-to-someone-claiming-to-be-the-devil/652616/13 "2013-03-11T08:34:25Z")
No. Because there is no such thing as a a soul, it would be wrong for me to “sell” it to some poor mental patient. I have principles, Y’know. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-sell-your-soul-to-someone-claiming-to-be-the-devil/652616/14 "2013-03-11T09:26:09Z")
$75 is not nearly enough to deal with a crazy person. Despite the assurances I’d be worried be was going to do something bad to me so I would disengage as woo as possible. If it was for more I’d be willing to take a risk. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-sell-your-soul-to-someone-claiming-to-be-the-devil/652616/15 "2013-03-11T09:33:38Z")
I will omit the existence/non-existence aspect. Selling one’s soul, at any price, is the very best example of a bad investment. It is trading the longest of long-term investments for the shortest of short-term gains. A bad plan. No, not at any price. ---
**Author:** ![emcee2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emcee2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emcee2k)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-sell-your-soul-to-someone-claiming-to-be-the-devil/652616/16 "2013-03-11T09:56:32Z")
Setting aside the ethical issue of taking a crazy person’s money: If I know he’s willing to negotiate on the price, why settle for $75? I’ll take no less than the most he’s willing to pay. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-sell-your-soul-to-someone-claiming-to-be-the-devil/652616/17 "2013-03-11T10:11:30Z")
As far as I know, offers like that expire quickly. Nah, I dithered for too long. I mean, man you don’t pick up $75 anywhere, but still… ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-sell-your-soul-to-someone-claiming-to-be-the-devil/652616/18 "2013-03-11T10:17:44Z")
Not without some form of identification. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-sell-your-soul-to-someone-claiming-to-be-the-devil/652616/19 "2013-03-11T10:51:01Z")
Nah. I have a lively imagination and it is filled with many occult stories. Despite myself, I might feel uneasy about it at some point and that is not worth the 75 dollars. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-sell-your-soul-to-someone-claiming-to-be-the-devil/652616/20 "2013-03-11T12:01:38Z")
Thank you, but no. I expect to be using that soul for quite a while, despite its present condition. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-sell-your-soul-to-someone-claiming-to-be-the-devil/652616.md?page=2)