Wisdom » The Human Body and Nature

Selling One's Soul

This morning I woke up earlier than usual, sat down at my beloved time-devourer (read: computer), and stumbled upon an article on Apollo - a company has appeared in Latvia offering loans under a contract, the signing of which means you pledge your soul as collateral. Of course, driven by my eternal curiosity, I visited the "advertised" website. Well, to put it exactly as the Bible quote goes - "what has already happened will happen again, for there is nothing new under the sun." Only in the 16th century a soul was sold for 100 silver or gold thalers, whereas in 21st-century Latvia - for paper 50 lats.

And indeed, the information in Russian and English states that money can actually be borrowed "под залог нематериальной сущности, а именно своей бессмертной души" (against the pledge of an immaterial entity, namely one's immortal soul). There is lately a feeling that people all around are starting to go completely off the rails. Moreover, they act destructively - towards themselves, towards their loved ones, towards the specific community (state, organisation, nation, etc.). Interestingly, in critical and desperate moments the first thing that kicks in is the destructive factor, rather than community, love of people, preservation, and creation.

British musician Dante Knox, who at the end of 2008
attempted to sell his soul at auction on eBay.

The theme of selling one's soul is as old as the world. The first thing that comes to mind - Mephistopheles and Faust. For the plot of the play, Goethe used a 16th-century legend about Doctor Faust, who, in his pursuit of knowledge, sells his soul to the devil - http://www.korpuss.lv/klasika/Senie/Rainis/Fausts/

An observation - following the appearance of such a company and such articles appearing on the Latvian internet, the church, of course, expressed its position and explanation of how dangerous it is to play with the concept of the soul. But trading in immaterial things is something the church has practised since time immemorial and also indirectly practises today. A vivid example from the 16th century, shortly before the Reformation, is the buying and selling of indulgences. Tell me, dear people, how can you buy the forgiveness of sins? Whoever has more money can commit greater misdeeds and then purchase extra indulgences?!

Well, to put it exactly as the Bible quote goes - "what has already happened will happen again, for there is nothing new under the sun." Only in the 16th century a soul was sold for 100 silver or gold thalers, whereas in 21st-century Latvia - for paper 50 lats.

Source material - http://www.apollo.lv/portal/news/73/articles/172079