Abishai100
VIP Member
- Sep 22, 2013
- 4,957
- 250
- 85
This is a soul-wager parable inspired by the film The Devil's Advocate.
Signing off,
====
Steve gambled away his entire fortune in Las Vegas and regretted the misfortune greatly. He was planning to use his savings to put his autistic son through college with close medical attention, and now those dreams were dashed. Steve decided to make a deal with the Devil (Satan) who assigned him a special 'Earth-minion' simply named Demon. Demon would help Steve win the lottery in Pennsylvania by rigging one Powerball game in January 2018. Steve won the lottery and now planned to send his autistic son Evan to Carnegie Mellon, and he was very happy. However, now the Demon wanted Steve to plant a bomb in the Statue of Liberty as payment for his 'lottery-prize,' so Steve contacted America's favorite detective-vigilante Batman to serve as his lawyer.
BATMAN: Steve is a frail and vulnerable man who needs pity.
DEMON: I have no room for pity; this is a question of contracts.
BATMAN: Steve had no idea you would ask him to become a secret terrorist.
DEMON: Did Steve think the Devil would simply 'give away' a free prize?
BATMAN: I doubt Steve seriously considered the possibility Satan would plague him.
DEMON: How Steve pays for his prize is a matter of agreement, not pity.
BATMAN: By charging Steve with this terrible mission, you risk his fatherly happiness.
DEMON: Evan will go to Carnegie Mellon and live a happy life on his own (guaranteed).
Batman realized that Demon had wagered Steve's soul (by Satan's command) in exchange for the safety and security and happiness of Steve's son Evan. Batman knew Steve would not feel 'spiritually happy' knowing his own son Evan was happy/safe while the Statue of Liberty came crashing down in a ball of flames and smoke because of his terrorism-deed. Batman realized Satan intended to use Steve in a terrible pawn-game to make him a 'sacrificial example' of the dire consequences of approaching Satan for any kind of serious 'help.' Batman also realized that Satan had done this sort of thing for many years and would not simply 'free' Steve from his terrible contract. If Batman did nothing, Steve would become a spiritually desolate soul.
BATMAN: Why do you guarantee Evan's happiness in exchange for Steve's sanity?
SATAN: Men are willing to hurt others for their progeny's sake, so why make Steve immune?
BATMAN: You can't solve the problem of vice-indemnity with an extortion-procedure!
SATAN: Just think; Evan is happy, and Steve is the one who pays...not someone else.
BATMAN: That's very clever, Satan (since Steve is the one who goes insane); but evil.
SATAN: Why is that evil, Batman? Convince/explain it to me, and I'll free Steve.
BATMAN: Alright! Men seek gain for their progeny but don't seek punishment for ambition.
SATAN: So, you're suggesting that since ambition is 'child-like,' it should not be 'tortured.'
BATMAN: Exactly. By using a soul-torture extortion-clause, you create unnatural angst.
SATAN: I concede that ambition is foolish and doesn't merit unmitigated wrath.
BATMAN: You're correct that ambition is a 'veil for vanity,' but pity dictates we seek counsel.
SATAN: We'll see if this modern world of 'capitalism' creates a 'sacred worship' of 'counsel.'
BATMAN: For now, Satan, let's simply agree that Steve was simply a man out of his depth.
SATAN: As usual, I take my token --- Steve was headstrong, but I'll pardon him.
BATMAN: Perhaps American capitalism will shine more than you think...
====
Signing off,
====
Steve gambled away his entire fortune in Las Vegas and regretted the misfortune greatly. He was planning to use his savings to put his autistic son through college with close medical attention, and now those dreams were dashed. Steve decided to make a deal with the Devil (Satan) who assigned him a special 'Earth-minion' simply named Demon. Demon would help Steve win the lottery in Pennsylvania by rigging one Powerball game in January 2018. Steve won the lottery and now planned to send his autistic son Evan to Carnegie Mellon, and he was very happy. However, now the Demon wanted Steve to plant a bomb in the Statue of Liberty as payment for his 'lottery-prize,' so Steve contacted America's favorite detective-vigilante Batman to serve as his lawyer.
BATMAN: Steve is a frail and vulnerable man who needs pity.
DEMON: I have no room for pity; this is a question of contracts.
BATMAN: Steve had no idea you would ask him to become a secret terrorist.
DEMON: Did Steve think the Devil would simply 'give away' a free prize?
BATMAN: I doubt Steve seriously considered the possibility Satan would plague him.
DEMON: How Steve pays for his prize is a matter of agreement, not pity.
BATMAN: By charging Steve with this terrible mission, you risk his fatherly happiness.
DEMON: Evan will go to Carnegie Mellon and live a happy life on his own (guaranteed).
Batman realized that Demon had wagered Steve's soul (by Satan's command) in exchange for the safety and security and happiness of Steve's son Evan. Batman knew Steve would not feel 'spiritually happy' knowing his own son Evan was happy/safe while the Statue of Liberty came crashing down in a ball of flames and smoke because of his terrorism-deed. Batman realized Satan intended to use Steve in a terrible pawn-game to make him a 'sacrificial example' of the dire consequences of approaching Satan for any kind of serious 'help.' Batman also realized that Satan had done this sort of thing for many years and would not simply 'free' Steve from his terrible contract. If Batman did nothing, Steve would become a spiritually desolate soul.
BATMAN: Why do you guarantee Evan's happiness in exchange for Steve's sanity?
SATAN: Men are willing to hurt others for their progeny's sake, so why make Steve immune?
BATMAN: You can't solve the problem of vice-indemnity with an extortion-procedure!
SATAN: Just think; Evan is happy, and Steve is the one who pays...not someone else.
BATMAN: That's very clever, Satan (since Steve is the one who goes insane); but evil.
SATAN: Why is that evil, Batman? Convince/explain it to me, and I'll free Steve.
BATMAN: Alright! Men seek gain for their progeny but don't seek punishment for ambition.
SATAN: So, you're suggesting that since ambition is 'child-like,' it should not be 'tortured.'
BATMAN: Exactly. By using a soul-torture extortion-clause, you create unnatural angst.
SATAN: I concede that ambition is foolish and doesn't merit unmitigated wrath.
BATMAN: You're correct that ambition is a 'veil for vanity,' but pity dictates we seek counsel.
SATAN: We'll see if this modern world of 'capitalism' creates a 'sacred worship' of 'counsel.'
BATMAN: For now, Satan, let's simply agree that Steve was simply a man out of his depth.
SATAN: As usual, I take my token --- Steve was headstrong, but I'll pardon him.
BATMAN: Perhaps American capitalism will shine more than you think...
====
