Who ever said salvation was non-transferrable? eBay, that’s who.
Ari Mandel, a 31-year-old who describes himself as theologically atheist (although he was born Orthodox Jewish), has been told by eBay that he is not allowed to sell his spot in heaven on the online auction site, The Jewish Daily Forward reports.
The ad, which has been taken down but is pictured below, offered his "portion in olam habaah [i.e. heaven]," and assured buyers of his worthiness (he's a vegan and frequent performer of good deeds, if you're wondering). Some had questions about such practical matters as “amenities” provided on his lot in paradise, and if said lot was “prime real estate,” according to NBC News. But the answers proved good enough for some, and bidding eventually reached almost $100,000, before eBay pulled the plug.
Here's the auction page:
eBay explained to Mandel that the company simply does not “allow listings that aren't offering anything for sale or those that have intangible items (generally things don't physically exist)," NBC News reports.
This is an issue the company faces from time to time. Take, for example, this eclectic mix of items users have tried to sell in the past:
- A jar of farts.
- An 18-year-old British girl’s virginity.
- The country of New Zealand.
- Hosni Mubarek.
- A grandmother.
- A weekend of "beer, snacks, and a [heck] of a lot of laughs" with some Australian dudes.
- A ghost in a jar.
- An "awkward date with a weird guy."
On Mandel's end, he says it was all just for fun, The Jewish Daily Forward reports. “To those of you who took this seriously, chill out. It was just a joke,” he said, according to the New York Daily News. “Whether or not you’re a believer in this sort of thing, chill out.”
As a whole, auctions on eBay have declined drastically over the past few years, and now account for less than 15 percent of listings on the site.
Ari Mandel pictured:
Update: eBay independently confirmed to The Huffington Post that Mandel's auction had been taken down due to violating its policy:
(Hat tip: UPI)