Once there was a learned man who studied philosophy. He was so fascinated by the concept of the golden mean that he applied it in every aspect of his life.

One day, he was confronted with a problem. He believes in a religion, and the beliefs of that religion call for austerity, simplicity, and honesty, and a deity that is good and just. The religion also preaches that there is an anti-deity that urges the people to do the opposite of what the deity imposes. The religion also preaches that while the deity frowns upon submitting to the rule of the anti-deity, the deity is just and forgiving.

Seeing this loophole in the beliefs, and thinking about the golden mean, the learned man said to himself “Why not have the best of both worlds? Why suffer when you can have all the fun? After all, the deity is just and forgiving. All I have to do is to confess at the end of the day, and I get a clean slate.”

So the learned man retained his belief in the deity while committing all the no-nos that his religion preaches about. At the end of the day, he went to the temple to confess. He did these all throughout his life.

Then the learned man died. His soul entered the hall of justice, where the deity was seated. The deity asked the learned man’s soul, “Who is your master?”

The learned man replied, “The supreme creator, the deity who is good and just.”

The deity asked back in reply, “What did you do on earth when you were alive?”

The learned man was not able to reply. He knew deep in his heart that he served the anti-deity too.

The deity, while good and just, was furious. “While you think there was a loophole in my justice, while you abused my goodness and forgiveness, while you profess that I am your master, you did all that is opposite of my commands. You confess that I am your master yet you serve another one. You wanted to have the best of both, now you will get none. I reject you as you rejected me. Be gone from my sight!”

The learned man’s soul sadly left the hall of justice and went to the anti-deity’s casino castle.

The anti-deity asked the learned man, “Why are you here?”

The learned man’s soul replied, “I was banished by the deity.”

“Hah! Trying to have the best of both of us! I have no place for you here! Out of my sight!” the anti-deity replied with malice.

And so, without a master, without a home, the poor learned man’s soul roamed the earth forever.