The reply you get depends on the question you ask.

Jack and Max are walking from religious service. Jack wonders whether it
would be all right to smoke while praying.

Max replies, "Why don't you ask the Priest?"

So Jack goes up to the Priest and asks, "Priest, may I smoke while I
pray?" But the Priest says, "No, my son, you may not. That's utter
disrespect to our religion."

Jack goes back to his friend and tells him what the good Priest told
him.

Max says, "I'm not surprised. You asked the wrong question. Let me
try."

And so Max goes up to the Priest and asks, "Priest, may I pray while I
smoke?" To which the Priest eagerly replies, "By all means, my son...by
all means."

Moral of the story: The reply you get depends on the question you
ask.

Example: Can I work on this project while I'm on vacation??  ;)