August 1, 2008
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Rest in one piece
I don't really understand the phrase "rest in peace". Of course, it may be because I don't believe in an afterlife, thus making any wishes for the dead moot. It would be like telling my wall to "have a good day" as I left for work. I hope they don't say this to people who get cremated. They tell the dead to rest in peace, and then light them on fire? I just don't understand. Even if there is an afterlife, it would still be odd to tell a person to rest in peace. First of all, what if the person is in Hell, or some hellish equivalent? I don't think his personal demons are going to go any easier on the schmuck just because of a few "rest in peace"s. They may actually just mock him because of it, as they shove another garden rake up his nose. Also, what if the person in question did not wish to rest in peace. He had enough peace on Earth and just wanted to have a little excitement in his afterlife. Who are you to tell him to rest up after finally dying? That's just selfish. I guess it would make a little sense if you believed in reincarnation, especially if there's a delay before the person can return. The "rest while you can" mentality works rather well when you have to wait before you can steal some baby's body.
Comments (6)
I think it stems back to when people widely believed in vampires, ghosts, and things like that, but I'm not sure.
Awesome post. Hilarious.
Actually it was a prayer for your dear departed would rest in peace while awaiting final judgment. Sort of a soul sleep. But you did have a good point and of course you made me laugh.
jimbo dear you can eat ice cream doing anything.
It is a confusing Christian sentiment to wish a body--the mere vessel of the soul to rest in peace with a headstone when according to their own doctrine the soul departs and is ushered to heaven without the earthly corpse. Does the soul visit its headstone from time to time to read it and then wouldn't it not be at peace? IDK. Confused.
I always just thought it was a set up for the ultimately funny joke of
when an insane killer threatens his victim with a chainsaw and says in
a deadpan voice, "Rest in pieces".
Now that's hi-larious!