When a person dies, their soul doesn't ascend to the afterlife automatically. The soul build's a connection with its body while alive, and remains attached to that body in death. Through natural decomposition, the soul gradually loses its connection to the mortal realm. At some point, when the body decays enough,the soul ascends to the next life where it will be judged by god. It will either be allowed into heaven or join the reincarnation cycle to be reborn and given another chance.
The ascension of the soul however, is not always guaranteed. While it is trapped in the body after death, the soul is protected from supernatural forces. However, There are invisible predators that prey on and consume vulnerable souls. These are called wraiths, which are angry spirits that have been unable to ascend properly and remain trapped on the mortal realm. These spirits are in constant pain, and seek to take out their agony and misery on the living by killing them. They are also given to consume other lost souls and grow in power. This has been common enough throughout history to be a real concern.
This is why funwral rites and proper burials are held as sacred, because they guaranty passage into the next life. Priests are used to expedite the process of ascension. Through performing the necessary funeral rites and given a proper burial, they release the soul immediately and send it to be judged accordingly. These are rites only chosen priests can perform, which involve complex magical rituals that are learned through years of study. This has given the church a strong presence, and has made them a powerful force in humanity. Religion and faith play an important role in daily life of people, and priests are held in high regard in their community.
Otherwise interferening with a body (cremation, dismemberment, etc) is considered a great crime. If a body doesn't decay naturally, the soul may become more vulnerable to malignant forces. Necromancy is akin to heresy, because it enslaves a soul to a former body long after its time in this world has passed. The soul is in constant pain, unable to control its actions. Necromancy is punishable by an excruciating and humiliating death, as an act that involves enslaving the loved ones of people is met with hatred from society.
Individuals who go off to war are given a special place in society. Warriors are given markings by priests that are akin to magic tatoos. If they die in war, their souls ascend automatically without delay, so they can go into battle without fear. Being a soldier is a high honor, as is dying in war for your nation.
I'd like to know what people think. Your comments would be appreciated
The relationship between human souls and decomposition
Re: The relationship between human souls and decomposition
This is a really cool idea. What do the priests do exactly? Some process that expedites decomposition? Or ritually cleanse the body while is decays?
Why doesn't everyone just get these? Too expensive?Sharad9 wrote:Warriors are given markings by priests that are akin to magic tatoos.
Re: The relationship between human souls and decomposition
This would frighten me if it were real. The idea that a *soul* can be compromised is the biggest fear of all to me since there's no way to protect oneself other than to hope for divine help. Ive always been suspicious of any assertion that a human can influence another human's path to salvation, as though God had handed the keys to Heaven over to the same class of people who were themselves headed for Hell. Im not sure if Heaven and Hell even exist in your religion, but it immediately made me think of how a similar belief might apply to Christianity.
Makapappi nauppakiba.
The wolf-sheep ate itself. (Play)
The wolf-sheep ate itself. (Play)
Re: The relationship between human souls and decomposition
Every body in this world has a mission to finish from the day he/she was born. When a person suddenly dies, his soul still sticks to the body because it need to finish that mission, otherwise it cannot leave (to heaven or hell). This is what I believe.
Words are capable of making experience more vivid, and also of organizing it. They can scare us, and they can comfort us - Jonathan Safran Foer
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Re: The relationship between human souls and decomposition
Everyone native to Adpihi grows up believing they have a personal relationship to God.
So do most immigrant naturalized citizens.
The opinions of permanently-resident aliens are more divided; and those of short-term visitors tend to be rather skeptical.
Some native Adpihi, especially those who've been to other planets and/or had many dealings with natives of other planets, also become skeptical.
But many remain firm in their faith; and most stay-at-homes never even question it.
But while belief in and worship of one and only one God is (all but?) universal among Adpihi, there's no consensus on the afterlife.
Disagreements about the existence of and/or nature of the soul, and/or the existence of and/or nature of an afterlife, are not acrimonious between Adpihi.
The only historically-important violent religious disagreement was pretty violent; more-or-less the equivalent of *our* 2nd World War *here* in Real-Life Consensus* Reality in Our Time Line on Earth-Prime.
It was between, on the one hand, a group who believed that anyone who disagreed with them was just flat wrong and should either be chastised-and-coerced or treated as second-class citizens;
and everybody else.
*
I also think there are no souls; that the self is merely a useful illusion or useful fiction. But that's a very recent decision on my part, and I don't mind if nobody else thinks so.
And I'm prepared to change my mind if I encounter a sufficiently strong argument or sufficiently strong evidence.
So do most immigrant naturalized citizens.
The opinions of permanently-resident aliens are more divided; and those of short-term visitors tend to be rather skeptical.
Some native Adpihi, especially those who've been to other planets and/or had many dealings with natives of other planets, also become skeptical.
But many remain firm in their faith; and most stay-at-homes never even question it.
But while belief in and worship of one and only one God is (all but?) universal among Adpihi, there's no consensus on the afterlife.
Disagreements about the existence of and/or nature of the soul, and/or the existence of and/or nature of an afterlife, are not acrimonious between Adpihi.
The only historically-important violent religious disagreement was pretty violent; more-or-less the equivalent of *our* 2nd World War *here* in Real-Life Consensus* Reality in Our Time Line on Earth-Prime.
It was between, on the one hand, a group who believed that anyone who disagreed with them was just flat wrong and should either be chastised-and-coerced or treated as second-class citizens;
and everybody else.
*
Spoiler:
Spoiler:
And I'm prepared to change my mind if I encounter a sufficiently strong argument or sufficiently strong evidence.
My minicity is http://gonabebig1day.myminicity.com/xml