Re: OT: Prayer, ritual and magic // was conlang website

On Tue, 17 Oct 2000, John Cowan wrote:

> On Tue, 17 Oct 2000, Yoon Ha Lee wrote:
>
> > I've never understood purgatory.
>
> The doctrine of Purgatory is founded on the notion that although
> everyone is irrevocably damned or saved at the moment of death,
> some -- indeed most -- saved souls are not yet free of what may
> be called the *habit* of sinfulness, and need to undergo a purgative
> (cleansing) process before being admitted to Heaven.  This being
> so, it is as rational to pray for those in Purgatory as for the
> living.
The notion of damnation saddens me terribly.  Forever--unforgiven?  No
more second chances?

Arguably God has given us enough chances, and yet...the sheer
irrevocability of the afterlife-notion boggles me sometimes.

Religion is so confusing...and if you take it seriously, it's
heartwrenchingly difficult because being mistaken or wrong could have
such terrible consequences.  Perhaps for others it is simpler than I make
it for myself.

This is mainly a Catholic notion, correct?

ObConLang: afterlife and its representations in your conlang?  Words for
it?  The afterlife in Chevraqis is referred to as "Beyond."  A common
Qenaren phrase for death is "the soldier's salute."  Then again, this is
a military culture that thinks the death-god brought death as a gift, and
that an accepting death is your gift in return.

YHL