why is it called rip aka rest in peace if the person is already dead?

Some people die and they are not at peace at the time of their death. Sometimes it’s physical suffering at the end of a life or sometimes it’s emotional torment - despair, anger, anxiety, regret or maybe just not ready to die. Some people believe this makes the soul unsettled, restless, aimless. And everyone will agree, it’s just not a good way to go if at the time of your death you are emotionally charged. Rest in peace is a farewell wish for the dead and their soul to let go of any earthly baggage and a promise that any unresolved issues will be taken care of by surviving members of family or friends.

You’re wishing that the person has a peaceful afterlife

I think it used to be “rot in peace” but some got offended so they changed it

May their beautiful soul rest in peace with God.


Rest in peace is for their souls, not for bodies. You can leave the God part if you are an atheist.

They have crossed the rainbow bridge, joined the choir eternal, gone the way of all flesh, asended beyond the veil, gone to the Happy Hunting Ground, ...they dead!

it is epression of denial of death, kinda like

crossed over
transcended
passed on
ascended to heaven

but dead and cesase-to-exist are the accurate ideas

That’s what I’m saying. It’s not as if they’re asleep and going to awaken the next day.

They’re not actually resting for anything.

They are at peace now

It just means that wherever they are should be no more world worries, no more pain and no more strife that now this short hard life is over
It's a well wishing to that person soul.

The idiom comes from the idea that they’re resting in their graves, and regardless of the turmoil during their lives or their manner of death, are now at peace.

it's a euphemism. sounds better than rot in pieces

Rest in Peace is a blessing for the living survivors, not the deceased!

I often wondered this myself, but if you ask the wrong person they get offended

It sounds nicer than roasting in pieces.