Is suicide a sin?

[katholikos]

Which part of Christ's death was suicide?

The fact that He didn't remove Himself from the cross, when He could have easily done so, at will.

If he were a mere man, that might be true. But He was fully God and fully man, and since He knew He could not die, it was not suicide. And since He took the sins of all mankind upon Himself, it was the supreme act of love, as opposed to suicide which is often an act of cowardice and/or selfishness

 

[Apollo Celestio]

..Interesting way to put it. Some call people who commit suicide to be the ultimate cowards, but those of us who have been there will say "I didn't have the guts to do it." I think it is wrong. One who loves God knows that they must live for him. I chose to live for him, rather than die because I didn't enjoy it. Let's put our courage there.

 

[JoabAnias]

Suicide contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to preserve and perpetuate his life. It is gravely contrary to the just love of self. It likewise offends love of neighbor because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family, nation, and other human societies to which we continue to have obligations. Suicide is contrary to love for the living God.

If suicide is committed with the intention of setting an example, especially to the young, it also takes on the gravity of scandal. Voluntary co-operation in suicide is contrary to the moral law.

Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide.

Suicide is seriously contrary to justice, hope, and charity. It is forbidden by the fifth commandment.
CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Suicide

 

[Nadiine]

Suicide and sacrifice are two very different things, don't you think?

Sure, but I guess some would rather try to paint Christ as a sinner
in their infinite wisdom & logic

 

[SpiritualAntiseptic]

Have never had the courage to ask this before. What are your thoughts, please? Will add a poll (of course), but would love some actual discussion, too.

Also, can someone who commits suicide still go to Heaven? Or do you believe suicide negates salvation?

Thank you so much

As a Catholic, we believe that certain acts are sinful- like suicide, but a person's culpability for the sin depends on the circumstances.

Denying your faith under torture is one thing- denying your faith for a free cup of coffee is completely different. For something to be damning, a person would have to know the sin is a damnable offense and fully consent to it.

There is no full consent in suicide. People just don't up and decide to kill themselves for the fun of it. They are suffer under physical or mental torture, or are mentally ill.

Sadly, certain branches of Christianity believe that certain things are sin and have no consideration for the person's knowledge or willingness. So anytime a person commits suicide- they go to hell.

I believe God judges us by our guilt, not our actions alone. People can carry out the same actions but for very different reasons. Look at killing someone- it is clearly a sin, but few Christians would argue it is always a damnable offense. They understand that circumstances and motivation determine guilt. Killing someone who is about to kill you is different than killing someone for their wallet. It's the same act, but for very different reasons. If you believe this, then you have to concede that suicide deserves the same treatment.

 

[Jim47]

As a Catholic, we believe that certain acts are sinful- like suicide, but a person's culpability for the sin depends on the circumstances.

Denying your faith under torture is one thing- denying your faith for a free cup of coffee is completely different. For something to be damning, a person would have to know the sin is a damnable offense and fully consent to it.

There is no full consent in suicide. People just don't up and decide to kill themselves for the fun of it. They are suffer under physical or mental torture, or are mentally ill.

Sadly, certain branches of Christianity believe that certain things are sin and have no consideration for the person's knowledge or willingness. So anytime a person commits suicide- they go to hell.

I believe God judges us by our guilt, not our actions alone. People can carry out the same actions but for very different reasons. Look at killing someone- it is clearly a sin, but few Christians would argue it is always a damnable offense. They understand that circumstances and motivation determine guilt. Killing someone who is about to kill you is different than killing someone for their wallet. It's the same act, but for very different reasons. If you believe this, then you have to concede that suicide deserves the same treatment.

Very good post, but one thing we need to keep in mind. There is n0 forgiveness for those who die apart from Faith in Jesus as their Savior. So if someone committs suicide because of metal illness and has no faith, that person will be lost.

Jn 14:5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
Jn 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.


It is for God to judge whether someone will be saved or not, and He will do that by looking in that persons heart, if He finds faith, even a tiny little faith that person will be saved.

 

[Nadiine]

Surely you know it isn't considered suicide to lay down one's life for another's life
(multiply that by every soul who gains eternal life thru faith in the Risen Lord & saviour - & that's how many lives He saved).

Since when is self murder not sin? ALL life is the Lord's to take, not our own. Scripture says that our bodies are not our own.

19Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
20For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body

I'd add too that you are are now claiming abortion isn't sin and I believe that's against FSG's in this forum.

 

[edie19]

Have never had the courage to ask this before. What are your thoughts, please? Will add a poll (of course), but would love some actual discussion, too.

Also, can someone who commits suicide still go to Heaven? Or do you believe suicide negates salvation?

Thank you so much

Yes it's a sin (falls under taking a life)

does it negate salvation - no, either Christ's death is sufficient to cover all sins of those who confess His name (which I believe) or it wasn't in which case His death would truly be of no effect at all (which I don't believe)

 

[PreachersWife2004]

MOD HAT ON

Just a reminder of the FSGs, found here, particularly this part (with respect to this thread):

• The sanctity of human life.Human life begins at conception and ends when the body can no longer naturally sustain itself. Human life can not be ended prematurely without just cause and just authority to do so. This includes most cases of abortion and euthanasia.

Let me also remind everyone here that adherence to the FSGs is necessary to post here. If your post goes against the FSBs of this forum, it will be deleted.

MOD HAT OFF
​

 

[Zecryphon]

Okay, if a post violates the FSG's it gets deleted. But will the mods delete it when they see it or does it have to be reported before the mods will take action? Also, how many posts does a person have to make that violate the FSG's before they are removed from the section?

 

[PreachersWife2004]

Okay, if a post violates the FSG's it gets deleted. But will the mods delete it when they see it or does it have to be reported before the mods will take action? Also, how many posts does a person have to make that violate the FSG's before they are removed from the section?

I reported the one I saw. I just haven't deleted it for review yet. If I see posts that violate the FSGs I'll do my best to make sure they get reported and deleted for review and then let consensus take care of the rest. But I'm only one mod.

There is no set number...a lot depends on the context. If a poster seems to be bent on disturbing a forum, it's relatively easy to see.

 

[Zecryphon]

Okay, thanx.

 

[Jim47]

Christ laid down His life in that He did not use His powers as God to oppose those who wanted to kill Him. He did not take His own life, big huge difference there. This was God's will from the beginning and exactly how God had for seen reddming His children to Him so that He could lavish upon then His love for all eternity.

Many people believe that God does not love them, this is one of the chief reasons for suicide. People give up all hope of knowing God and knowing His love. Why? Because they have rejected His all precious gift of His own Holyy Son as their Savior. No one will see God except thru faith in Jesus as their Savior. Not just faith that He once lived and roamed the earth and was a good man, but complete faith in Him alone as their Savior.

Ro 3:27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. 28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.

Ro 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

Ro 10:8 But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved

 

[Simon_Templar]

As a Catholic, we believe that certain acts are sinful- like suicide, but a person's culpability for the sin depends on the circumstances.

Denying your faith under torture is one thing- denying your faith for a free cup of coffee is completely different. For something to be damning, a person would have to know the sin is a damnable offense and fully consent to it.

There is no full consent in suicide. People just don't up and decide to kill themselves for the fun of it. They are suffer under physical or mental torture, or are mentally ill.

Sadly, certain branches of Christianity believe that certain things are sin and have no consideration for the person's knowledge or willingness. So anytime a person commits suicide- they go to hell.

I believe God judges us by our guilt, not our actions alone. People can carry out the same actions but for very different reasons. Look at killing someone- it is clearly a sin, but few Christians would argue it is always a damnable offense. They understand that circumstances and motivation determine guilt. Killing someone who is about to kill you is different than killing someone for their wallet. It's the same act, but for very different reasons. If you believe this, then you have to concede that suicide deserves the same treatment.

I was under the distinct impression that the Catholic Church considered suicide to be a mortal sin... has this changed??

 

[GQ Chris]

I was under the distinct impression that the Catholic Church considered suicide to be a mortal sin... has this changed??

Yeah that's what I thought...

I thought it was right up alongside perusing Playboy magazine

 

[edie19]

Okay, if a post violates the FSG's it gets deleted. But will the mods delete it when they see it or does it have to be reported before the mods will take action? Also, how many posts does a person have to make that violate the FSG's before they are removed from the section?

I reported the one I saw. I just haven't deleted it for review yet. If I see posts that violate the FSGs I'll do my best to make sure they get reported and deleted for review and then let consensus take care of the rest. But I'm only one mod.

There is no set number...a lot depends on the context. If a poster seems to be bent on disturbing a forum, it's relatively easy to see.

FWIW - if I see what I think is a violation I report it however I don't read every post in every thread (for example - I replied to the OP in this post before reading the entire thread). So it is appreciated when members either utilize the report button themselves or, if they don't want to be the reporter, pm staff to alert them to a questionable post.

As far as removing from a section - personally, I think the new rules will make it easier to protect the congregational forums.

 

[SpiritualAntiseptic]

I was under the distinct impression that the Catholic Church considered suicide to be a mortal sin... has this changed??

Suicide is a "mortal sin" meaning it has the potential of condemning someone to hell if the right conditions are met, because of the nature of the sin. It doesn't mean anyone that commits it is automatically damned.

 

[Ave Maria]

I voted for the yes option and the other option. The reason being that suicide, while always a sin, is not always a mortal sin. We must take into account the mental state of the person who committed suicide or attempted suicide before we can judge whether or not a mortal sin was committed and even then it is impossible to tell whether or not a mortal sin was actually committed or not. We can only tell with uncertainty whether or not it was a mortal sin in most cases. The mental state of a person can make what would ordinarily be a mortal sin into a venial sin because the mental state of a person can reduce the culpability.