Is Suicide Morally Wrong?

[Buzz Dixon]

Suicide is not immoral, there are things no one should ever have to live through. Ever.

I felt that way about my Algebra I class, too.

 

[Ave Maria]

Yes, it is morally wrong.

 

[Myah]

In my opinion, suicide should be only considered if living would only bring pain. For example, if someone had terminal cancer and was in pain 24 hours, I would see nothing wrong with it. If I ever were going to be a vegetable, my family knows to pull the plug. Or if I were ever terminally ill/completely paralyzed with no hope of recovery and a burden on my friends and family, I would have a pot of belladona tea made.


However, I also believe that suicide from a healthy person with something to live for (even if they cant see it) is a waste. Usually suicide is a long term solution for a short term problem. But, as for morality, it is their life, not mine. They have the right to that decision. No one else.

 

[praying]

I think it is wrong and to me the bigger question is it is a mental health issue. Putting aside medical conditions, what person of sound judgment wants to end their own life. Like someone said it is a permenant answer to hard times.

 

[Mekkala]

You're talking about rights, i.e. laws; while the OP asked about morality.

No I'm not. The law doesn't give us that right, so how can I be talking about law? I'm talking about our moral right to end our own lives, not our legal right to do so -- we don't have a legal right to do so.

 

[TearsOfTheDragon]

I love how you christians say "oh well if your sick pray about it" "if its this pray about it" BLAH BLAH BLAH! You have no right to tell people how to live or how to die. GET WITH IT!

 

[july03]

i believe that suicide is a spiritual crime. if in fact you had the faith of God and Jesus, you would not quit or give up your life. Jesus came and died for each and every one of us...taking your life would be like a slap in the face to him. on a smaller scale, imagine canceling all of your plans to get together with a friend...then when the time comes, your friend decides that he/she has 'better' things to do, and cancels. then what? after all of that sacrifice, remember this is a much smaller scale, how are you supposed to feel. Jesus died for all of us...and because of this, all of us should have faith that when going to him and God, we can get through ANYTHING...even a life threatening illness...eventually all will die...but taking our own lives, giving up, will not get us into the gates of heaven...you have then turned your back on God.

 

[ego licet visum]

Yea, but what if your friend never told you that they were coming?

 

[CSMR]

"ego licet visum" - that doesn't seem to make sense. What did you intend your name to mean? If it is "I am allowed to see" that should be "mihi licet videre" I think.

 

[CSMR]

You were talking about our lives belonging to us. What does belonging mean or rights if they are not granted by law? It's strange to use rights and belonging to refer to morality.

No I'm not. The law doesn't give us that right, so how can I be talking about law? I'm talking about our moral right to end our own lives, not our legal right to do so -- we don't have a legal right to do so.

 

[an7222]

Everything is contextual and dependes on the situation. That's why moral issue is so tricky. But the rule is "do not kill". Only in very fiel specific situations a killing is justifiable.

 

[feral]

If suicide stands alone only affecting the person who kills themselves then I do not see anything morally wrong with it. An individual should be permitted to decide for themselves when they are going to cease struggling or how much pain they can tolerate, and while I feel a lot of people attempt suicide for unsatisfactory reasons, that is not for me to decide.

However, what concerns me is what suicide impacts others, which it almost always does. The friends and family of a suicide are left to deal with the tremendous guilt, anguish, pain, lonliness, etc, and to put someone through that kind of torture for anything tolerable is pure selfishness. I do consider there to be a difference between someome suffering a longterm, incurable illness who involves their family in the dying process and the choice, and someone who kills themselves over a temporary tragedy or setback. In both cases though, people are left to pick up the pieces. That is the only thing immoral I see about suicide, it's effect on others. It is not that I do not understand how it feels to be on that brink, for I really do, but I think that if there is any way to endure and go on, cutting your life short costs your loved ones much more then your peace is worth.

 

[wonderboy92577]

There is not ONE SINGLE person on this Earth who can claim with 100% certainty that suicide is either right or wrong.

Anyone who does claims to know and understand exactly what God has planned, intends, and expects for any one person's given situation. It's not possible for the human mind.

I think a lot of people have their opinions on suicide, but when it comes down to it, no one knows. And also, those of you who claim it's wrong, ponder this:

How would you feel if someone told you that your baby brother (who killed himself) was in Hell? Your wife? Daughter? Father? Son?

Think about it.

What is a point of a debate like this anyhow? All it does it open the wounds of those who have lost loved ones to suicide in the first place. Why ponder such things? Suicide victims certainly are not the first nor will they be the last to die with sin on their souls.

 

[USincognito]

Yes it is wrong. We didnt give ourselfs life we dont have the right to take it away.

By this logic, the government did not give us life so it does not have a right to take it away.

I voted no/opt out, but my position is more close to no/terminal disease. No one should have to suffer needlessly.

 

[allenray]

We are not to kill anyone, and suicide is killing yourself.

 

[Murmur]

It is my choice. I have created what I have become today, I have adorned my temple the way that I see fit, and I reserve the right to bring it crashing to the ground if I so choose.

 

[Philosoft]

We are not to kill anyone, and suicide is killing yourself.

It's difficult, if not impossible, to construct a scenario in which that commandment is universally applicable. Self-defense is a common exception, cited by even the most pacifistic Christians.

 

[NoDeity]

As a typical wicked old atheist, my answer is that my life is my own. I am morally responsible for myself. Rights and responsibility are two sides of the same coin. I have the moral right to end my life if I so choose.

That said, I have successfully prevented a family member from committing suicide. I did that for my own selfish reasons. The burden her suicide would have placed on the family was more than I was willing to bear. I've done it several times and I'd do it again.

She had a right to end her life and I had a right to try to spare myself the misery of her suicide. I won.

 

[an7222]

I have the moral right to end my life if I so choose.

I disagree with that. Nobody is an island. We live in a society, we have parents, family, friends. We have loved ones that will feel very sad if we decide to vanish from this world. Our right ends when the others rights begin.

 

[NoDeity]

We have loved ones that will feel very sad if we decide to vanish from this world. Our right ends when the others rights begin.

I agree with the sentiment. I am my own, though, and no claim on my life is greater than my own.

(The person I stopped from committing suicide was drunk and distraught. I think that is a different situation than when someone makes a well-considered, rational decision to die.)