Priest told mourners that young man may be kept out of heaven because of suicide

[Mountainmanbob]

Parents say priest told mourners that son may be kept out of heaven over suicide: report

A Catholic priest in Michigan is facing criticism after he presided over the funeral of an 18-year-old who killed himself earlier this month and told mourners at the service that the teen may be kept out of heaven due to the way he died, reports said.

The parents want the priest who presided over his funeral removed after they say he disparaged and condemned their son during the service.

 

[HTacianas]

Parents say priest told mourners that son may be kept out of heaven over suicide: report

What seems to be the problem?

 

[SeventyOne]

And yet another victim of works-salvation.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

What seems to be the problem?

Some people might see not getting to Heaven as being a problem.

Say what?

M-Bob

 

[Mountainmanbob]

I've often thought of this scenario and the possible problem I see is this.

So a person gets to the Pearly Gates and they are told they cannot come in. When asked why they are told. You killed somebody and you never repented of it. The person boldly states, I never killed anyone! Then sadly they are told, yes you killed yourself.

M-Bob

 

[miamited]

Hi MM,

The problem, as I see it, is that there are literally millions of sins that can keep any of us away from the eternal life that God promises. After all, there is only one way that any of us do receive that promise; faith in the Son and the finished work that he provided. So, whether he committed suicide or robbed a bank his only hope for eternal life is that his name was written in the Lamb's Book of Life. So, as far as I'm concerned, it really doesn't matter what 'sin' he committed while living upon the earth, but rather whether his faith resulted in his name being written in that book.

Having said that, in my flesh, I have a hard time understanding how someone with that kind of faith in the Son of God and the hope that is provided through that faith would even consider suicide, the purposeful killing of their own body. So, for me, it's a question of whether or not the young man had a born again faith or whether the parents and loved ones just want to 'hope' that he did. We all really hate to think of someone that we loved and cared about in our humanness would be turned away from God's promise, but I think the Scriptures are clear that most people that have lived upon the earth since the days of Adam, won't be recipients of God's promise.

According to Jesus' words, even many who attach themselves to the faith that comes from knowing Jesus, won't make it. We also already know that faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is not a majority position upon the earth nor has ever been. Even in the days of the old covenant Scriptures, the knowledge of God seems to have only been made known generally to the Jews and not the Gentiles. Now, that doesn't mean that no Gentiles knew of God, but it certainly seems to be a very, very limited number of them.

So, I don't think the priest was correct that the young man's suicide would keep him from God's promise, but rather the young man's lack of faith, which we might see by his choice of death, would keep him away from God's promise.

The really sad part is that the parents have been taught to believe that a priest gets to condemn or absolve someone of sin.

God bless,
In Christ, ted

 

[Kenny'sID]

What seems to be the problem?

What's not?

 

[Kenny'sID]

There is nothing biblical, not directly anyway, that says suicide will keep us from the kingdom.

Our God is a fair God and he does not hold those who are out of their mind accountable, and especially if insane through no fault of their own. So, since insanity is often the case with suicide, whether caused by physical or mental pain, that covers a lot of people.

Thou shalt not kill, as far as I know, is translated, thou shalt do no murder. 1st degree murder is something we do with premeditation and in a sane state (at least that's the murder, IMO, that could get us hell) anything beyond that, or something that makes us temporarily insane that's not damnable murder, the thing making it an unforgivable sin. The courts may even find us innocent in cases of insanity. Those laws/classifications for murder from the laws God has his hands on, seem perfect to me. So, with that in mind, in many cases, can we always even see suicide as murder... the type murder that rates the chair/loss of salvation?

The bible isn't even vague about suicide, it really says very little if anything, and personally I think there is a reason for that. If the bible sent the message it's ok, then people would be offing themselves much more than the norm, so he seems to have made the wise decision to simply say nothing on it and see how it goes.

It seems to me and all this is a "seems to me" that even being out of our minds may not make it excusable for everyone, like say, jumping out the window of a high rise on Black Friday because we lost all our money to a stock market crash.

Another example of damnable suicide might be, we, in a sane state, want to skip this step, of living in the world because it's not so desirable at times, and go straight to heaven, so we speed things up and kill ourselves....not good at all.

Fortunately we have a God that with sort it all out as fairly as possible in the end.

 

[Radagast]

Parents say priest told mourners that son may be kept out of heaven over suicide: report

A Catholic priest in Michigan is facing criticism after he presided over the funeral of an 18-year-old who killed himself earlier this month and told mourners at the service that the teen may be kept out of heaven due to the way he died, reports said.

The parents want the priest who presided over his funeral removed after they say he disparaged and condemned their son during the service.

A Catholic priest at a Catholic mass articulated some Catholic theology.

That's news only because it's become rare.

So, for me, it's a question of whether or not the young man had a born again faith or whether the parents and loved ones just want to 'hope' that he did.

A Calvinist pastor would have said that, if the young man was a believer, then his sins would be forgiven through the sacrifice of Christ, and he would be in heaven.

A Calvinist pastor worth his salt would still not have run the kind of secular service that the parents in this case wanted.

 

[Gr8Grace]

I've often thought of this scenario and the possible problem I see is this.

So a person gets to the Pearly Gates and they are told they cannot come in. When asked why they are told. You killed somebody and you never repented of it. The person boldly states, I never killed anyone! Then sadly they are told, yes you killed yourself.

M-Bob

When a believer dies they are instantly face to face with the Lord Jesus Christ. No 'pearly gates' to go through.
2 Cor 5:8~~New American Standard Bible
we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

And since the Lord Jesus Christ died for all sin, suicide isn't keeping a believer out of heaven.
1 John 2:2~~New American Standard Bible
and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

The ONLY way a person does not go home to be with the Lord is because they have never trusted in Christ and don't have eternal life.
John 5:24~~New American Standard Bible
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

 

[Gr8Grace]

Parents say priest told mourners that son may be kept out of heaven over suicide: report

A Catholic priest in Michigan is facing criticism after he presided over the funeral of an 18-year-old who killed himself earlier this month and told mourners at the service that the teen may be kept out of heaven due to the way he died, reports said.

The parents want the priest who presided over his funeral removed after they say he disparaged and condemned their son during the service.

18 years old? The age of accountability? Gods mercy and grace?

Honestly, the priest isn't going to make it by what he believes at this time. If he has never trusted in Christ alone, and his belief has always been what he believes at this time..........he's in for some fire and brimstone himself.

Hopefully someone around the priest gets the Gospel to him at some point.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

When a believer dies they are instantly face to face with the Lord Jesus Christ. No 'pearly gates' to go through.

Yes, I believe everybody knows that.


M-Bob

 

[Hieronymus]

What seems to be the problem?

People like you asking what the problem is.

 

[Hieronymus]

Yes, I believe everybody knows that.


M-Bob

I believe nobody knows that.
I know many believe that though.
I believe it too.

 

[Hieronymus]

It disgusts me how people seem to feel the need to condemn people, who could not take the misery life can bestow upon humans anymore, and only saw one way out, and were desperate enough to take the terminal emergency exit.

 

[HTacianas]

People like you asking what the problem is.

What are the teachings of Christianity regarding suicide?

This should be a "teachable moment". But everyone thinks for some reason that everything's fine. Im okay. You're okay. We're all okay.

That priest should be commended for warning his congregation, but instead he's about to be slain between the altar and the temple.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

One of the Ten Commandments thou shalt not commit murder.

And for the many of us who have a call to repentance.

A Godly repentance is a gift of the Holy Spirit.

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Can a person who has committed suicide end up in heaven?

Well I would hope that there would be some hope for them but, seems like they are taking a big gamble on that one?

M-Bob

 

[Lost4words]

God is indeed Mercy. God knows each of us individually. Only He can say if we are fit for Heaven or not.

The priest was very wrong. How could he judge that young person? He may have repented deeply up to the point of death. Its a very sad story.

I have been at the point of suicide many times but have not gone through with it. Does God know my heart? My sufferings?

May that young person rest in peace in God's loving and merciful arms.

 

[Gr8Grace]

Can a person who has committed suicide end up in heaven?

Well I would hope that there would be some hope for them but, seems like they are taking a big gamble on that one?

M-Bob

If they had ever trusted in Christ for their salvation...............They ARE IN heaven.
John 10:28, John 5:24.

What is truly sad is believers who don't believe what The Lord Jesus Christ told us.

Believers have eternal life and NEVER perish.

If they had never trusted in Christ they were not saved. To bad they didn't have a mature believer reside over the funeral. Could have got the Gospel out to the whole crowd, and comforted them with GODS TRUTH if the deceased was a believer.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

if the deceased was a believer.

True but (if) is an important work.
M