Question about suicide

[TCat]

FYI the young man who commited suicide was in fact an active member of the church. He participated in mens morning Bible study for the last year at least, attended the men's retreats, helped with the youth each Thursday evening at Celebrate Recovery (not an easy job), and attended Sunday worship each week bringing his young son with him each time.
Certainly the men who atttended weekly Bible Study beleived he was a Christian as was evident by the number of men who attended his memorial service and spoke highly of him. The pastor who conducted the service led the men's study and he believed Brian was a Christian.
As far as we all know we will be meeting him in Heaven someday, it just breaks my heart that he chose to take his life and leave his beloved little boy behind. He must have been really confused and hurting to have commited such an act.

 

[QuiltAngel]

Sometimes those who are very popular are hurting the most deep inside. One of the things about things like depression and mental illness is that the person is good at hiding it. It is not until something like this happens that we learn how much the person was hurting.

We commend this young man's soul into God's hands, yet, from what you say, I am sure you will be seeing him in heaven. As I said before, only God knows the heart of this man and knows all. We who are left wondering what happen can only guess about a person's place in eternity.

I have always found comments of what the elder said frustrating. It is a way that we humans cope with such a tragedy. It seems to give some comfort to think of a tragic death in this way.

 

[Studeclunker]

Sometimes those who are very popular are hurting the most deep inside. One of the things about things like depression and mental illness is that the person is good at hiding it. It is not until something like this happens that we learn how much the person was hurting.

This was the case in my wife's situation. No one outside of the family, and our Pastor, knew what was going on. I guess we were just a bit too good at hiding her dark side. By the time the Pastor became involved, it was really too late. There were actually people who suspected me of murder. Judging by the cold shoulder I recieved at the (congregational) aniversary celebration when I visited, I'd say there still are. Her family was quite aware of the situation and still blame me as well.

Suicide causes hurt and anger well beyond the individual involved. Often it can be very wide reaching. Most of it seems to me to be of the blame game type, 'He could have done more, she could have said something, they should have...' I'm sure you get my drift.

However, just because the evil one has overcome someone with despair, does not automatically mean that person had no faith or was an unbeliever. I have actually heard people say that suicide is a clear indication that someone didn't believe. Nothing could be further from the truth and the evil one is using the suicide to spread lies further in the congregation.

We commend this young man's soul into God's hands, yet, from what you say, I am sure you will be seeing him in heaven. As I said before, only God knows the heart of this man and knows all. We who are left wondering what happen can only guess about a person's place in eternity.

This is most certainly true. However, we also have the comfort of knowing that the indicators strongly point to this person's being a Christian. The whys and wherefores we must leave to God.