suicide

[Uphill Battle]

Yes, as a Catholic I disagree with some Catholic teachings. I don't believe that any denomination is perfectly correct in everything they say, because denominations are based on and run by humans who make mistakes.

The way I look at it, as long as they have the right idea that's what counts, it's not in the details.

careful not to spread that around to much to other Catholics around here. According to them, they are perfect!

 

[Cooch]

My understanding of the Christian objection to suicide hinges on two issues.

Firstly; Life comes from God, and he has put very specific limits on how and when we may take human life - including our own. In a very real sense, as Christians our lives belong to God, and are not our own to dispose of as we like. Historically, the position has been that suicide is "self-murder" . Murder is always a sin, however it is reasonable to suggest that there are degrees of culpability. As has been noted, people who commit suicide are often not fully rational.

Secondly; suicide is inherently selfish. It represents an easy way out of a hard life - whether you believe in heaven, reincarnation (a bum trip if ever I heard of one) or nothingness. While it is hard to interview those who are "serious" about suicide, for by definition, they tend to succeed, interviewing those who desire euthanasia due to incurable disease reveals that fear of pain is rarely the primary motivating factor. Mostly, the primary factor is fear of losing control. I say again, this is a selfish motivation. For a Christian who understands that primary control is in God's hands, suicide is an attempt to take that control away from God,,, and is hardly an act of faith.

When I was "doing the sums" on suicide while depressed, it was these two issues that stopped me.
(1) It did not please God.
(2) It would deeply hurt others.

The positive was that heaven sounded a lot better than this life... but it seems that we have to wait to find out.

Bless all.......... Peter

 

[mcart909]

I have a problem with psychologically healthy people commenting on the subjective morality of suicide. Objectively, suicide is without question wrong. However, there are just as certainly mitigating factors which lessen the seriousness of the offence. Those who have not experienced personally these extenuating cirumstances have little place to comment on the moral responsibility of those who partake in this tragic action.

 

[Taylor43]

God judges the heart of everyone. I do not like suicide, but I do not like to judge. I lost a christian friend to suicide this year. Let me say this for me to process it I am in total shock, at times i am angry she had to go that way. However i know she was suffering allot no matter what i could do it was up to her what to do.

Suicide is a sin like many other sins but God knows us and where we are at in believing Jesus Christ as there personal saviour.

 

[DMagoh]

if someone commits suicide, I believe it is a strong indication that they sent themselves to hell.

Jesus sacraficed himself on the cross out of love, suicide is not sacraficing yourself for anything.

What is your Biblical basis for that?

No one goes to hell for what they DO. The only reason someone goes to hell is for what they DONT DO. The only reason someone goes to hell is if they never accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

 

[eastcoast_bsc]

if someone commits suicide, I believe it is a strong indication that they sent themselves to hell.

Jesus sacraficed himself on the cross out of love, suicide is not sacraficing yourself for anything.

ohhh the compassion. you must have known Mother Theresa personally.

 

[eastcoast_bsc]

I have a problem with psychologically healthy people commenting on the subjective morality of suicide. Objectively, suicide is without question wrong. However, there are just as certainly mitigating factors which lessen the seriousness of the offence. Those who have not experienced personally these extenuating cirumstances have little place to comment on the moral responsibility of those who partake in this tragic action.

Good post, No one knows what really goes on inside another persons mind. psychological pain can be more debilitating than physical pain. What if the person is suffering severe psychosis, manic depression or schizophrenia ? these usual render a person to a state of lacking any clear decision making skills.
people have compassion !!

 

[Spiderlashes]

I have a problem with psychologically healthy people commenting on the subjective morality of suicide. Objectively, suicide is without question wrong. However, there are just as certainly mitigating factors which lessen the seriousness of the offence. Those who have not experienced personally these extenuating cirumstances have little place to comment on the moral responsibility of those who partake in this tragic action.

Do you feel OK w/ psychologically healthy people commenting on the morality of homicide? What's the difference?

I purposely left out the word "subjective" (in relation to morality) because I don't believe that morality is really subjective. I think there are absolute rights and wrongs...though we may not always have the wisdom (myself included) to tell which is which.

For the record, as I stated earlier, I don't think the seriously mentally ill are held to the same standard as the mentally in tact. But I don't have any problem w/ healthy people having an opinion as to the rightness or wrongness of an act.