Do those who commit suicide go to heaven or hell?

[BornInMarch]

This is a simple question. If someone commits suicide out of depression, guilt, desperation, or other reasons, do they go to heaven or hell?

 

[TK421]

If they die in mortal sin they go to Hell. If they don’t die in mortal sin they go to Heaven.

It is very likely that if a victim of suicide goes to Hell, they go to Hell for reasons other than having committed suicide.

 

[shelby_sun]

No one can say for sure. God knows what that person is going through at the time and I would assume He will have mercy on most.

 

[dshix]

This is a simple question. If someone commits suicide out of depression, guilt, desperation, or other reasons, do they go to heaven or hell?

I cannot answer that question literally; it isn’t as simple as you think. I can give an answer, though.

Suicide is a mortal sin. The act itself is gravely disordered, and as such, it is an act of complete separation from God.

Since a person who dies in a state of mortal sin goes to Hell, then one might say that a person who commits suicide instantly goes to Hell, since their last act is one of grave sin.

However, it isn’t that simple, since there are many factors involved most of the time. A person might be pressed to kill himself because of drugs, alchohol, extreme depression or mental illness. In these cases, the act of killing himself may not be suicide at all since he does not have control over his faculties.

Additionally, time can pass between the act which causes death in the suicide and the death itself. If a man, fully in possession of his faculties, chooses to jump off a bridge to end his life, it is possible that in the few seconds before he hits bottom, he might be given the grace of perfect contrition and be saved… and go to Purgatory instead.

So ultimately, the answer is, we don’t know for sure if a particular person who has committed suicide went to Hell. I think we can say with surety that they didn’t go to Heaven, but we can’t deny the possibility that the person went to Purgatory instead of Hell.

 

[Tom_Baum]

No one can say for sure. God knows what that person is going through at the time and I would assume He will have mercy on most.

I would HOPE that God would have Mercy on ALL and not just suicides.

It is prayed at some, if not all Masses, for God to have Mercy on us all and I, personally, think that this is something that we should all take to heart.

 

[TK421]

God’s mercy is not a variable. We already know as a matter of fact that it is infinitely present. The dilemma rests upon the person’s reception of it.

The fates of souls are determined by the souls.

 

[Joie_de_Vivre]

This is a simple question. If someone commits suicide out of depression, guilt, desperation, or other reasons, do they go to heaven or hell?

There isn’t a clear answer.

If they die in mortal sin they go to Hell. If they don’t die in mortal sin they go to Heaven.

That is a completely useless answer as suicide is a mortal sin that circumstances can change so that it is not a mortal sin.

Historically the Catholic Church denied funerals to anyone who committed suicide, however now with a greater understanding of mental illness it does not because not everyone who committed suicide is guilty of mortal sin due to circumstances, also many no longer realize it is mortal sin.

 

[shelby_sun]

I cannot answer that question literally; it isn’t as simple as you think. I can give an answer, though.

Suicide is a mortal sin. The act itself is gravely disordered, and as such, it is an act of complete separation from God.

Since a person who dies in a state of mortal sin goes to Hell, then one might say that a person who commits suicide instantly goes to Hell, since their last act is one of grave sin.

However, it isn’t that simple, since there are many factors involved most of the time. A person might be pressed to kill himself because of drugs, alchohol, extreme depression or mental illness. In these cases, the act of killing himself may not be suicide at all since he does not have control over his faculties.

Additionally, time can pass between the act which causes death in the suicide and the death itself. If a man, fully in possession of his faculties, chooses to jump off a bridge to end his life, it is possible that in the few seconds before he hits bottom, he might be given the grace of perfect contrition and be saved… and go to Purgatory instead.

So ultimately, the answer is, we don’t know for sure if a particular person who has committed suicide went to Hell. I think we can say with surety that they didn’t go to Heaven, but we can’t deny the possibility that the person went to Purgatory instead of Hell.

I would think if a person is raised with terrible abuse and little love, never knowing God, then goes and kills themselves, God might just consider that they have already been in hell and take them into heaven.

 

[Joie_de_Vivre]

I would think if a person is raised with terrible abuse and little love, never knowing God, then goes and kills themselves, God might just consider that they have already been in hell and take them into heaven.

The term you are looking for is purgatory.

 

[Tom_Baum]

I cannot answer that question literally; it isn’t as simple as you think. I can give an answer, though.

Suicide is a mortal sin. The act itself is gravely disordered, and as such, it is an act of complete separation from God.

Since a person who dies in a state of mortal sin goes to Hell, then one might say that a person who commits suicide instantly goes to Hell, since their last act is one of grave sin.

However, it isn’t that simple, since there are many factors involved most of the time. A person might be pressed to kill himself because of drugs, alchohol, extreme depression or mental illness. In these cases, the act of killing himself may not be suicide at all since he does not have control over his faculties.

Additionally, time can pass between the act which causes death in the suicide and the death itself. If a man, fully in possession of his faculties, chooses to jump off a bridge to end his life, it is possible that in the few seconds before he hits bottom, he might be given the grace of perfect contrition and be saved… and go to Purgatory instead.

So ultimately, the answer is, we don’t know for sure if a particular person who has committed suicide went to Hell. I think we can say with surety that they didn’t go to Heaven, but we can’t deny the possibility that the person went to Purgatory instead of Hell.

As far as “I think we can say with surety that they didn’t go to Heaven”, how can you possibly say with “surety”, this?

According to the Church, that which is a “mortal” sin for some is not for others.

I, for one, sure am thankful that God Is our Judge and that none of us humans are our Judge.

Sure is a shame that some seem to think that God is capable of Justice or God is capable of Mercy, but that God is not capable of Justice and Mercy at the same time, especially considering what some seem to think of God’s Justice.

 

[dshix]

I would think if a person is raised with terrible abuse and little love, never knowing God, then goes and kills themselves, God might just consider that they have already been in hell and take them into heaven.

That’s not really how it works. Yes, God is infinitely merciful, but He is also infinitely just. A person who commits suicide, should they have the mercy to not suffer Hell, will certainly still receive justice for their sins.

 

[shelby_sun]

The term you are looking for is purgatory.

No actually I am not. We simply do not know how great God’s mercy is, especially for those so mental and emotionally ill. It is in the possible that give will give them the ultimate mercy.

 

[Tom_Baum]

God’s mercy is not a variable. We already know as a matter of fact that it is infinitely present. The dilemma rests upon the person’s reception of it.

The fates of souls are determined by the souls.

I do not believe in God as a computer as so many seem to think of God.

We can attempt to “tie God’s Hands”, so to speak, all that we want but all that we will succeed in doing is trying ourself up.

 

[shelby_sun]

That’s not really how it works. Yes, God is infinitely merciful, but He is also infinitely just. A person who commits suicide, should they have the mercy to not suffer Hell, will certainly still receive justice for their sins.

There sin of being mentally ill.

 

[Kount_C]

I find this to be such a contradiction to the definition of God.
So if God gives someone problems, they can not handle, or a mental illness, and that person kills himself.
Then that person goes to God’s special torture chamber for not loving him enough.

 

[dshix]

As far as “I think we can say with surety that they didn’t go to Heaven”, how can you possibly say with “surety”, this?

According to the Church, that which is a “mortal” sin for some is not for others.

I, for one, sure am thankful that God Is our Judge and that none of us humans are our Judge.

Sure is a shame that some seem to think that God is capable of Justice or God is capable of Mercy, but that God is not capable of Justice and Mercy at the same time, especially considering what some seem to think of God’s Justice.

I believe I can say that a person who commits suicide will not go directly to Heaven simply because it is the logical conclusion when we consider the situation.

First I’ll say this. I don’t think there are very many HOLY people in the world who will go straight to Heaven, since all humans have imperfections and small sins that must be expiated.

Persons who commit suicide in their right mind, of their own free will, will go to Hell unless granted the grace of perfect contrition. So, if they are spared the punishment of Hell they will certainly go to Purgatory to expiate the terrible sin they just committed.

Persons who commit suicide because of intoxication, mental illness, or other problems also likely would have to go to Purgatory because of all the sins which led them into the destroyed emotional state that caused them to commit suicide.

I really don’t see where you are basing your objection to my very logical assumption. Since it’s not a stretch to say that almost everyone who does not go to Hell will go to Purgatory for a time, I don’t see how it is wrong to say that people who commit suicide are very unlikely to go straight to Heaven.

 

[shelby_sun]

That’s not really how it works. Yes, God is infinitely merciful, but He is also infinitely just. A person who commits suicide, should they have the mercy to not suffer Hell, will certainly still receive justice for their sins.

So you know with 100% certainty how it works in every situation? How do you know this? Do you mean you believe this to be true or the Church teaches this or that. I believe the Church has even soften it stance on this, at least from the pulpit.

 

[dshix]

I find this to be such a contradiction to the definition of God.
So if God gives someone problems, they can not handle, or a mental illness, and that person kills himself.
Then that person goes to God’s special torture chamber for not loving him enough.

Contradiction? All I see is that you started with a false premise. God doesn’t “give people problems”. He tolerates evil in the world to give people the infinitely greater good of free will.

That’s the problem of evil for you.

 

[TK421]

In other words, it is unfortunate to not be born mentally ill, because you don’t get a free pass to Heaven.

I understand what you’re saying Shelby, and it is completely fitting with Catholic theology and taught in the catechism concerning the factors that affect a person’s culpability to sin. It does not, however, pretend that these factors necessarily make sin disappear. There are good mentally ill people and there are evil mentally ill people, just as there are good people and bad people. All of this is known to God.

It is the disappointing reality of our age that in our insatiable quest to make sin disappear for our own peace of mind, we accomplish the exact opposite result.

 

[Tom_Baum]

That’s not really how it works. Yes, God is infinitely merciful, but He is also infinitely just. A person who commits suicide, should they have the mercy to not suffer Hell, will certainly still receive justice for their sins.

Are you God?

Did the person who is referred to as the “good thief” receive what you seem to consider “God’s infinite Justice”?

Seems to me that Jesus, God-Incarnate, meant right away with what He said to him who is referred to as the “good thief” but was probably an insurrectionist.

The more that I look around, the more I believe that many who believe in God are in for a seemingly greater surprise concerning God than some of those that do not believe in God.