Is suicide a sin?

[huskerfan]

Is it a sin to commit suicide when a person is sincerely hurting and believes it is the only right thing to do? I know it is a sin but I know people that hurt so deeply and aren’t thinking clearly because they just can’t. I’m really interested in hearing what others have to say.

 

[jimmy]

huskerfan:

Is it a sin to commit suicide when a person is sincerely hurting and believes it is the only right thing to do? I know it is a sin but I know people that hurt so deeply and aren’t thinking clearly because they just can’t. I’m really interested in hearing what others have to say.

It depends on the persons heart. I think that depression and mental illness can affect whether it is a sin.

 

[Scott_Waddell]

The Catechism has a fairly straight forward section on suicide:

Suicide

2280 Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him. It is God who remains the sovereign Master of life. We are obliged to accept life gratefully and preserve it for his honor and the salvation of our souls. We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us. It is not ours to dispose of.

2281 Suicide contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to preserve and perpetuate his life. It is gravely contrary to the just love of self. It likewise offends love of neighbor because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family, nation, and other human societies to which we continue to have obligations. Suicide is contrary to love for the living God.

2282 If suicide is committed with the intention of setting an example, especially to the young, it also takes on the gravity of scandal. Voluntary co-operation in suicide is contrary to the moral law.

Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide.

2283 We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives.

Scott

 

[TZiggy]

You must remember there are three elements that are necessary to commit mortal sin.

1. Full Knowledge
2. Willing participation
3. Grave matter

I had a close buddy that committed suicide. While I believe he’ll have to answer for his decision, I also believe he was given a cross (manic depression) that mitigates at least one if not two of the conditions above. I’m no theologin, but I place my hope in Jesus Christ that I’ll see my friend one day in heaven.

Yes, it’s a sin. Only God knows where mercy and justice intersect with ANY sin.

Pray much for all those who hurt so.

 

[Sowndog]

Scott Waddell:

The Catechism has a fairly straight forward section on suicide:

Scott

Catechism says it best.

 

[alterserver_07]

There was a saint that asked one of the demod if all the people who commit suicide go to hell. The demon said not as much as you think because the devil jumps the gun and takes away their free will. I’m not sure what saint it is.

 

[Antigen]

huskerfan:

Is it a sin to commit suicide when a person is sincerely hurting and believes it is the only right thing to do? I know it is a sin but I know people that hurt so deeply and aren’t thinking clearly because they just can’t. I’m really interested in hearing what others have to say.

Friend, I am not sure how to read your message.

Are you saying that things in your life are so dark or that you are hurting so much that the only way out you see is suicide? Trust me when I say that will only make things worse. The friends and family that you leave behind will suffer for many years more from he suicide than from anything you think justifies this act. This sin is not only in usurping God’s role as Creator, Lord and Master of all Life, but also the pain inflicted so thoughtlessly on those you leave behind is really the ultimate selfishness, not at all to be confused with self-sacrifice.

Do you believe someone you love has committed suicide? Trust in the Lord who knows the heart. I had an Uncle in the Korean War whose death was ruled a suicide. According to his commander, my uncle climbed out of his bunker and stood there until he was shot down by enemy fire. Only later it was discovered that he had BiPolar Disorder and on the day it happened, they were feeding the men amphetimenes to keep them up. BiPolars can’t take speed. It makes them psycotic. My Uncle did not kill himself on purpose. Under the influence of drugs, he believed he was ten feet tall and bullet proof. But the Lord who knows the heart knows all this.

Some really misguided souls even think that because of some sin they have committed that they must kill themselves to atone for that sin. Judas betrayed Jesus. He believed he knew better than God who the Messiah should be. At some point he realized his error and tried to correct it. In the end, he chose to believe he, Judas, was abetter judge of his soul than God. In sin, big or small there is only one hope: Jesus Christ. Anything telling you otherwise is either mental illness or the evil one.

If you are thinking about suicide, please get some help in your local area right away. If you have lost someone to suicide seek out a support group for survivors of suicide. If this line of questioning is motivated by idle curiousity, I would strongly suggest redirecting your intellectual skills to something more positive like prayer and good works for the mentally ill.

If the moderator can arrange it, I would happily talk with you in a private chat room.

 

[Fieryjades]

Great reply, Antigen!Peace,
FJ

 

[jeffreedy789]

2282 If suicide is committed with the intention of setting an example, especially to the young, it also takes on the gravity of scandal. Voluntary co-operation in suicide is contrary to the moral law.

Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide.

2283 We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives.

not surprisingly, that’s the best answer to the question of suicide i’ve ever heard.

i had a very close friend from college who took her own life. she struggled with depression all of her life, and was on medication for it. she was trying to come OFF of the medication, and one day it was too much for her.

i’ve always BELIEVED that she was not culpable for what was so obviously an imbalance in the chemistry of her brain. but i’ve never read the catholic position on it until now, and it’s beautiful.

huskerfan - if you’re asking for YOU, then please know that, as painful as life gets, He will always redeem us, and our pain, and that He is calling us to struggle through it, to the end, and allow our pain to bring us closer to the sufferings of Christ. in other words, NOT to take our own lives, but to learn the tough lessons that pain brings with it, and to journey on in the hope that He will make sense of the suffering in which we find ourselves.

if you wanna talk personally, feel free to im me, or email me at jeffreedy789@hotmail.com.

 

[adstrinity]

alterserver_07:

There was a saint that asked one of the demod if all the people who commit suicide go to hell. The demon said not as much as you think because the devil jumps the gun and takes away their free will. I’m not sure what saint it is.

And, we should believe a demon to be telling the truth, why? I’m not critisizing you or anything, but, why should we believe one of the perpetual liars?

 

[huskerfan]

Antigen:

Friend, I am not sure how to read your message.

Are you saying that things in your life are so dark or that you are hurting so much that the only way out you see is suicide?

No, this is not about me. I am asking because I work in a hospital and see a number of suicide attempts that about break your heart!! There are several people that I work with that have no compassion or patience for these people. I am just the opposite and feel that when they reach that point, they are not thinking clearly and that it can’t possibly be a sin they are committing. Maybe I’m making my own rules and that is why I was interested in what others had to say. This is not “idle curiosity” either and I do pray for these people all the time.

 

[jako]

alterserver_07:

There was a saint that asked one of the demod if all the people who commit suicide go to hell. The demon said not as much as you think because the devil jumps the gun and takes away their free will. I’m not sure what saint it is.

God gave us free will. Satan is not god or even a god. Satans power is limited. God gave us free will and no one can take it away.
Suicide is a sin we have no right to take away what God has given to us. To throw away the precious gift of life is sin. The only way I can see where itr wouldn’t be a sin is when it would be to save the life of another person.
I also agree with the other posts, that only God, (Christ), has the right to judge humans.
James

 

[jeffreedy789]

I am just the opposite and feel that when they reach that point, they are not thinking clearly and that it can’t possibly be a sin they are committing.

well, it’s important to note the distinction here. it IS a sin, no matter what their mental state. but their GUILT for that sin, their CULPABILITY, is limited, based on how much they are capable of NOT committing the sin.

it’s comparable to someone who is addicted to alcohol. if a person is not able to stop themselves from drinking, due to their addiction, then even though drinking themselves into drunkenness is still sinful, they aren’t as guilty of the sin as someone who is capable of saying no, and does it anyway.

 

[huskerfan]

jeffreedy789:

well, it’s important to note the distinction here. it IS a sin, no matter what their mental state. but their GUILT for that sin, their CULPABILITY, is limited, based on how much they are capable of NOT committing the sin.

it’s comparable to someone who is addicted to alcohol. if a person is not able to stop themselves from drinking, due to their addiction, then even though drinking themselves into drunkenness is still sinful, they aren’t as guilty of the sin as someone who is capable of saying no, and does it anyway.

I totally agree with what you are saying but I also believe that the majority of the time there is mental illness or anguish involved. From that standpoint can they distinguish between what they are doing as sin or not? I also believe that there are those that make suicide attempts for attention (they need our love and prayers also) that know what they are doing but also hurt. There are also those that have reached such a point in their lives that they firmly believe they are making a logical decision. It is amazing talking to people that have reached that low a point in their lives. The hurt they feel is palpable and there is actually sense in how they arrived at their decision. They can’t (and that is the key word) think beyond how awful they feel and they can’t ask for help. I believe our society needs to be more open to the needs of people. They feel shame and humiliation. Where do they get those feelings? They need to feel love and support.

 

[Antigen]

huskerfan:

I am asking because I work in a hospital and see a number of suicide attempts that about break your heart!! I feel that when they reach that point, they are not thinking clearly and that it can’t possibly be a sin they are committing. Maybe I’m making my own rules and that is why I was interested in what others had to say. This is not “idle curiosity” either and I do pray for these people all the time.

The work you do is difficult especially when you do it with compassion and reverence for life. When doing such holy work you should remember that not only are you subject to the attacks of the adversary, you can become overwhelmed with the pain of the sick you care for. Talking about it on this forum is a good stadegy. You also have to recognize every day in prayer that you have limitations on how much you can help your patients.
When you come to terms with your limitations you’ll find you can do so much to encourage the sick, so much to exhort and pray for those being assailed by evil, the rest you have to leave up to God.

We have a zinger in the firehouse:

What’s the difference between God and a Paramedic. In your prayers Paramedics don’t listen to you, and God doesn’t play Paramedic.

It’s one of those jokes that makes you laugh for half a second before you realize the truth is not funny.

To those out there who are fellow Paramedics and EMT’s that I may have offended, I apologize but ask you to consider the truth of this jibe.

 

[jeffreedy789]

yes, i think you’re right in saying that most of the time, when someone (these days and in our culture) commits suicide, they are not acting in full mental capacity, and their guilt is diminished.

however, that’s not always been the case, nor is it the case in other cultures. one of the reasons the church makes it clear that suicide is a sin is because, in the past and in other cultures, it’s seen as honorable to end your own life if you’ve been humiliated. or to kill your enemy. some cultures (and some religions) still teach that today.

one reason that the church makes the sinful nature of suicide clear is because there are other authorities out there (now and in the past) who try to convince us that true dedication to their cause would require taking our own lives, and failure to do so is cowardice.

therefore, the church says ‘suicide is a sin. it is never the right answer to any question.’ however, if someone takes their own life, due to mental imbalance or extreme despair, their culpability for that action is small. they can be (and let’s pray they ARE) redeemed.

 

[turboEDvo]

Suicide is a sin, but as was said, what’s in their heart is important. Mental imbalance removed the free will from such an act, so while it may be sinful, it won’t necessarily be mortal. It is also possible to be misguided and do so as a result (removal of full knowledge). However, it is always a grave matter. A friend of mine killed himself and I pray every day that he has or will make it to Heaven. That’s God’s decision

Eamon

 

[Phil_H]

Scott Waddell:

The Catechism has a fairly straight forward section on suicide:

What makes the catechism correct since it is merely the opinions of mortal men?

 

[jeffreedy789]

What makes the catechism correct since it is merely the opinions of mortal men?

what makes it true is the fact that it’s NOT just the opinions of men.

i assume from your question that you’re not catholic?

 

[jeffreedy789]

in any case, i’d point out that your question is hijacking this thread. the thread isn’t about the legitimacy of the catechism. it’s about suicide.

thanks!