Suicide and Hell

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Do people who commit suicide automatically go to hell?

And if not, will they be punished for hurting their loved ones when they might’ve been mentally ill in some way at the time?

Just wondering. Thanks for the (name removed by moderator)ut.

Scout
 
Not necessarily.

The only person who can judge that is a Divine Person, God.

If they do not go to Hell, but still have some temporal punishment left to do, then they go to Purgatory.

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church

paragraph 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.
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However if they do die in a state of mortal sin, and again only God knows this, they do go to Hell.

God bless.
 
I would imagine it’s a pretty bad sin considering 1: it’s murder and 2: you cant confess the murder…I can’t really imagine hell per se, but some serious time in purgatory.
 
Let’s not forget Circumstances!

Many people with mental health and psycological issues are self-harming, sometimes leding to death as unintended, sometimes as intended. But we can be sure that anyone who dies in such a way are not subject to judgement for that which they can not be held responsible for.

Even fallible human law can appreciate the difference. How much more so will God?

I believe we are more answerable for reckless abandonement of our own safety - for example, drink-driving - which may lead to our demise,than anyone who takes their own life as a result of internal agonies and pain we are rarely able to have complete empathy with.

Happily, Our Saviour suffered and died for our salvation, not our easy damnation.
 
Suicide is killing yourself, so the sin committed is murder.

However, people don’t just decide to kill themselves oneday because they can’t be bothered to live for another 20 years or whatever. People that commit suicide normally have a very great emotional distress at the time, they feel there is nowhere to go and they think they have no hope anymore. Their judgement is blinded. We believe with God’s forgiveness, mercy, and understanding that in such a case they may have very little or no culpability for the sin, but in the end, it is not up to us, but up to God. And it is comforting to know that the decision is made by a perfect, compassionate, loving God, who sent his only Son to die on the Cross so that we may have eternal life!
 
philial said:
Let’s not forget Circumstances!

Many people with mental health and psycological issues are self-harming, sometimes leding to death as unintended, sometimes as intended. But we can be sure that anyone who dies in such a way are not subject to judgement for that which they can not be held responsible for.

Even fallible human law can appreciate the difference. How much more so will God?

I believe we are more answerable for reckless abandonement of our own safety - for example, drink-driving - which may lead to our demise,than anyone who takes their own life as a result of internal agonies and pain we are rarely able to have complete empathy with.

Happily, Our Saviour suffered and died for our salvation, not our easy damnation.
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You said it better than I could, I always seem to sound cold… :o
 
I appreciate all the replies so far. This is a difficult subject for me and I wish there was a way to know for sure. I think it’s true that culpability comes into question, but then the question leads to how do we know what we’re culpable for and what we’re not?

Or does even questioning culpability mean we are. Maybe it’s the opposite of being crazy. Crazy people don’t know they’re crazy, so people who don’t think they’re culpable are?

Scout
 
i read in one of my Catholic books that you can be forgiven for suicide like if you are going to be horribly tortured in extreme ways
 
Scout said:
I appreciate all the replies so far. This is a difficult subject for me and I wish there was a way to know for sure. I think it’s true that culpability comes into question, but then the question leads to how do we know what we’re culpable for and what we’re not?

Or does even questioning culpability mean we are. Maybe it’s the opposite of being crazy. Crazy people don’t know they’re crazy, so people who don’t think they’re culpable are?

Scout
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Scout,

The only person who can actually take culpability into account is God. He is a merciful and Just God. He knows us better than we know ourselves.

God bless.
 
duneman said:
i read in one of my Catholic books that you can be forgiven for suicide like if you are going to be horribly tortured in extreme ways
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You only get forgiven of suicide if you truly repent and ask God to forgive you. This is the only way that one is forgiven of mortal sins. This can happen in the last few seconds of life, no one knows but God.

God bless.
 
Scout said:
I appreciate all the replies so far. This is a difficult subject for me and I wish there was a way to know for sure. I think it’s true that culpability comes into question, but then the question leads to how do we know what we’re culpable for and what we’re not?

Or does even questioning culpability mean we are. Maybe it’s the opposite of being crazy. Crazy people don’t know they’re crazy, so people who don’t think they’re culpable are?

Scout
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Well, unless you’re actually planning to kill yourself, (and I sincerely hope you’re not) I wouldn’t worry about it! The truth is that none of our actions, not even our good ones, measure up to the utter goodness of Jesus - ‘we have all fallen short of the glory of God’.

Our redemption & salavation are pure gifts. Yes, we can co-operate with God on this, but it is God who does all the work. We’ve very much the passengers on His train!

Indeed, perhaps the best form of holiness is the simple act of allowing God to do what He actually wants to do…instead of interferring as if we have to prove our worth to Him! (not that I’m dismissing the necessity of good works, you understand. but that we accept our infancy before God, and alllow Him to be our ‘Abba’).
 
Little_One0307 said:
You only get forgiven of suicide if you truly repent and ask God to forgive you. This is the only way that one is forgiven of mortal sins. This can happen in the last few seconds of life, no one knows but God.

God bless.
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This is part of what I’m struggling with. Is it a mortal sin if you’re not completely culpable for it because you’re not in the right mindset?

Is it sort of like pleading insanity in a murder case?

Scout :tiphat:
 
philial said:
Well, unless you’re actually planning to kill yourself, (and I sincerely hope you’re not) I wouldn’t worry about it!
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Well, unfortunately, it is something I’m worried about.

Scout :tiphat:
 
Scout said:
This is part of what I’m struggling with. Is it a mortal sin if you’re not completely culpable for it because you’re not in the right mindset?

Is it sort of like pleading insanity in a murder case?

Scout :tiphat:
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The being culpable does not change whether the act is a moral sin or not. Suicide is still a moral sin, what it does it mitigates the seriousness of it somehow.

I don’t think it is pleading insanity in a murder case, it’s more like God taking our human weaknesses into account and being merciful. I like to think of things as mitigating circumstances, of which insanity and not being in one’s right mind - the lack of ability to reason, does lessen the seriousness of what would be a serious act, in this case suicide.

However, if one is planning to commit suicide, one should not take consolation in the fact of God’s Mercy and say Well God will have mercy on me so I can still kill myself. That is altogether a different ball park, and one I would recommend staying out of.

Currently, I have a friend who is very serious about committing suicide, and she is hanging on my a slender thread, and that slender thread is everyone’s prayers going up on her behalf. Please pray for my friend and for me so that I know how to help her.

If I am not clear, by all means comment, and I will do my best to refine. I am a bit tired, staying up all night with my friend and such.

God bless.
 
God is the only one with the answer to this very hard question. We should pray for the salvation of all those who have died be it from suicide, illness, natural, or accidental death.

We must try our best to follow the Church’s teachings about mortal sin. There is a lot of help out there for those thinking of suicide.

We all probably know of somebody who has commited suicide. Lets take a moment to pray for them.

Our Father, Who art in heaven
Hallowed be Thy Name;
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.
 
Scout said:
Well, unfortunately, it is something I’m worried about.

Scout :tiphat:
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Then, dear Scout, you must seek the help you need to clarify your life’s purpose. I do not know you - probably never will, but I can say with absolute certainty that you have been loved into existence by a God who calls you to Himself. Your path to Him will not be easy, and you will meet many temptations along the way. BUT you can have joy even in the midsts of doubt and pain, for joy is not merely happiness, but a grasping of the true faithfulness of your Heavenly Father. He is your Abba, your true purpose, and your surest refuge.

Remember always the final words of the priest at confession - “…whetever good you do, whatever evil you suffer, may they grant for you remission of your sins and the rewards of eternal life.”

And heed the wrods of St Peter - " the devil is prowling round like a roaring lion looking for something to eat."

Please, little one, dont let that something be you.

Be loved.
 
Scout said:
Do people who commit suicide automatically go to hell?

And if not, will they be punished for hurting their loved ones when they might’ve been mentally ill in some way at the time?

Just wondering. Thanks for the (name removed by moderator)ut.

Scout
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👍

Do people who commit suicide automatically go to Hell?

Of course, not.

Is it the sin, God would not forgive?

🙂
 
Curious_Seed said:
👍

Do people who commit suicide automatically go to Hell?

Of course, not.

Is it the sin, God would not forgive?

🙂
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Do the people who commit suicide automatically go to Hell based on my uncertain theologic perspective based on an infallible book with fallible interpretation that is difficult to agree on?

Of Course not based on my uncertain theologic perspective based on an infallible book with fallible interpretation that is difficult to agree on.

Is it the sin, God would not forgive based on my uncertain theologic perspective based on an infallible book with fallible interpretation and being taught that the unforgiveable sin is the sin against the Holy Spirit however not going any further in instruction and not understanding that the Moral Law, the commandments #5, Thou shalt not kill and because I do not realize that this is an act of despair which may be considered lack of trust in the Holy Spirit and because nothing will separate us from the Love of God, and no one told me that the list contains all manner of suffering not sins and since my perspective is skewed by white europeans that created a new religion that is the best I can do so if you feel like killing yourself you will not go to hell.

Now since my teachings are fallible and since I cannot be certain that what I was taught by other fallible teachers and many of us disagree, roll the dice and tell them “curious seed” gave me the greenlight.
 
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