there … may be cases where people are not thinking rationally when committing suicide, but there are examples that show people took the “easy” choice.
Robin Williams comes to mind as someone who probably wasn’t thinking rationally when he killed himself. But Robin Williams brought joy to people, and I don’t think anyone would want him go to hell.
As for people who take “the easy way out” - you make a good point, even if the person is still alive and only threatening suicide or murder.
In cases where we have separation of church and state, we have to remember there is a legal (not just a religious) side to socially judging suicidal actions. The Vatican obviously doesn’t have separation of church and state, and many of its laws were formed before the notion of church and state even came into existence. But what we could do is use cases of contemporary governments with separation of church and state to retrospectively see why the older laws the Vatican adheres to (at least politically, not religiously) may have been harsher on suicide.
That said, it is as if some people try to hold themselves hostage. They may or may not mean the threat, but it can play havoc with the emotions and well-being of the people around them.
But doesn’t work. An example might be the soldiers in the Sommes. If a soldier turned back, they could be shot. If other soldiers were depending on that person, no one has time to play games. The only way to support soldiers who stayed and fought - (even in legal cases) - would be to vilify anyone who ran off.
But, then, there are suicides who don’t mess around.
Hitler was an example of someone who was not going to end up like Mussilini. Hitler himself had been tried in many battles, public fights and even arrested for what he was doing; in other words, he wasn’t escapist at all. He was “all in”, do or die, for what he wanted. Days before Hitler off’d himself, Hitler’s ally, Mussolini, had been captured - and publicly executed in a terrible way. But Hitler was so defiant upon hearing this that he did not want the public to see him denigrated, and the decision was they would all die (everyone, including the army) before quitting.
The Japanese (running low on munitions) also maintained a similar disposition (harakiri) during WWII, as well. It frustrated many American soldiers because at times when the Americans were winning - they said it was like shooting fish in a barrel. The Americans didnt want it, and the Americas would rather have not killed them.
Religiously, Jim Jones is a good example of someone who would have been so obstinate as to kill his own people (and himself) in opposition to others.
It is important to look at the intentions, social dynamics and ethical consequences for the well being of everyone involved. We live in a complex society; suicide may seem like a simple solution. But its also a permanent solution to temporary problems, which makes it no enduring solution at all.
We believe in the God of the living. So I always choose to look for solutions conducive to life, the well being of others, and the greater good.
