Is suicide considered a sin?

[Gracie]

Your thoughts?

 

[Mr. H.]

As I recall it is (or was) considered so in the Roman Catholic Faith.

 

[Nutz]

Depends on the person. Some people's suicide is a blessing to humanity.

 

[williepete]

"Suicide is a permanent solution to temporary problems."

You doing OK Gracie? If you're in trouble, PM me. I'll stay up.

What does the Bible say about suicide

 

[Mr. H.]

Depends on the person. Some people's suicide is a blessing to humanity.

I think that would be the exception rather than the rule.

A good friend of mine offed himself a few weeks ago. I'd known him for about 30 years.

You never know what goes on in a person's mind. Be kind to others for tomorrow may be their last day.

 

[Gracie]

I googled to see if it is mentioned in the bible. Yes, some are, but not whether God considers it a sin.

Abimelech - Judges 9:54
After having his skull crushed under a millstone that was dropped by a woman from the Tower of Shechem, Abimelech called for his armor bearer to kill him with a sword. He did not want it said that a woman had killed him.

Samson - Judges 16:29-31
By collapsing a building, Samson sacrificed his own life, but in the process destroyed thousands of enemy Philistines.

Saul and His Armor Bearer - 1 Samuel 31:3-6
After losing his sons and all of his troops in battle, and his sanity long before, King Saul, assisted by his armor bearer, ended his life. Then Saul's servant killed himself.

Ahithophel - 2 Samuel 17:23
Disgraced and rejected by Absolom, Ahithophel went home, put his affairs in order, and then hung himself.

Zimri - 1 Kings 16:18
Rather than being taken prisoner, Zimri set the king's palace on fire and died in the flames.

Judas - Matthew 27:5
After he betrayed Jesus, Judas Iscariot was overcome with remorse and hung himself.

In each of these instances, except that of Samson, suicide is not presented favorably.

no one can truly understand the depth of someone else's suffering, or the reasons that could drive a soul to such desperation. Only God knows what is in a person's heart (Psalm 139:1-2). Only he knows the extent of pain which might bring a person to the point of suicide.

In conclusion, it bears repeating—suicide is a terrible tragedy, but it does not negate the Lord's act of redemption. Our salvation rests securely in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. So then, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13, NIV)

The Bible and Suicide - What Does Scripture Say

 

[Gracie]

"Suicide is a permanent solution to temporary problems."

You doing OK Gracie? If you're in trouble, PM me. I'll stay up.

What does the Bible say about suicide

I'm fine, hon.

 

[Mr. H.]

I earnestly attempted it once. Something stopped me, and it wasn't me.

I'm here for a reason. Still haven't figured it out. But I think that experience was a reminder.

 

[Gracie]

It was something I just wondered about. Friend of mine and I were yakking and we both said if we ever got to where we were helpless and dependent on someone else to wipe our asses or suffer being bedridden, etc..we would make sure it didn't get that far. We would off ourselves.

I am far from bedridden or helpless. It was just a topic I thought I would muse on further and get some opinions. Personally, I don't think God would be thrilled if someone decided to kill themself....but I also believe it is not a sin and He would turn anyone away that did do it.

 

[Gracie]

I earnestly attempted it once. Something stopped me, and it wasn't me.

I'm here for a reason. Still haven't figured it out. But I think that experience was a reminder.

I have no clue what my purpose is either. But maybe I'm not supposed to know. Maybe my kids kids will find a cure for cancer or something. After all, they wouldn't exist if not for me, so maybe that was/is my purpose. Or maybe my purpose is not time yet and is yet to happen. No telling.

 

[Mr. H.]

If "the wages of sin is death", then I would surmise that self-extermination would be sinful.

It's a math thing. That's how I roll.

 

[Mr. H.]

I earnestly attempted it once. Something stopped me, and it wasn't me.

I'm here for a reason. Still haven't figured it out. But I think that experience was a reminder.

I have no clue what my purpose is either. But maybe I'm not supposed to know. Maybe my kids kids will find a cure for cancer or something. After all, they wouldn't exist if not for me, so maybe that was/is my purpose. Or maybe my purpose is not time yet and is yet to happen. No telling.

Good point. As much as I hated my ex, as much as she was abusive towards me for 13 miserable years, our sons prevail in the most marvelous of fashion.

 

[WelfareQueen]

Your thoughts?

My understanding is the Catholic Church views suicide as a mortal sin (i.e. a sin so severe it is beyond God's Grace).

The only other mortal sin is renouncing God. Ex: "I renounce God forever and turn my soul over to Satan."

Gracie, I am not sure how other Christian denominations see it. I do not think the Bible addresses the issue directly.

 

[theword]

Your thoughts?

I don't think the person who commits suicide cares if it's a sin or not. I do know the flesh of man is called a sinner and will die in this world because of it.

 

[Gracie]

I don't put much stock in the roman catholic church or any particular denomination, etc.
I know Christians claim it is an unpardonable sin, but...christians are not God, nor can speak in His behalf on what HE expects.

I guess I just wanted to know the deep down gut feelings of others on the subject..not necessarily what they have been taught by whatever religion they follow.

 

[S.J.]

It probably is a sin but what isn't?

 

[Care4all]

It's killing oneself, it's murder, only no time to repent, feel remorse, asking for forgiveness etc etc etc....you're already dead.....

Setting that aside, I believe in most cases of suicide, the person is mentally unstable, with acute depression, and feels there is no way out...other than offing oneself...

God, is a loving, caring, understanding and merciful God... under those circumstances, imo.

 

[Gracie]

It's killing oneself, it's murder, only no time to repent, feel remorse, asking for forgiveness etc etc etc....you're already dead.....

Setting that aside, I believe in most cases of suicide, the person is mentally unstable, with acute depression, and feels there is no way out...other than offing oneself...

God, is a loving, caring, understanding and merciful God... under those circumstances, imo.

Why does one have to be mentally unstable to commit suicide? Are those with terminal illnesses mentally unstable that choose to die with dignity? Maybe they just flat out don't want to suffer or be a burden. Or maybe there is nothing really left they can do, due to extreme old age, homeless, broke, etc.

 

[The Professor]

Some Christians would define suicide as a type of murder, but I disagree. I would define murder as: The unlawful killing of one human by another. This is certainly the way the law defines it. I don't believe that we should have one dictionary for use when we speak to each other, and another dictionary when we attempt to interpret the Bible.

But, hey, I agree that suicide should be a crime punishable by death!!

I have studied various versions of the Bible for over sixty years, and have found no specific mention of suicide. Christians who believe suicide to be a sin often resort to the writings of Paul who states that the body is the temple of the holy spirit. These are the verses Christians most often quote:

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17, KJV).

The problem is that the quoted verses do not necessarily deal with what one does to his/her own body. They could instead relate solely to what one does to another person. In another Passage Paul seems to suggest that the only sin that a man can commit against his own body is fornication. This would mean that suicide is not a sin. Here is what the Bible says:

“Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's” (1 Corinthians 6:18-20, KJV).

Besides, if suicide - which I would define as the act of hastening one's own death - is a sin then it must also be true that any willful act which causes one's premature demise is equally sinful. Thus, those who smoke, drink excessively or fail to diet and exercise properly would also be consigned to the eternal fires of Hell.

There is one hell of a difference between those who kill others others and those who take their own lives in quiet desperation. I contend that if God is fair and just as Christians believe, He will not condemn those who took their own lives; instead, he will heal their pain so that they can live and love and laugh again; or, as the Bible puts it, He will “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit” (Psalm 51:12). What kind of God would torment for all eternity those who faced so much torment in their lives that they could no longer bear it?

For the record, my son committed suicide in 2008, just a few months before his twenty-fourth birthday.

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

It's killing oneself, it's murder, only no time to repent, feel remorse, asking for forgiveness etc etc etc....you're already dead.....

Setting that aside, I believe in most cases of suicide, the person is mentally unstable, with acute depression, and feels there is no way out...other than offing oneself...

God, is a loving, caring, understanding and merciful God... under those circumstances, imo.

Why does one have to be mentally unstable to commit suicide? Are those with terminal illnesses mentally unstable that choose to die with dignity? Maybe they just flat out don't want to suffer or be a burden. Or maybe there is nothing really left they can do, due to extreme old age, homeless, broke, etc.

Sometimes, it's not the mental; rather it's the physical. People who experience persistent pain often lose the will to live.