Suicide Is A Sin? Why?


Melissa569
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Everyone always says you go to hell if you commit suicide. But I really don't understand why that is. I mean... Punish someone because they are so sad that they don't wanna live anymore? Or because they kept trying to think of reasons to live and they couldn't find any?

I mean even here on earth, we tend to give these people therapy, rather than throwing them in prison. I just don't understand why in heaven, its not also understood that such people need help more than punishment.

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Calling it a sin is to prevent those who abhor sin from committing suicide. Consider it a road block of sorts.

Taking anyones life is a sin, but that is another can of worms. Ignoring the impact on family, friends and society could be considered a sin, as the fallout tends to be extremely painful and bitter.

Who goes to "hell" is generally a fantasy of judgement and I highly doubt going to hell is as cut and dry as people make it out to be.

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True. I also think it depends what you did. I mean murder is a sin. But so is stealing. So hell is hell, but should someone who stole a pack of gum go to the same hell for the same length of time as someone who murdered an entire family? I think that mentality kind of gives off the impression of "Why stop at small sins, if all sinners get the same punishment?"

Haven't read much scripture in my life, but it kind of leads me to believe that there are just as many different degrees of consequence and duration of consequence in the afterlife as there are sins. Not just one.

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Catholicism called it a sin for a long time (not sure if they still do), and early Protestants believed it, the LDS Church does not nor have I heard that it ever did.

I would imagine the threat of eternal damnation may have prevented a few suicides and it probably made the despair worse in others.

People who suicide have big mental problems, God knows whats in their hearts so to **** them to Hell would be unjust/unfair - it wouldn't happen.

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We beleve it is wrong to take a life, including our own. However do we consider ALL suicides a sin? No. Here is what is said at lds.org:

Although it is wrong to take one's own life, a person who commits suicide may not be responsible for his or her acts. Only God can judge such a matter. Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has said:

"Obviously, we do not know the full circumstances surrounding every suicide. Only the Lord knows all the details, and he it is who will judge our actions here on earth.

"When he does judge us, I feel he will take all things into consideration: our genetic and chemical makeup, our mental state, our intellectual capacity, the teachings we have received, the traditions of our fathers, our health, and so forth" ("Suicide: Some Things We Know, and Some We Do Not," Ensign, Oct. 1987, 8).

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Lifeline

I'm so sorry you lost your father yesterday, Melissa.

Someone gave me some really great advice in regards to suicide a while ago:

1) If you want to, wait 2 years, then go ahead.

If you can't wait 2 years, then it's not important enough to you to justify it.

Which means you'll regret it.

And a lot DO regret it, as attempts often fail... And leave a person horribly crippled & scarred.

2) There's this bridge that hundreds of people have jumped from... That a couple dozen have survived. Each. And. Every. Single. Survivor. Had. The. Same. Story: the moment they let go, and it was too late, the solution to the unsolvable problems became crystal clear.

1+2 = Everything is temporary. But you can't know that, if you give up 5 minutes too soon. No matter how much pain you're in, no matter how impossible your problems seem... Work your tail off for 2 years, and see if that's actually true... Or if you let go of the bridge, the solution it's too late to use suddenly becomes crystal clear.

Lifeline

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Everyone always says you go to hell if you commit suicide. But I really don't understand why that is. I mean... Punish someone because they are so sad that they don't wanna live anymore? Or because they kept trying to think of reasons to live and they couldn't find any?

Most Christians of most denominations consider suicide a sin, because it takes life out of God's hands. The individual who does this makes him/herself God. It is rebellion.

On the other hand, the "punishment" is not something there is broad agreement on. These days, most Protestant ministers I know would say that this is God's call, not ours. Some do insist that suicide is a lack of faith--a testimony to deep-seeded non-belief. Others would say that it is mental illness, and that God would never send such a soul to hell. The most honest and humble answer is that God knows the individual and their circumstances.

As a matter of personal testimony, when a new convert to faith in Christ committed suicide 3 days later, I asked God what happened. I tarried 3 weeks, seeking an answer. Finally, God said, "Trust me." I thought that was great--that this soul was in heaven. Then God said, "No...I said you are to trust me." Then I felt sad because I figured that the soul was in hell. Then God again said, "No, I said to trust me. I am now satisfied with that answer. There's no false comfort, but no heartless blanket condemnation either.

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True. I also think it depends what you did. I mean murder is a sin. But so is stealing. So hell is hell, but should someone who stole a pack of gum go to the same hell for the same length of time as someone who murdered an entire family? I think that mentality kind of gives off the impression of "Why stop at small sins, if all sinners get the same punishment?"

Haven't read much scripture in my life, but it kind of leads me to believe that there are just as many different degrees of consequence and duration of consequence in the afterlife as there are sins. Not just one.

Some scripture to back up your assertions:

D&C 19:4-13

4 And surely every man must repent or suffer, for I, God, am endless.

5 Wherefore, I revoke not the judgments which I shall pass, but woes shall go forth, weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth, yea, to those who are found on my left hand.

6 Nevertheless, it is not written that there shall be no end to this torment, but it is written endless torment.

7 Again, it is written eternal damnation; wherefore it is more express than other scriptures, that it might work upon the hearts of the children of men, altogether for my name’s glory.

8 Wherefore, I will explain unto you this mystery, for it is meet unto you to know even as mine apostles.

9 I speak unto you that are chosen in this thing, even as one, that you may enter into my rest.

10 For, behold, the mystery of godliness, how great is it! For, behold, I am endless, and the punishment which is given from my hand is endless punishment, for Endless is my name. Wherefore—

11 Eternal punishment is God’s punishment.

12 Endless punishment is God’s punishment.

13 Wherefore, I command you to repent, and keep the commandments which you have received by the hand of my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., in my name;

Eternal and Endless are not about durations of time, but about the kind of punishment that will be given us for those sins we have not been forgiven of.

Once your sins are paid, one can enter into a kingdom of rest.

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We need to clarify that the "hell" being spoken of here is in the Spirit World, and is not the eternal Outer Darkness that Lucifer will go to. I believe people create their own hell and take it with them to the Spirit World. For those whose earthly hell is because of physical/mental issues not of their own making, death will be a release from that hell. For those who create their own hell, however, they will suffer until they turn to Christ, repent of their poor choices, and embrace the atonement. As with Alma the Younger, such will then be rescued from their hell (Alma 36).

Suicide CAN be a grievous sin. But it can also be the decision of someone who is desperate or sick, and unable to make a good decision.

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I'm not convinced that hell is about "paying" for anything. I think it's a situation where some people are, for whatever reason, unwilling or unable to completely submit to the will of God; and so they have to to experience for themselves what it is to exist in the complete absence of God's light and love and the safety inherent to keeping His commandments--hence, the need for a "hell". Once they understand their need for Christ, and understand it in such a way that they will never rebel against Him again--I think that is when a soul is ready for redemption.

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Everyone always says you go to hell if you commit suicide. But I really don't understand why that is. I mean... Punish someone because they are so sad that they don't wanna live anymore? Or because they kept trying to think of reasons to live and they couldn't find any?

I mean even here on earth, we tend to give these people therapy, rather than throwing them in prison. I just don't understand why in heaven, its not also understood that such people need help more than punishment.

Melissa, I'm concerned about you. You're in my prayers but that's about all I can do from a distance. Please talk to someone.

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Good Morning Melissa569. I read your post about your father and mother. I'm very sorry that you are suffering so. Please know that there is peace, hope, and joy found through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Healing comes as we learn about doctrine and strive to live it with all of our hearts while exercising profound faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Everyone always says you go to hell if you commit suicide. But I really don't understand why that is. I mean... Punish someone because they are so sad that they don't wanna live anymore? Or because they kept trying to think of reasons to live and they couldn't find any?

I mean even here on earth, we tend to give these people therapy, rather than throwing them in prison. I just don't understand why in heaven, its not also understood that such people need help more than punishment.

Because this life is the time for us to prepare to meet God.

32 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.

33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.

34 Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.

-Finrock

Edited by Finrock
Clarification
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We need to clarify that the "hell" being spoken of here is in the Spirit World, and is not the eternal Outer Darkness that Lucifer will go to. I believe people create their own hell and take it with them to the Spirit World. For those whose earthly hell is because of physical/mental issues not of their own making, death will be a release from that hell. For those who create their own hell, however, they will suffer until they turn to Christ, repent of their poor choices, and embrace the atonement. As with Alma the Younger, such will then be rescued from their hell (Alma 36).

Suicide CAN be a grievous sin. But it can also be the decision of someone who is desperate or sick, and unable to make a good decision.

Thank you. Thank you so much for this. This comforts me a lot.

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Everyone always says you go to hell if you commit suicide. But I really don't understand why that is. I mean... Punish someone because they are so sad that they don't wanna live anymore? Or because they kept trying to think of reasons to live and they couldn't find any?

I mean even here on earth, we tend to give these people therapy, rather than throwing them in prison. I just don't understand why in heaven, its not also understood that such people need help more than punishment.

We don't know that it's a sin. This is Catholic theology.

Certainly not recommended.:o

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Melissa, I don't know if this thread is a cry for help or just discussion but please talk to someone about any grief you may be dealing with. My husband and I lost a friend earlier this year to suicide, it really hurt my husband, he still talks about his friend who has only been gone about five months now. The sadness of losing a loved one is always there but with time you can learn to move forwards. Best wishes.

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