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The Culture of Suicide

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  • The Culture of Suicide

    Do we have anything worth living for?

    The link can be found here.

    -------

    What impact do we have on the culture? Let's plunge into the Deeper Waters and find out.

    My wife informed me yesterday that Chester Bennington, the lead singer of the band Linkin Park, committed suicide by hanging himself. It could be drugs and/or alcohol were involved. It is also true I understand that he was sexually abused as a boy growing up. He was also greatly affected by Chris Cornell of the band Soundgarden doing the same thing.

    Brian Head Welch is a Christian and was at time in the band Korn. I don't know if he still is or not, but he was angry about it. He did consider Chester a friend, but he wanted to know what he thought he was doing to his wife and children, not to mention numerous fans all over the world. Let me say at this point that I do not write about this as a fan. If it hadn't been for my wife, I wouldn't have known about this at all.*

    Our culture spends a lot of time talking about suicide. My wife and I heard on the news just Monday that so far this year in our state of Georgia that there have been twenty suicides. Some of them are because of a stupid internet thing called the Blue Whale Game. There is also the hideous Netflix series 13 Reasons Why. This is the series that had numerous professionals warn the producers of what not to do but hey, the producers were sure they knew better anyway.*

    We also can all remember when Robin Williams died. Unfortunately, so many people shared the meme from Aladdin with "Genie. You're free." No doubt, they meant well, but it sent a horrible message. It presents suicide as a freedom. It's a way to escape the pain. In a sense, it is, but at a great cost.

    Cyanide and Happiness can sometimes have crude comics, but sometimes they're incredibly accurate. There was one that definitely fit the bill. It is one that I often think of when it comes to suicide.

    CyanideAndHappinessSuicide.jpg

    Chesterton said years ago that when a thief steals diamonds, he is no doubt doing something wrong, but he at least honors the diamonds in a sense by saying they are worth stealing. An adulterer is doing wrong with illicit sex, but at least he thinks the sex is worth having. The suicide is the one that says nothing is worth having. Nothing is worth living for. It's essentially giving the finger to all that is in existence. It is saying there is nothing out there good enough to make up for the pain in one's own life.*

    And could that be part of the problem? Suicide is getting trapped inside yourself majorly. It is a sort of idolization of self. It is putting your well-being in a supreme position. You are thinking about yourself. You will try to tell yourself that people will be better off, but they aren't.*How many of us can find cases where people did this and everyone was better off as a result? How many times have you heard someone say "My life has been so much better since my dad killed himself," or something like that?*

    This is what we do with every sin in fact. "I know I shouldn't cheat on my wife with this woman, but it's not like she's being responsive to me and I haven't had sex in so long." "I know I shouldn't do this deal at work, but my family really needs the money and we're struggling so bad." It is always possible to find an excuse for a sin. In fact, we always think there is some good reason to do the wrong that we do, and no doubt there is, but that does not mean the wrong is the right thing to do. It never is.

    Now someone like Chester has left a message for all his fans. Those who don't know better will think that this is something acceptable to do. His wife will be wondering how she was inadequate in her love. His children will be wondering why Daddy wasn't worth being around. Chester's action was done and ended quickly. The results are going to last for a long long time into the future. It could be centuries. After all, how he did will affect his children which will affect their possible future parenting which will affect those children, etc.

    I also don't speak about this as someone detached. A little over two years ago my wife made the attempt. I normally keep the medicines locked up due to her tendencies, but I didn't have my keys with me one day while doing the podcast and she used them to get into the safe. Don't think I never second guess myself about everything with that day. I do. I easily call it the worst day of my life. There is no contest. Nothing else comes close.

    We do indeed need to have sympathy, but we need to be firm that this is unacceptable behavior and certainly never glamorize suicide. Naturally, we need more and more people to be focusing on Jesus in their lives and really learning what a difference He makes. Too many of us Christians don't really think about that. Jesus has become so familiar to us that He has become "a tame lion." The therapeutic Jesus is not really therapeutic. He really can't do much about our sin problem.*

    We especially need to do this for the youngest among us. These are sadly often the most impressionable. Believe it or not youth leaders, it will take more than pizza parties and laser tag to do this. You won't get teenagers to embrace Christ just by fun things. I'm not opposed to fun, but the purpose of being a Christian is not to have a good time in itself. It's to be like Jesus and spread the Kingdom of God.

    Pray for the family of those left behind and reach out to those in your life. Some may be struggling with suicide and you don't even know it. Take the time to appreciate them. Celebrate them. Send a message to someone and let them know you're thinking of them. Tell someone that you're grateful for the good they've done in your life. Love your spouse and your children. Do good to one another.

    There's no time like the present to be living.

    In Christ,
    Nick Peters
    Last edited by Apologiaphoenix; 07-21-2017, 10:04 AM.

  • #2
    I never did understand suicide, and as a Christian I find life so valuable I really find it hard to comprehend. And that does not even begin to take into account what it does to those left behind. To commit suicide you are saying something to those left, "You were not worth it."
    Micah 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

    Comment


    • #3
      What if you are bed-ridden and terminal (say with cancer) and you are in extreme pain that the medicine can't relieve? Taking your own life might relieve months of laying in a bed in extreme pain.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Sparko View Post
        What if you are bed-ridden and terminal (say with cancer) and you are in extreme pain that the medicine can't relieve? Taking your own life might relieve months of laying in a bed in extreme pain.
        Nonetheless, "thou shalt not murder" is a clear biblical commandment and while I feel for people in such pain, I don't see an exception written into the Bible there.
        "I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by KingsGambit View Post
          Nonetheless, "thou shalt not murder" is a clear biblical commandment and while I feel for people in such pain, I don't see an exception written into the Bible there.
          do you think God would not forgive you if you did do it?

          When you are in excruciating pain with no relief and no prospect to get better, suicide seems like a relief. Thankfully most times drugs can make the pain bearable, but not always.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Sparko View Post
            do you think God would not forgive you if you did do it?

            When you are in excruciating pain with no relief and no prospect to get better, suicide seems like a relief. Thankfully most times drugs can make the pain bearable, but not always.
            I don't want to speak as to what God would or would not do, but by definition it's impossible to repent of suicide.
            "I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by KingsGambit View Post
              I don't want to speak as to what God would or would not do, but by definition it's impossible to repent of suicide.
              If you are dying anyway, is it "murder" to take your own life early to relieve torturous pain? Does God want you to live a few extra weeks in excruciating pain just so you don't commit the sin of suicide?

              The whole premise of Christianity is that you are already forgiven for everything you will ever do from the moment you ask Jesus to be your Savior. I have no idea what I am going to do next year or 10 years from now, but I do know I am forgiven for it already.

              Comment


              • #8
                Also, I can give up my life in order to save someone else from excruciating pain and it is considered a good thing. Yet if I give up my life to save myself from excruciating pain it is considered a sin.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                  If you are dying anyway, is it "murder" to take your own life early to relieve torturous pain? Does God want you to live a few extra weeks in excruciating pain just so you don't commit the sin of suicide?
                  Is the answer to life's problems "avoid them"? I'm pretty sure God wants us to deal with life's problems with grace, not run away from them.
                  The whole premise of Christianity is that you are already forgiven for everything you will ever do from the moment you ask Jesus to be your Savior. I have no idea what I am going to do next year or 10 years from now, but I do know I am forgiven for it already.
                  Absolutely false. Salvation is not a "get out of jail free" card.
                  Last edited by One Bad Pig; 07-21-2017, 11:22 AM.
                  Enter the Church and wash away your sins. For here there is a hospital and not a court of law. Do not be ashamed to enter the Church; be ashamed when you sin, but not when you repent. – St. John Chrysostom

                  Veritas vos Liberabit<>< Learn Greek <>< Look here for an Orthodox Church in America<><Ancient Faith Radio
                  sigpic
                  I recommend you do not try too hard and ...research as little as possible. Such weighty things give me a headache. - Shunyadragon, Baha'i apologist

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by One Bad Pig View Post
                    Is the answer to life's problems "avoid them"? I'm pretty sure God wants us to deal with life's problems with grace, not run away from them.

                    Absolutely false. Salvation is not a "get out of jail free" card.
                    no, it's a "get out of hell at the price of Jesus being crucified" card.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                      no, it's a "get out of hell at the price of Jesus being crucified" card.
                      I don't think that changes the point and I do find it odd we're asking questions of "Will I be forgiven?" or "Will I still go to Heaven?"

                      The first question to ask is "Is it wrong?"

                      If the answer is yes, then we just don't do it.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Apologiaphoenix View Post
                        I don't think that changes the point and I do find it odd we're asking questions of "Will I be forgiven?" or "Will I still go to Heaven?"

                        The first question to ask is "Is it wrong?"

                        If the answer is yes, then we just don't do it.
                        And there's little or nothing more self-centered than suicide. That's rather antithetical to the Christian ideal.
                        Enter the Church and wash away your sins. For here there is a hospital and not a court of law. Do not be ashamed to enter the Church; be ashamed when you sin, but not when you repent. – St. John Chrysostom

                        Veritas vos Liberabit<>< Learn Greek <>< Look here for an Orthodox Church in America<><Ancient Faith Radio
                        sigpic
                        I recommend you do not try too hard and ...research as little as possible. Such weighty things give me a headache. - Shunyadragon, Baha'i apologist

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Apologiaphoenix View Post
                          I don't think that changes the point and I do find it odd we're asking questions of "Will I be forgiven?" or "Will I still go to Heaven?"

                          The first question to ask is "Is it wrong?"

                          If the answer is yes, then we just don't do it.
                          That was my original question. Could it be that there are times when suicide is "not wrong"? To relieve suffering that has no benefit (no chance to survive)?

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                            That was my original question. Could it be that there are times when suicide is "not wrong"? To relieve suffering that has no benefit (no chance to survive)?
                            How do you know it doesn't? This kind of assumes that someone's presence on Earth has no benefit.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Apologiaphoenix View Post
                              How do you know it doesn't? This kind of assumes that someone's presence on Earth has no benefit.
                              I mean the person has no future. We don't consider removing life support to be a sin in terminal patients. We don't know who that person's presence on Earth might benefit if we kept them on life support. So that is not the criteria we use. How much they can benefit someone else. That is not the only reason we keep someone around. Heck we consider it a mercy to put down animals who are suffering. Why?

                              If someone is terminal (there is no chance of recovery, they ARE going to die soon) and they are in pain so great that they are suffering, how is it wrong to allow them to kill themselves?

                              I know when I was sick a couple of years ago with liver problems and such, there were times I was laying on the bed writhing in agony wishing I was dead and I could not take any pain meds because they go through the liver. I knew I had a future and so I endured - but barely, but if I didn't have a future, I think I might have killed myself to end the pain. You can't imagine how bad pain can be. I can't imagine God wanting to see one of his children endure it if there is no future for them.

                              Comment

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