Is suicide ever justified?

[Merlin]

I really dont know why, i just always have. If someone can't stomach what the world throws at him/her, than that person is weak, weak beyond measure. and selfish too, if they commit suicide. I think it's disgusting.

My guess is that you are young and fit. Wit until you are terminally ill, in severe pain and waiting to die. Then answer the question again.

 

[Lindsey-Loo]

Is suicide ever justified?

No way. God never gives us anything we can't handle.

 

[michel]

I really dont know why, i just always have. If someone can't stomach what the world throws at him/her, than that person is weak, weak beyond measure. and selfish too, if they commit suicide. I think it's disgusting.

Well, you have a right to your opinion.

I am weak, I'll admit; physically as well as mentally. I had a lousy childhood (not my parent's fault) - just plain happenstance. I suffer from Fibromyalgia, bi-polar depression, Arthritis, spondulitis, asthma, osteoporosis, exzema - plus a few other extras for good luck. I was an alcoholic (who managed to hide it 99% of the time).

When I tried to kill myself, it was in the hope that my wife could remarry, and my kids have a decent Father (who could play games with them, instead of having a dyspraxic no good dad who couldn't catch a ball if it was lobbed gently from three feet away).

Add to that the fact that I believed in re-incarnation (ie if I made a mess of this lifetime's lessons, as I saw it, I would just have to go through the whole lot all over again) - would you still call that selfish ?

it was meant to be the biggest and best gift I could give my family.

 

[The Black Whirlwind]

no, that would not be selfish, it would be an act of sacrifice so your wife and your children would be happier. The suicide i hate is when people have loved ones, and they only commit suicide because they dont like it here, not caring about who they hurt in the process.

 

[shaft]

Funny. This thread reminds me of the debate 'armchair moralists' had about whether or not it is just to torture prisoners of war to extract infromation out of them. Until you have been there, you can never ever know. It is all very well to argue this way or that, but you are arguing from positions of comfort about psycological and physical conditions that you have no knowledge of. Oh i know you have felt pain and suffering, heart ache and sadness etc etc, but believe me you have not felt REAL pain and suffering. Igonising pain that you sporadically feel relief from in periods of medicine induced stupor, only to have the horror of your situation crash back down upon you again every time you regain consciousness.
For some obscure reason taking your own life is looked down upon as a 'giving up'. And of course 'giving up' is the last thing anyone should. Well is it? What is so innoble about saying 'enough is enough'. What is dishonourable about saying 'I have had enough'? Lets be honest. If I have had enough of 'what life throws at me' (and life can be brutally cruel to some) what right and place has a comfort blanket wrapped christian to tell me that I should continue to endure. And for who's sake. To prove to the christian that I am not pathetic?

 

[MdmSzdWhtGuy]

No way. God never gives us anything we can't handle.

Ahh, spoken like a true white girl from the suburbs (a guess) who has never experienced real pain and strife (an educated guess).

I laid in a hospital for 2 weeks, had 5 surgeries in 4 days, 2 of which I was conscious for, lost half the volume of blood in my body and only at the end of the first week was it discovered that I am one of the lucky 1/10,000 people who is immune to morphine.

Lay in a bed screaming in agony every time you move for 3 or 4 days without sleeping, then come talk to me about how your imaginary friend never gives anyone more than they can handle. I did not kill myself during that time, only because I had no access to the means to do so. Obviously since I am writing this I survived the experience, but I feel to this day I would have been completely justified in ending my life during that period. And besides, it is MY body, who are you to tell me what I can or cannot do with it?

If you haven't been there, you can't speak for those who have.

B.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

++MOD POST++

Please remember to keep it civil, everyone.

 

[The Black Whirlwind]

And besides, it is MY body, who are you to tell me what I can or cannot do with it?

no, it is not YOUR body, the body belongs to the Force.

 

[cardero]

In a world where you must die at some time, all death is justified.

 

[Mike182]

This is an old question, and was probably asked time and time again on this forum.

I'm asking this classic question on morality because there are so many people of different faiths and belief systems here. I would love to here the various opinions on whether or not suicide is ever justified. If not, why? If yes, when and why?

i believe that all life is sacred, and all life comes from God - this is a fundamental part of my faith in god and in life

i think that to try and destroy this gift of life is not right, but not necercerily wrong. i think tha tin the eyes of someone wanting to commit suicide, they think they are helping by ending their existence - their motives are good. i think that God would understand if you killed yourself because you couldn't hack it, sure he'd be dissapointed with you, but non of us live up to his ultimate expectations, in his kingdom you will recieve mercy yet unkown to any of us!

however there are different types of suicide

one where the person is determind to kill themselves, like jumping form a tall building, shooting themselves in the head, hanging themselves etc

other types are more prone to attention as appose to a serious attempt at taking ones own life - like over-dosing and slitting a wrist. these, although dangerous, can leave you unconscious for a while before you die, and during that time of unconsciousness you could be found, and helped.

someone who is determind to take their own life will do it in a certain way, in that they will be sure they will die!


now then, back to the question - is suicide wrong

i really cannot say for sure, my gut reaction is that it is wrong as my firm belief is that all life is to be cared for and nurtured. i will never purposfully try to kill myself, i believe god put me here for a reason, and i am to fulfill the tasks he has set me, but i can see how a person in certain circumstances could feel that killing themselves is the only way to deal with it, and i do not think god would condemn a good heated person to hell for taking their own life

C_P

 

[turk179]

Ahh, spoken like a true white girl from the suburbs (a guess) who has never experienced real pain and strife (an educated guess).

I laid in a hospital for 2 weeks, had 5 surgeries in 4 days, 2 of which I was conscious for, lost half the volume of blood in my body and only at the end of the first week was it discovered that I am one of the lucky 1/10,000 people who is immune to morphine.

Lay in a bed screaming in agony every time you move for 3 or 4 days without sleeping, then come talk to me about how your imaginary friend never gives anyone more than they can handle. I did not kill myself during that time, only because I had no access to the means to do so. Obviously since I am writing this I survived the experience, but I feel to this day I would have been completely justified in ending my life during that period. And besides, it is MY body, who are you to tell me what I can or cannot do with it?

If you haven't been there, you can't speak for those who have.

B.

A point I brought up in my previous post is not everyone experiences pain in the same way. There are people out there who have experienced more emotional and physical torture that even you have (as hard as that is to believe), and still go on with a smile on their face. Then there are people who can't seem to go on any more just because someone dumps them. They thought that it was the most painful thing to them at the time. I know this from experience because an ex girlfriend of mine killed herself after I broke up with her. One of the worst moments of my life. To assume that Christiangirl has never experienced pain(and what does the suburbs have to do with this ) is wrong. If her faith gives her the strength to go on in spite of any pain she has felt, who are you to judge her.
Everyone perceives pain differently. No one should be judged for their beliefs.

 

[Draka]

Ahh, spoken like a true white girl from the suburbs (a guess) who has never experienced real pain and strife (an educated guess).

I laid in a hospital for 2 weeks, had 5 surgeries in 4 days, 2 of which I was conscious for, lost half the volume of blood in my body and only at the end of the first week was it discovered that I am one of the lucky 1/10,000 people who is immune to morphine.

Lay in a bed screaming in agony every time you move for 3 or 4 days without sleeping, then come talk to me about how your imaginary friend never gives anyone more than they can handle. I did not kill myself during that time, only because I had no access to the means to do so. Obviously since I am writing this I survived the experience, but I feel to this day I would have been completely justified in ending my life during that period. And besides, it is MY body, who are you to tell me what I can or cannot do with it?

If you haven't been there, you can't speak for those who have.

B.

The thing to remember here is pain is relative to the person experiencing it. I would gladly undergo what you went through and more to have been able to save myself from what I have gone through (which I will not go into because it really isn't anyone's business nor relevant to the topic at hand). The thing is that I am still here and thriving.

My opinion,
I believe that everyone has, at one time or another, thought "what if I were to just die?" Everyone goes through bad times and gets depressed by them. As if it is the worst thing that will ever happen to us. Well, unless you live you don't know that now do you?

To answer the question,
I believe in euthanasia wholeheartedly. I believe in self sacrifice for a worthy cause (ie: saving someone's life). I don't believe in taking one's life because of depression or physical pain that can pass. If for nothing else than the fact that those things can be defeated and surpassed and life can become better...but that will never be discovered if one ends their life.

 

[s2a]

I would submit that suicide is "justifiable" when left to the discretion of the individual, ie., a "personal choice".
It is ultimately for others to objectively assess (after the fact) whether or not a suicide is "justified".

Personally, I regard suicide as a coward's "cop out", if a suicidal someone is merely having a bad day, or seeks to avoid unpleasant consequences from their own poor choices. Life is sometimes a contact sport. Get used to it.

Yet, it is easy to understand how some aspects of suicide can present a rational, reasoned choice...that is imminently "justifiable", and hence often "justified" (by others).
It was stated earlier within this thread the example of self-sacrifice (to knowingly place oneself in a situation where death is imminent or likely) to save/defend another (compatriot, loved one, complete stranger, or even a principle).

Arguably, the choice of self-sacrifice is not necessarily a "death wish" at all. Soldiers, firefighters, search/rescue teams, police, health professionals/care-givers, battlefield medics, etc., often put themselves directly into harm's (and prospective death's) course on a daily basis. It's probably fair to say that most (though perhaps not all) do not want to die, or wish to kill themselves...but virtually all place themselves in locations/situations that can most readily enhance the likelihood of premature death.
Is it "justified" to be war zone doctor; or to run into a burning building to save a child; or to enter a radiation-contaminated reactor core to prevent imminent melt-down, or to fight back against armed intruders into your home? Whether societally agreed upon or not whether such behavior/actions are "justified", they are most certainly "justifiable" to each individual that exercises a personal choice.

The main issue regarding matters of self-inflicted (or assisted) suicide is that of societally/civically imposed restrictions/laws that choose to assign what types or forms of suicide (ethically/morally/legally) are "justified"; regardless of any individual's own capacity (and right?) to make that determination and choice "justifiably" for themselves.

Many religions regard self-suicide/sacrifice as either a sin or affront to their god, somehow usurping or abridging that god's power and authority over matters of life and death. Personal ethics/morality/dogma are certainly understandable and (generally) acceptable when choices/behaviors are left to the individual to heed and keep for themselves. It's when religious adherents seek to project their personal morality (regardless of motivation/faith) upon others as a matter of civic policy/law that things like suicide become especially contentious. In a pluralistic, yet governmentally secular society, personal religious/ethical/moral choices should remain freely "justifiable" to each and every person, but never "justified" as universally applicable and criminally enforcible mandates of law over personal liberties.

Suicide ain't about sin.

It's about choice, and the freedom to exercise personal choice absent governmental intrusion. Our minds, and our lives, are the only possessions we can ever surely own...and should never defer nor abdicate personal choice and responsibility to the whims and wishes of government or any proscribed religious dogma.

You wanna die? That's cool with me...but just think of what you're gonna miss out on tomorrow. Life's too damn interesting to cut it short; but if you're just bored, or tired, or lonely...don't look for any encouragement or support from me. From my perspective...suicide is a choice you won't live to regret tomorrow.