Is suicide a sin if the person is not mentally competent to be responsible?

[shunyadragon]

Is suicide a sin if the person is not mentally competent to be responsible?

It is well accepted today that the cause of the majority of suicides is mental illness. Yet in most of Judaism, Christianity and Islam suicide is considered self-murder in many if not most cases.

The Bible does not specifically address suicide as the sin of self-murder, but nonetheless it is widely forbidden.

Even though Islam condemns suicide in the scriptures, many justify suicide bombing as martyrdom.

The Baha'i Faith condemns suicide, and considers suicide a tragedy, but allows considerable leeway on the circumstances of the suicide, and allows for the contemporary behavioral science understanding of suicide as a mental illness.

This more a discussion of the different views and changing views in churches and other beliefs facing the issue in the contemporary world. The problem is the tragic rise of suicides throughout most cultures of the world.

 

[shunyadragon]

In another Religious forum I started this thread and got surprising responses overtly condemning suicide by Christians.

 

[David1967]

I think there are certain circumstances that suicide would not be considered a single. And I'm definitely not one that considers it a mortal sin. Examples may include mental illness, terminal illness....

 

[danieldemol]

As a liberal I think we should as a general rule discourage suicide, but I don’t think a person is necessarily mentally competent enough to be blamed for killing themselves (or even others in certain cases).

 

[shunyadragon]

I think there are certain circumstances that suicide would not be considered a single. And I'm definitely not one that considers it a mortal sin. Examples may include mental illness, terminal illness....

I do not think that self-termination by patients is truly considered suicide, but I acknowledge this is a sensitive issue of how suicide is defined.

 

[MJFlores]

Is suicide a sin if the person is not mentally competent to be responsible?

It is well accepted today that the cause of the majority of suicides is mental illness. Yet in most of Judaism, Christianity and Islam suicide is considered self-murder in many if not most cases.

The Bible does not specifically address suicide as the sin of self-murder, but nonetheless it is widely forbidden.

Even though Islam condemns suicide in the scriptures, many justify suicide bombing as martyrdom.

The Baha'i Faith condemns suicide, and considers suicide a tragedy, but allows considerable leeway on the circumstances of the suicide, and allows for the contemporary behavioral science understanding of suicide as a mental illness.

This more a discussion of the different views and changing views in churches and other beliefs facing the issue in the contemporary world. The problem is the tragic rise of suicides throughout most cultures of the world.

I would not judge which is sin or not.
I know I'm a sinner and nobody is really clean or righteous. Ecclesiastes 7:20
Now with regards to suicide and insanity - happening at the same time
Well, it would be God who will be the judge of that.
As this is written in the Bible:

Romans 2:15-16 New International Version (NIV)
They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

So, man cannot judge what is sin or not
Because man cannot see another man's consciences
or the real thoughts or his deep secrets
Only one man can, and that is Jesus Christ.

 

[Enoch07]

Is suicide a sin if the person is not mentally competent to be responsible?

It is well accepted today that the cause of the majority of suicides is mental illness. Yet in most of Judaism, Christianity and Islam suicide is considered self-murder in many if not most cases.

The Bible does not specifically address suicide as the sin of self-murder, but nonetheless it is widely forbidden.

Even though Islam condemns suicide in the scriptures, many justify suicide bombing as martyrdom.

The Baha'i Faith condemns suicide, and considers suicide a tragedy, but allows considerable leeway on the circumstances of the suicide, and allows for the contemporary behavioral science understanding of suicide as a mental illness.

This more a discussion of the different views and changing views in churches and other beliefs facing the issue in the contemporary world. The problem is the tragic rise of suicides throughout most cultures of the world.

If it's due to mental illness then I don't see it as a sin. This is my personal opinion. Of course what I see as sin doesn't matter. Ultimately it's up to God.

 

[Ellen Brown]

A person does the best they can and when they can't any more... You don't ask permission, you follow your heart.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

It is more about how you regard sins and laws.? Do you considerthem absolutes or conditional?
Most civil laws are conditional. And are applied differentially.
Religious laws, God's laws, are applied as if God is less merciful and less reasonable.
The Religious law against suicide seems to be entirely established by "church laws" not the teachings of the Bible or Jesus.

 

[Tumah]

Is suicide a sin if the person is not mentally competent to be responsible?

It is well accepted today that the cause of the majority of suicides is mental illness. Yet in most of Judaism... suicide is considered self-murder in many if not most cases.

No, in Judaism the thing that is prohibited would be something like seppuku. Not necessarily from honor per se, but out of clear thought, rather than mental illness. Suicide from mental illness is considered to be a result of insanity and one isn't liable. Since most cases of suicide fall under the latter category, we don't avoid any of the regular rituals for suicide as we would if it were of the former category.

 

[Shantanu]

Is suicide a sin if the person is not mentally competent to be responsible?

It is well accepted today that the cause of the majority of suicides is mental illness. Yet in most of Judaism, Christianity and Islam suicide is considered self-murder in many if not most cases.

The Bible does not specifically address suicide as the sin of self-murder, but nonetheless it is widely forbidden.

Even though Islam condemns suicide in the scriptures, many justify suicide bombing as martyrdom.

The Baha'i Faith condemns suicide, and considers suicide a tragedy, but allows considerable leeway on the circumstances of the suicide, and allows for the contemporary behavioral science understanding of suicide as a mental illness.

This more a discussion of the different views and changing views in churches and other beliefs facing the issue in the contemporary world. The problem is the tragic rise of suicides throughout most cultures of the world.

The causes of suicide is despair that one has no future in this planet as a normal productive human being if one disagrees with the way of the world.

 

[England my lionheart]

Is suicide a sin if the person is not mentally competent to be responsible?

It is well accepted today that the cause of the majority of suicides is mental illness. Yet in most of Judaism, Christianity and Islam suicide is considered self-murder in many if not most cases.

The Bible does not specifically address suicide as the sin of self-murder, but nonetheless it is widely forbidden.

Even though Islam condemns suicide in the scriptures, many justify suicide bombing as martyrdom.

The Baha'i Faith condemns suicide, and considers suicide a tragedy, but allows considerable leeway on the circumstances of the suicide, and allows for the contemporary behavioral science understanding of suicide as a mental illness.

This more a discussion of the different views and changing views in churches and other beliefs facing the issue in the contemporary world. The problem is the tragic rise of suicides throughout most cultures of the world.

They shoot horses don't they and its like they really don't have a choice,as a human we do, so although I wouldn't advocate suicide generally I recognize circumstance where I understand that person's choice.

 

[Shantanu]

They shoot horses don't they and its like they really don't have a choice,as a human we do, so although I wouldn't advocate suicide generally I recognize circumstance where I understand that person's choice.

If one is suffering intolerably and wishes to end it all a lot of counselling would be required to persuade the person not to do it as life is valuable.

 

[England my lionheart]

If one is suffering intolerably and wishes to end it all a lot of counselling would be required to persuade the person not to do it as life is valuable.

Life at any price?,if life is "intollerable" for someone who are we to say it's ok,stay alive to make us feel better?,hopefully we never get like that desperation but there are people that do.

 

[Shantanu]

Life at any price?,if life is "intollerable" for someone who are we to say it's ok,stay alive to make us feel better?,hopefully we never get like that desperation but there are people that do.

We need to take care of people who are in desperate circumstances by solving the underlying problems for their desperation.

 

[Altfish]

Suicide is not a sin.
It is the final cry of a desperate person.

 

[England my lionheart]

We need to take care of people who are in desperate circumstances by solving the underlying problems for their desperation.

What if their underlying problem is chronic pain that can't e cured,what should we say,eat conrete?,.

 

[Shantanu]

What if their underlying problem is chronic pain that can't e cured,what should we say,eat conrete?,.

There should be facilities that enable people to take their own lives when all treatments fail to alleviate chronic pain.

 

[Jedster]

No, in Judaism the thing that is prohibited would be something like seppuku. Not necessarily from honor per se, but out of clear thought, rather than mental illness. Suicide from mental illness is considered to be a result of insanity and one isn't liable. Since most cases of suicide fall under the latter category, we don't avoid any of the regular rituals for suicide as we would if it were of the former category.

Why is the Hebrew word for suicide להתאבד , which is the reflexive of לאבד (to lose)?
Does it mean 'to lose ones self '?

 

[Tumah]

Why is the Hebrew word for suicide להתאבד , which is the reflexive of לאבד (to lose)?
Does it mean 'to lose ones self '?

I didn't know that that's the modern Hebrew word, but yeah it would mean something like"to make oneself become lost".
In traditional literature the phrase is "מאבד עצמו לדעת", which translates to "[one who] loses himself to knowledge". I believe "knowledge" in this case refers to intent.