Do you feel that suicide is wrong?

by dandingus 62 Replies latest jw friends

  • zombie dub
    zombie dub

    Everyone owns their own life, obviously, therefore what someone chooses to do with that (as long as it doesn't hurt others) is 100% up to them. If they want to end their life, it's their call.

  • worldtraveller
    worldtraveller

    Can't answer that question. I suppose the victims of suicide cannot either.

    The JW idea of living forever does not appeal to me either.

    Short answer. No.

  • Scully
    Scully

    To call suicide "wrong" is to judge someone for something I cannot possibly understand: their pain.

    I can certainly try to empathize with another person's pain, and try to reassure them that it won't always be like that, and encourage them to try to hang on until the storm passes. But to judge someone in such agony that they can see no alternative to end their suffering would be even more wrong than the actual act of suicide, imo, as it places a needless burden on someone who is already at their breaking point.

    All I know is that if I am ever diagnosed with a terminal painful illness, I will find a way to exit this life gracefully, on my own terms.

  • purplesofa
    purplesofa

    I have to add this:

    After having two suicide deaths in my family, when my daughter had two drug overdoses, I was hellbent and determined she would not take her life.

    I tried to learn from past mistakes of my dad and brother,

    There is so much energy that comes when a person gets to this point. IF they will express whats going on.

    I don't know what came out of me to help my daughter but it was life changing, I could not be a witness any longer to do it.

    I wish I could explain it, I think I am still recovering from it. But as you know sometimes when a rescuer saves a life they lose theirs in the process

    or can become very hurt themselves. It was the most selfless time in my life helping her to want to be alive.

    I have a very close witness friend ( I posted about meeting with her recently) She went through a terrible thing in her KH, that affected her family greatly and herself.

    I was just coming back from being DF and was reuniting with her. She was practically shunned in the congo and circuit for her husband leaving the truth. It was painfullly

    excruciationg for her. I was appalled at the treatment of her.

    One day after work, she stopped by, we went out to my car to talk a few minutes.........A few minutes lasted until after midnight. Hers is one of two of the most painful witness stories I have ever heard. We had many talks after that, I was emotionally drained after our visits. I loved this woman dearly and she had been such an anchor for me with my problems. To see her like this was beyond what I could believe. A few months later I got a card in the mail from her thanking me for saving her life. I knew she meant it. I never hated the organization more than then for what they had done to her.

    I guess what I am trying to say, love and give when you can. Unconditionally.......sometimes when you save a life you might lose your own, and I am not just meaning just physically. It's a risk all those that go to save lives takes.

    purps

  • Robdar
    Robdar

    I believe a person has the right to end their own life.

  • OUTLAW
    OUTLAW
    I think it should be punishable by death......Keyser Soze

    .......................

  • Glassman96
    Glassman96

    Suicide is a selfish act. People end up at the point of suicide because of their pride. Also one is rejecting a life that God gave them. To me suicide is one of the darkest places a person can be, along with self-pity. My life has not been a bowl of cherries, if suicide was OK, I probably would have done it many years ago. Every day that I live, regardless of my circumstances I carry on to see what I can do for God and others. I know that life is short and my life is not going to be like this forever. We need God to help us overcome, with God all things are possible. Suicide is just an excuse for not having the courage to face life. And also not having faith and trust in God. The Lord would never give us more than we can handle.

  • dandingus
    dandingus

    Purps, thanks for the personal experience! It is sad the things people go through that we never know about, or that if we do sometimes we can help and sometimes we can't. You said:

    We had many talks after that, I was emotionally drained after our visits.

    I think that's true of helping anyone with some serious emotional problem in their life. It takes a lot out of you to try to empathize with them like that and help them cope with their troubles. And as you say, sometimes in doing so we take their pain upon ourselves. It takes a truly unselfish frame of mind to give everything we can to someone like that. I'm very glad you were able to help your friend.

  • snowbird
    snowbird

    Welcome, Glassman, and thanks for your input.

    Sylvia

  • AK - Jeff
    AK - Jeff

    Interesting thought. I agree that 'wrong' is a poor choice of words.

    Was it 'wrong' for 250 Texians to make a stand at the Alamo that was destined to end their collective lives? It was a choice that they knew would end in death. Sometimes death can be 'noble' or 'courageous' or 'shameful' - all of these are subjective terms. Viewed from differing perspectives they carry different meanings.

    Is it 'morally wrong' to kill oneself? Everyone must choose his own moral opinions.

    Legally, I don't 'support' either pro-suicide or anti-suicide legislation personally, but that is because I also don't believe it a matter of law. After all, if one wants to kill himself, there is precisely no chance of ever preventing that is there? So why make it illegal to try? Those who 'fail' are often crying for help - hopefully they get it. Those who succeed should not be further shamed after death for so doing - as they must have seen no other way out at the desperate moment.

    I don't expect I will ever take that route personally. But given certain situations - who knows. I would likely attempt to mitigate the pain of others from such an act however, by letting them know in some way that I chose this course with sound mind. I might just walk off into the forest, sit next to a favorite stream and sip some hemlock. May I never be 'found'.

    Jeff

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