Suicide

A few years back, there was a group of youth, from my church, that took a trip up north to a Christian concert. They were all in there early 20's. One of the boy's was in recovery. He had an addiction to drugs and had only been clean for a short while.

While at the concert, this boy found drugs. He took the drugs, unbeknownst to the rest of the group.

On the way back from the concert, it became apparent, to the rest of the group, that he had taken drugs. He began to act out. He would scream, "Make them stop". He would thrash around the car, hold his ears and be in complete panic.

The ride back from the concert was long and isolated. Not many cities between Kansas City and Wichita Kansas. They stopped, on the turnpike, for gas. While there, the boy got out of the car, yelling "make them stop". He grabbed his ears one more time and began to run. He ran to the edge of the road and stopped. They others, in the group, were running towards him, trying to get to him and calm him. While they ran towards him, with hands on ears, he stepped directly out in front of a semi+tractor trailer.

I am told that silence fell over the group running to him. "He just disappeared." One told me. "It was surreal." another shared. The group of young Christians suffered from guilt and depression for a time afterwards. Reliving daily the scene that played out before them.

Why am I telling you this? I read a blog the other day that spoke of suicide. It was a moving and beautifully written post. It was written by Cruel Virgin if you would like to take a look at it. In it there is a short mention of how Christian condemn the successful suicide victim to hell. She is right. Christian's do make that decision for God.

We can argue the point as to whether God condemns the suicide victim to hell. But, when I read my bible, I do not find anywhere where suicide is consider, listed or stated as a great moral sin. I can take passages from the word and make them refer to suicide, but, I do not see where it is factually considered a sin.

For myself, I believe that the person that is suicidal is in a state of illness. Not all, can be listed this way. Some play with suicide and some want attention but, the serious ones suffer from a multitude of problems.

Mental illness is a disease, the same as diabetes. It is medicated and monitored by doctors and cared for by family and friends. The despair takes an incredible toll and hope feels gone. It is so very hard to fight the way back to hope and at times the despair takes over.

The young man that I spoke of at the top of this post, he, unfortunately invited problems when he caved in to his addiction. I understand what happened to him, because of my own experiences with the demonic. When the boy relapsed and took the drugs, he opened up his soul for the demonic to return. They returned seven fold. The act of putting his hands over his ears and screaming "make them stop" is reminiscent of my own occasion with screaming demons. Read: Satan Himself. He needed them, the demons, to stop. He needed relief. He did not know what to do. Perhaps, the demons were yelling "Kill yourself". Perhaps, he just felt he had no choice. The taking of the drugs weakened his hope and connection to God and those demons took advantage of the situation.

Is this boy in hell? I am not in the position to judge that. Oh, did I say, judge that. There is a clue. We judge the suicidal person and sentence them to hell. It is not our call. I understand why we have, over the years, made suicide a sin. The creation of fear over the outcome of suicide being hell, keeps many from the attempt. I have even seen this in my own counseling practice. But, is it true. I do not believe it to be a mortal sin because of the state of mind of the victim.

I do believe it is wrong to play God and take innocent life. What I am saying is that a person who is at such an extreme place of illness that they can take their own life, is a person that God would have mercy on.

This young man, in this post, knew God and loved God. Unfortunately, Satan is here to steal, kill and destroy. With this young man, Satan stole his peace, destroyed his hope and killed his body. God, I believe, looked down on the situation and gave mercy in His glorious grace.