Thankfully, as of late, there has been an increase in the emphasis of compassion in the Churchs explanation of her teaching on suicide, namely, that often extreme psychological factors can diminish the personal responsibility of those who commit suicide. However, there is also a great danger in not clearly explaining the disorder inherent in suicide. Many people hear that those who commit suicide are now in a better place and that their suffering is over. While we should hope for this, this sends a dangerous message--namely, that suicide solves problems and is a helpful remedy for suffering, while in fact it is an injustice against oneself and others and is oriented toward a rejection of eternal life. The primary remedy for depression is experiencing the love of God and the high calling to make ones life a gift of love for others. To put suicide in a positive light is only to confirm the lie that peoples lives are only as valuable as they feel they are. The truth, however, is that every human being has a kind of infinite value, because every human being is made in the image of God and is unchangeably loved by God. And God, becoming man in Jesus Christ, thought we were worth the giving of his own life. Its very sad, though logically consistent, that the nations in the world today that have most forgotten God have also the highest suicide rates. To know God is to know life and love.
Posted on: Thu, 14 Aug 2014 01:30:28 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015