posted March 24, 2009 12:04 AM         

http://www.nderf.org/suicide'.htm

Many people have the mistaken belief that suicide is a one-way ticket to hell. This is often traced to faulty religious dogma or cultural influences. After all, what really is the definition of suicide? Is falling on a grenade to save the lives of others an act of suicide? Was it suicide when Jesus decided to have himself killed? Is a person who is constantly feeding a junk food habit committing suicide? What about a hopelessly terminally ill patient who wants to spare himself and his family from suffering for a long period of time? What about a person who commits suicide resulting from a serious mental illness or depression? Is choosing to be born into this world, itself, and act of suicide, knowing that this choice results in death?

Near-death experiences are giving society answers to such questions. In general, near-death experiences reveal that the quality of our lives after death isn't determined by HOW we die, but by how we LIVE. Unfortunately, many suicides cause devastating emotional damage to families that can last a lifetime. This is the REAL tragedy. While near-death experiences show that suicide, in itself, has spiritual consequences that are no different from other ways of dying, it does show that there are penalties for hurting others.

And last but not least, this section will discuss a person's right to control their own life and death and the strong legal case for allowing people who are facing intractable pain or indignities in the final stages of their lives to determine for themselves when life is no longer worth living. Such people should be allowed to receive assistance in ending their lives preferably through their own physician. The right-to-die case is based on the principles of liberty, autonomy, equality, dignity, and unnecessary suffering.
http://www.near-death.com/suicide.html

These experiences are more proof that suicide NDEs are mostly no different than other near-death experiences.
http://www.near-death.com/experiences/suicide06.html

posted March 24, 2009 01:47 AM         

Still, I imagine it might make a difference on WHY you're doing it. There's plenty of evidence to strongly suggest that many commit suicide (and homicide) because of the psyche meds they're on. Are they really to blame, or are they just victims like someone in a faulty car that causes death? They took a medication that they believed would make them better (or at least mollified) and it messed up their brain chemistry so that they'd do something they'd never have done (or even considered) before they took the meds. That's just one example.

posted March 24, 2009 11:08 AM         

the ticket straight to hell phrase, is why i do not care for organized religion. spitituality and religion are too seperate things. most organized religion being about rules and absolutes. rules and absolutes can mess a persons brain up. convoluting and twisting the given word to suit hypocritical narrow minded views. and of course, they think they get it.

anyone selling any belief as an absolute fact, thereby making other view points, wrong, can just pass the plate to someone else. be it new age, hinduism, baptist, catholic, or harechrishna.

when they shove thier absoluletes down our unsuspecting throats and like sheep we just follow, not thinking for ourselves, and tragedy hits, it can mess someone up real bad mentally.

not even realizing that the message in the bible is one of acceptance, flawed individuals, and forgiveness.instead turning it to intolerance, biggotted belief system that has no room for the frailties of the human existance.

posted March 24, 2009 11:38 AM         

The authoritative Catechism of the Catholic Church (paragraphs 2280-2283) makes the following points about suicide:

"Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him. It is God who remains the sovereign Master of life. We are obliged to accept life gratefully and preserve it for his honor and the salvation of our souls. We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us. It is not ours to dispose of."

"Suicide contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to preserve and perpetuate his life. It is gravely contrary to the just love of self. It likewise offends love of neighbor because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family, nation, and other human societies to which we continue to have obligations. Suicide is contrary to love for the living God."

"If suicide is committed with the intention of setting an example, especially to the young, it also takes on the gravity of scandal."

"Voluntary co-operation in suicide is contrary to the moral law."

"Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide."

"We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives."

posted March 24, 2009 02:03 PM         

i mean it just seems like sometimes people get thinking they are so enlightened they have the corner on right, and use it to further thier racist, biggotted and all inclusive ostrasizing beliefs.

in the astro thread, for example, some poor girl said she did something mean, ok, i am thinking, people do mean stuff, we are human, it happens, no exceptions. no perfect man walks this earth. and some other poster actually said to her, i hope you dont tell people you are a good person and be a hypocrite. WOW. critical, judgemental, and glass house stone thrower, come on. i recon that poster only gets up on the good side of the bed and is the epitomy of kindness in life, quoting the dali lama and all... but i just didn't see that in the post. what i saw was intolerance for humanness.

there is a time and a place for everything and every purpose under heaven. rain, sunshine, dark, light. i can get ticked, i can be kind, i can listen, i can ignore, but one thing i try my best not to do is judge another, altough to be honest sometimes it is hard. it says in the word, with what measure you mete out, it will be measured to you again. i take that to mean the standard you hold others to, is the standard you will be held to.

posted March 24, 2009 02:12 PM         

I was also a bit surprised to read that suicides are allowed burial in Catholic cemetaries. That does seem to be a fairly new (in terms of the Catholic Church anyway) occurance. Although, they were always allowed a Mass for the Dead. Which is nice to know.