Religious views of suicide

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There are a variety of religious views of suicide.

Contents 1 Judaism 2 Christianity 3 Islam 4 Buddhism 5 Hinduism 6 Jainism 7 Religious cults 8 External links 9 References

[edit] Judaism

Suicide is forbidden by Jewish law. Judaism has traditionally viewed suicide as a serious sin. It is not seen as an acceptable alternative even if one is being forced to commit certain cardinal sins for which one must give up one's life rather than sin. Assisting in suicide and requesting such assistance (thereby creating an accomplice to a sinful act) is also forbidden, a minimal violation of Leviticus 19:14, "Do not put a stumbling block before the blind," for the Rabbis interpreted that verse to prohibit any type of stumbling block: theological (e.g., persuading people to believe in false doctrine), economic (e.g., giving bad financial advice) or in this case moral stumbling blocks, as well as physical ones.^[1]

Just as in Hinduism it is accepted that souls of individuals who commit suicide are denied access to the afterlife but rather remain wandering in this world.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Christianity

There were seven suicides in the Bible,^[2] most notably in Matthew 27:3-5, the suicide of Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.

According to the theology of the Catholic Church, death by suicide is considered a grave or serious sin. The chief Catholic Christian argument is that one's life is the property of God and a gift to the world, and to destroy that life is to wrongly assert dominion over what is God's and is a tragic loss of hope.

Conservative Protestants (Evangelicals, Charismatics and Pentecostals) have often argued that because suicide involves self-murder, then anyone who commits it is sinning and is the same as if the person murdered another human being.

[edit] Islam

Islam, like other Abrahamic religions, views suicide as one of the greatest sins and utterly detrimental to one's spiritual journey. A verse in the fourth chapter of the Quran, An-Nisaa (The Women) instructs; "And do not kill yourselves, surely God is most Merciful to you." (4:29)

Most Muslim scholars and clerics consider suicide haraam forbidden, including suicide bombings and often cite the aforementioned verse in the Qur'an as a clear commandment forbidding suicide. Some Shafii scholars even classify suicide as an unpardonable sin, the equivalent of eternal sin in Christianity.

The prohibition of suicide has also been recorded in authentic statements of hadith, sayings of Muhammad. For example; "He who commits suicide by throttling shall keep on throttling himself in the Fire (Hell), and he who commits suicide by stabbing himself, he shall keep stabbing himself in the Fire (Hell)."^[3]

[edit] Buddhism

According to Buddhism, individuals' past acts heavily influence what they experience in the present; present acts, in turn, become the background influence for future experiences (the doctrine of karma). Intentional action by mind, body or speech have a reaction. This reaction, or repercussion, is the cause of conditions and differences we come across in the world.

Buddhism teaches that all people experience substantial suffering (dukkha), which suffering primarily originates from past negative deeds (karmically), or just from being in samsara, the cycle of birth and death. Another reason for the prevalent suffering individuals experience is impermanence and illusion (maya). Since everything is in a constant state of impermanence or flux, individuals experience dissatisfaction with the fleeting events of life. To break out of samsara, Buddhism advocates the Noble Eightfold Path.

For Buddhists, since the first precept is to refrain from the destruction of life, including oneself, suicide is clearly seen as a negative form of action. However, unlike Christianity and other western religions, Buddhism does not condemn suicide, but rather states, what the reasons for it are.^{[clarification needed]} An Asian ideology similar to seppuku (hara-kiri)^{[citation needed]} continues to influence oppressed Buddhists to choose the act of honor suicide, for instance the Thich Quang Duc's suicide by self-immolation to protest the government of Ngo Dinh Diem in this way can be seen more as an honor-killing and a protest. Also in modern times, Tibetan monks have used this perceived ideal to protest the Chinese occupation of Tibet and China's human rights violations against Tibetans.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Hinduism

In Hinduism, committing suicide is often considered equally sinful as murdering another, with the possible exception of the currently defunct practice of sati. Scriptures generally state that to die by suicide (and any type of violent death) results in becoming a ghost, wandering earth until the time one would have otherwise died, had one not committed suicide.^[4]

[edit] Jainism

Jainism is one of few religions that does permit suicide. Jain munis have been known to starve themseleves to death, though there is no record of application of any other violent means due to heavy insistence on non-violence.^[5]

[edit] Religious cults

By contrast, some religious cults not only permit sucide but even actively encourage their members to commit suicides, as they believe that a suicide is an escape path for a soul to another, better world.

[edit] External links

• Catholic priest answers person's question on suicide.
• The Islamic Legitimacy of martyrdom operations

[edit] References