Susamachar Theological College and Seminary Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

An independent study on Biblical understanding of Suicide

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement of the Course Independent study

Submitted to: Rev. Parikshita Shiekha By: Arjun Limbu On: 10/03/2011

Contents

Introduction 1. The etymological meaning of the term suicide 1.1. A concept from religious understanding 1.2. A concept from philosophical understanding 2. The magnitude of suicide in the present generation 3. Types of suicide 3.1. Egoistic suicide 3.2. Altruistic suicide 3.3. Anomic suicide 4. Causes of committing suicide 5. The impact of suicide 6. Biblical perspective of suicide 7. Preventive and curative measures of suicidal behavior Conclusion

Introduction Countries all over the world are witnessing rapid changes in population growth, socioeconomic development and health profiles. Suicide is now being recognized as a major public health problem in the complex scenario of development and lifestyle changes. It is a very important issue cutting across diverse disciplines and sectors such as health, religion, spirituality, law and welfare. Suicide evokes mixed reactions: varying from anger, distress, ridicule, anxiety, tension, fear and sadness. Often, one wonders: Why did it happen?; Could this have been prevented?; Can young lives be saved?; Was there an alternative solution to the problem? Though suicides have been attempted since the beginning of mankind, a sea change has been observed recently in our understanding of the problem. Cumulative research, media reports and undependable evidence over the past three decades reveal that suicides are an emerging epidemic the world over. Research in different regions of the world has focused on understanding the problem in its various dimensions. This paper is an attempt to understand the subject of suicide from the Biblical perspective. We will also look at the philosophical and religious concept about suicide. The causes of suicide, its dimension and prevention are some of the other issues which will be discussed in this paper. The final goal of this research is to know the Biblical outlook concerning suicide and the proper Christian attitude towards it. 1. The etymological meaning of the term suicide The word suicide is derived from the Latin word suicidium which in turn comes from the combination of two words-sui caedere, meaning to kill oneself. Suicide is therefore the act of a human being intentionally causing his or her own death.1 1.1. A concept from religious understanding Different religious groups in the world have their own respective opinions concerning suicide. However we can conclude that most of them oppose suicide and consider it as a heinous sin. In Judaism, suicide is forbidden by the Jewish law. In Islam, suicide is regarded as a serious sin. 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 forbidden, including suicide bombings, and often cite the aforementioned verse in the Qur'an as a clear commandment forbidding suicide. Most of the Muslim scholars agree that the Hadith, the traditions that preserve the words of the Prophet on a wide variety of issues, prohibit suicide.2 Some Shafii scholars even classify suicide as an unpardonable sin, the equivalent of eternal sin in Christianity.3

Suicide, Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary of Current English, fourth edition, edited by A. P Cowie (Bath: Oxford University Press, 1994), 1286. 2 Marilyn J. Harran, Suicide, The Encyclopedia of Religion, edited by Mircea Eliade, vol. 14 (New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1987), 125-131. 3 Suicide as seen in Islam, http://www.inter-islam.org/Prohibitions/suicide.html, retrieved on 5/2/2011.

In Hinduism, suicide is generally frowned upon and is considered equally sinful as murdering another in contemporary Hindu society. Hindu Scriptures state that one who commits suicide will become part of the spirit world, wandering earth until the time one would have otherwise died, had one not committed suicide. However, Hinduism accepts a man's right to end one's life through the non-violent practice of fasting to death, termed Prayopavesa.4 But Prayopavesa is strictly restricted to people who have no desire or ambition left, and no responsibilities remaining in this life. It was practiced by one who renounced the world in his quest for release from the cycle of Samsara.5 Jainism has a similar practice named Sallekhana, by which a Jain monk or layperson at the end of his lifetime or at the onset of serious illness attains death by gradual starvation.6 Sati or self-immolation by widows was prevalent in Hindu society during the Middle Ages. Suicide is generally not accepted in Buddhism and Confucianism but there are notable exceptions involving religiously motivated suicide. Buddhists see religiously motivated suicide as an act of sacrifice and worship.7 1.2. A concept from philosophical understanding Some see suicide as a legitimate matter of personal choice and a human right (colloquially known as the right to die movement), and maintain that no one should be forced to suffer against their will, particularly from conditions such as incurable disease, mental illness, and old age that have no possibility of improvement.8 Proponents of this view reject the belief that suicide is always irrational, arguing instead that it can be a valid last resort for those enduring major pain or trauma. This perspective is most popular in continental Europe, where euthanasia and other such topics are commonly discussed in parliament and has a good deal of support. The French-Algerian absurdist philosopher Albert Camus said that suicide was the rejection of freedom.9 A narrower segment of philosophers considers suicide something between a grave but condonable choice in some circumstances and a right for anyone (even a young and healthy person) who believes they have rationally and conscientiously come to the decision to end their own lives. Notable supporters of this school of thought include German pessimist philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Scottish empiricist David Hume. Bioethicist Jacob Appel has become the leading advocate for this position in the United States. Adherents of this view often advocate the abrogation of statutes that restrict the liberties of people known to be suicidal, such as laws permitting their involuntary commitment to mental hospitals.10 Schools of philosophy like Liberalism and Idealism supports the freedom of choice of
Hinduism euthanasia and suicide, http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/hinduethics/euth anasia.shtml, BBC. 25-08-2009, retrieved on 06/02/2011. 5 Harran, Suicide, The Encyclopedia of Religion, 125-131. 6 Harran, Suicide, The Encyclopedia of Religion, 125-131. 7 Harran, Suicide, The Encyclopedia of Religion, 125-131. 8 Xiaomin, Suicide: A Philosophical View, posted on Tuesday, November 20, 2007, http://tetchua.blogsp ot.com/2007/12/suicide-philosophical-view.html, retrieved on 7/2/2011. 9 Sartre analysis of Mersault, in Literary and Philosophical Essays, 1943. 10 JM Appel, A Suicide Right for the Mentally Ill? A Swiss Case Opens a New Debate, in The Hastings Center Report 37/3 (2007): 21-23.
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a particular individual whether to live or die. For nihilism everything is meaningless including suicide. For Deontology, suicide is unethical. Their proponent, Emmanuel Kant strongly argues against suicide in his book Fundamental Principles of The Metaphysic of Morals.11 2. The magnitude of suicide in the present generation Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death worldwide with about a million people dying by suicide annually. Over one million people commit suicide every year. The World Health Organization estimates that it is the thirteenth-leading cause of death worldwide.12 It is a leading cause of death among teenagers and adults under 35.13 Rates of suicide are higher in men than in women. 14 There are an estimated 10 to 20 million non-fatal attempted suicides every year worldwide. Worldwide suicide rates have increased by 60% in the past 50 years, mainly in the developing countries. A disproportionate amount of suicides in the world occur in Asia, which is estimated to account for up to 60% of all suicides. According to the World Health Organization, China, India and Japan may account for 40% of all world suicides.15 3. Types of suicide Suicide can be classified into three types: egoistic suicide, altruistic suicide and anomic suicide. 3.1. Egoistic suicide In this type of suicide the individual thinks of nothing else, nobody else but ones own misery or suffering or pain. It is selfish and thoroughly self-centered affair where an individual is not able to cope with his or her problem anymore and thinks that suicide is the only way out. It can be the voluntary surrender of ones life or may be a case of deliberate taking of ones life.16 3.2. Altruistic suicide

The self-sacrifice of ones life for someone else who is in danger or for a cause is called self-denial suicide or altruistic suicide. Laying down of a persons life for the sake of saving others who are in danger is generally come under this category of suicide. There are medical personnel who work in infectious
Philosophy of Suicide, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_suicide#cite_note2, retrieved on 7/2/2011. 12 WHO Statement: World Suicide Prevention Day 2008, World Health Organisation. 2008. WHO statement on 10th September, 2008. http://www.who.int/entity/mental_health/prevention/suicide/wspd_2008_st atement.pdf. Retrieved on 1/30/2011. 13 Mental Health and Substance Abuse: Facts and Figures, http://www.searo.who.int/en/section1174/se ction1199/section1567_6745.htm, Retrieved on 1/30/2011. 14 2006 fact sheet on Suicide: Adolescents and Young Adults, (San Francisco: National Adolescents Health Information Center, 2006), 2. 15 WHO Statement: World Suicide Prevention Day 2008, Retrieved on 1/30/2011. 16 Emmanuel E. James, Ethics: A Biblical Perspective (Bangalore: Theological Book Trust, 2001), 323.
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diseases hospitals or a Christian may be in danger of dying while witnessing for his faith during persecution or in hostile circumstances. Death may be the only consequence of such action but that person may be prepared to accept it because he or she may be convinced that his is an act of love or mercy or justice or a matter of sheer necessity of the moment.17 3.3. Anomic suicide An anomic suicide is a suicide caused by a sudden change in the victims environment; for example, a person may commit suicide if they lose their prestigious job and realize that their standard of living will be significantly lowered.18

4. Causes of Suicide
Human beings are unique, as are their reasons for committing suicide. An occasional fleeting thought passes through the minds of people at one time or the other, depending on individual strengths, weaknesses and life situations. Some factors known to influence suicide are low frustration tolerance, severe hostility, life expectations and failures, interpersonal conflicts between family members and peers, mental health problems, behavioral problems of alcohol and drug abuse, suffering from diseases such as HIV/AIDS, and other environmental factors. All of these things suggest that the main cause of suicide is disappointment.19 There are sociological, psychological and biological theories of suicide. A person may commit egoistic suicide if they feel disconnected from society. An altruistic suicide is committed for the betterment of the society and an anomic suicide is caused by a sudden change in the victims environment. Psychological theory of suicide suggests that suicide is the only solution to a problem causing excruciating pain and suffering. Biological theories attempt to find a relationship between neurotransmitters and suicide. Relationship between serotonin and suicide has been established by research.20 To live or not to live, are the questions constantly plaguing the mind of a potential suicide attempter, and understanding this depends on what is/was the problem in the present/past. However, not everyone will commit or complete the act as they are reminded by themselves or others about their role - family responsibilities or the care, love, affection and comfort that they can give and receive. Nevertheless, some people act impulsively, few plan definitively and others pass through a gradual process, with suicidal ideas and wishes becoming stronger over a period of time. These can drive a person from a stage of hopelessness-helplessness to a harmful state of self-destructive behavior. This process takes a person into states of self-despair, dejection, isolation, depression and finally, to the act. It is important to identify and address these issues to promote a healthy individual, family and society. Being aware of the steps shown below will help people to break this chain by intervening at the right time.
James, Ethics: A Biblical Perspective, 323. D. Needham, Suicide, Baker Encyclopaedia of Psychology and Counseling, second edition, edited by David G. Benner and Peter C. Hill (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1999): 11821185. 19 Emile Durkheim and George Simpson, Suicide: A study in Sociology (New York: The Free Press, 1951), 298. 20 D. Needham, Suicide, Baker Encyclopaedia of Psychology and Counseling, 11821185.
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Pathways to suicide21

5. The impact of suicide Suicide, by definition, is fatal. Those who attempt suicide and survive may have serious injuries like broken bones, brain damage, or organ failure. Also, people who survive often have depression and other mental health problems. Suicide also affects the community. Family and friends of people who commit suicide may feel shock, anger, guilt, and depression. The medical costs and lost wages associated with suicide also take their toll on the community. When an individual takes his or her life the impact of the death has a ripple effect. All who had a relationship to the person will feel a loss. The quality and intensity of that relationship have been identified as key variables influencing bereavement outcomes. 22 It has been estimated by various sources that for each person who dies by suicide, the number of people severely affected by the loss is between five and 10. This can represent a significant number as the circle

Mental Health and Substance Abuse: Facts and Figures, http://www.searo.who.int/en/Section1174/S ection1199/Section1567/Section1824_8080.htm, retrieved on 1/31/2011. 22 Mental and Behavioral disorder, Department of Mental health, World Health Organization, (Geneva, 2000), 7.

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is extended to include the contacts individuals and families make throughout their lives and within their communities.23 6. Biblical perspective of suicide The Bible tells of six self-killings. The best known is that of the betrayer Judas as recorded in Matthew. A thousand years earlier, King Saul fell on his sword rather than become a captive of the Philistines who had defeated his army. Another notable suicide is recorded in the Book of Judges. Samson desired to take revenge on the Philistines who had tortured him, and so he prayed: Please God, give me back my strength just this one time more, so that I can get even with the Philistines for making me blind. He then pushed against the pillars supporting the temple of the god Dagon and shouted. Let me die with the Philistines! When the building fell, Samson perished, along with many of his enemies. The biblical writers neither condemn nor commend those whom they record as having taken their own lives. Perhaps the narrators thought it was fitting for Samson, Saul and Judas to respond to their varied situations by committing suicide. The other three biblical suicides were minor Old Testament figures.24 Very few would argue with the fact that suicide is a direct breaking of the Sixth Commandment which is, You shall not murder. We are not to murder each other or ourselves.25 God created human beings in His image and each of us carries within us the potential to overcome the evil in this world, and to rule and reign with Christ in heavenly places. If we are Christians, we no longer belong to ourselves, but to God. We are overseers of our bodies and our lives (which belong to Him), and we are responsible to guard that which has been entrusted to us. Suicide is a grievous sin that seriously hurts both the heart of God, and those who loved the deceased. The pain of losing a loved one who took their own life is not easily healed, and often isnt fully healed until Heaven. Whether you are contemplating suicide or know someone who killed themselves, God wants you to know there is hope and life for you. He is the great Healer and Restorer of what has been lost or stolen. Christians are not only commanded to love others but also to love themselves (Matt. 22: 39; Eph. 5:28-29, 33). It is clear that suicide is not an act of self love but of self hatred therefore it directly disobeys Biblical commands.26 Many of the greatest saints and heroes of the Bible faced overwhelming depression and sometimes wrote that they wished they had never even been born. King David, (Psalm 13:2-4), the prophet Jeremiah, (Jeremiah 20:14-18), and Job, (Job 7:15-16) among others, all reached low points where they despaired of their very lives.

World Health Organization, (Geneva, 2000), 7. William E. Phipps, Christians Perspectives on Suicide, in The Christian Century, October 30, 1985, 970-972. 25 Timothy J. Demy and Gary P. Stewart, Suicide: A Christian Response: Crucial Considerations for choosing life (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1998), 165. 26 Demy and Stewart, Suicide: A Christian Response, 165.
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Job says, So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life. I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity (Job 7:15-16).27 Yet, each one of these men were blessed of God, and persevered through their trials as an example to us. Though they faced great suffering and injustice, they kept their faith in God and His goodness, and in so doing, were sustained and led into abundant life. Though we may get depressed from time to time, we believe that the act of suicide never takes place apart from demonic influences driving one to take their own life. Suicide is directly counter to the power of life that God has put so strongly into His creation. Everywhere we look we see life growing, even in the most hostile environments. This survival instinct is a gift from God. In fact, if He didnt bestow this gift upon His creation there probably wouldnt be any life on this planet at all! Suicide, then, is directly contrary to the will of God, and originated in the realm of the demonic host, who come only to steal, and to kill, and to destroy (John 10:10). Though demons may try to tempt us to kill ourselves, as Christians we have power over the devil and he cannot push us to do this if we sincerely call on the name of the Lord! 7. Preventive and curative measures of suicidal behavior The foremost thing in preventing or treating a suicidal patient is identifying the real cause or reason for the behavior. The distinction between treatment and prevention is essentially one of timing: in prevention we attempt to intervene before the onset of a problem; clinical treatment begins once a problem has developed and, too often, well after optimal points of intervention have passed.28 The preventive measures consist of: 1) Awareness, 2) Intervention and 3) Methodology. Pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy can be effective, particularly when used in combination. 29 Continued contact with a health care provider has proven effective in reducing the risk of suicide, especially in the early weeks after discharge from a hospital. A number of prevention programs show promise for reducing incidences of suicide and suicidal behaviors. Programs that address risk and protective factors at multiple levels are likely to be most effective. Many of those who commit suicide visit a non mental health clinician within the last month of their lives. These finding points to the important role primary care providers can play in identifying risk factors for suicide and in referring patients with suicidal intentions.30 Prevention of suicide can be done by propagating general awareness of the evil done by suicide in the family and the community as a whole. Volunteer organizations and NGOs can be set up to promote this. They can handle the short-term risk of suicide while professionals like doctors and psychiatrist are more proficient in handling longer-term suicide risk. Moreover a close interaction or understanding between the volunteers and the professional is needed to reach the end.31
King James Version. Donald W. Maris, at el., Preventive and Curative Measures of Suicidal behavior (New York: The Guilford Press, 2000), 509. 29 Maris, at el., Preventive and Curative Measures of Suicidal behavior, 510. 30 J. Kalafat, Prevention of Youth Suicide, in Healthy Children 2010: Enhancing Children Wellness by Weissberg R.P., T.P. Gullotta, et al. (Eds.) (Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Inc., 2010), 210. 31 L. Vijayakumar and S. Armson, Volunteer Perspectives on Suicide Prevention, in Prevention and Treatment of Suicidal Behavior: From Science to Practice, edited by Keith Hawton (New York: Oxford University Press Inc., 2005), 345.
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Pharmacotherapy: The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants unequivocally reduce symptoms of major depression and generalized anxiety in adults. It has been more difficult to demonstrate consistent effects among teenagers. Additionally, although antidepressants might be efficacious for depression, little evidence exists that antidepressants significantly lower suicide rates. There is strong and conclusive evidence that in adults with bipolar disorder, lithium as a part of long-term treatment acts as a protective factor against suicidal behavior. Especially in later adolescence, bipolar illness has classic adult features (showiness, pressured speech, decreased sleep, agitation, intense irritability). However, much academic controversy exists about the identification of bipolar illness in very young adolescents and prepubertal children. More research is needed to determine whether lithium is also effective at reducing suicide risk in teenagers.32 Religion and culture in prevention of suicide: Religion and cultural background also plays a significant role in committing suicide. For example in Muslim countries (e.g., Kuwait), where committing suicide is most strictly forbidden, the total suicide rate is close to zero (0.1 per 100,000 populations). In Hindu dominant country (like India) and Christian countries (e.g., Italy), the total suicide rate is around 10 per 100,000 (Hindu 9.6; Christian 11.2). In countries where suicide is permitted like Japan the rate is distinctly higher at 17.9 per 100,000 populations. At 25.6, the total suicide rate is markedly highest in Atheist or communist countries (e.g., China). Therefore, all these figures clearly tell us that prevention of suicide can also be done through religious motivation. In Christian countries, churches are taking initiative in teaching the evil of suicide to the general public. The Christian message of the sanctity of life should also be preached to the atheist and unbelievers so that they may become aware of the value of life and the grievous sin of committing suicide.33 Conclusion Suicide is a public health problem and should be dealt with every possible means to stop and bring those with suicidal behavior in the right treatment and cure. There are many reasons for which an individual commits suicide but we must remember that every human life is precious and valuable in the sight of God and He wants us to be a preserver of human life and soul. Therefore it is the urgent duty of a Christian to minister to the people who are in the high risk group. Ministering should include teaching them the Biblical principle of the sanctity of life and the value of human soul. On the other hand we should also be ready to sacrifice ourselves for the sake of God and His kingdom. As followers of Christ we should walk in the step of our Lord and Savior who gave Himself for the sake of humanity. However, that sacrifice should be motivated by love for God and His people which is the greatest commandment given by our Lord.

AJ Zametkin, MR Alter, & T Yemini, (2001) Suicide in teenagers: Assessment, management, and prevention, in Journal of American Medical Association, 286 (24): 31203125. 33 David Lester, Suicide Prevention: Resources for the Millennium (Philadelphia: Brunner-Routledge, 2001), 72-76.

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Bibliography
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Suicide as seen in Islam, http://www.inter-islam.org/Prohibitions/suicide.html, retrieved on 5/2/2011. Suicide, Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary of Current English, fourth edition, edited by A. P Cowie (Bath: Oxford University Press, 1994), 1286. Vijayakumar, L. and S. Armson. Volunteer Perspectives on Suicide Prevention. Prevention and Treatment of Suicidal Behavior: From Science to Practice. Edited by Hawton, Keith. New York: Oxford University Press Inc., 2005. WHO Statement: World Suicide Prevention Day 2008, World Health Organisation. 2008. WHO statement on 10th September, 2008. Xiaomin, Suicide: A Philosophical View, posted on Tuesday, November http://tetchua.blogsp ot.com/2007/12/suicide-philosophical-view.html, retrieved on 7/2/2011. 20, 2007,

Zametkin, AJ., MR Alter, & T Yemini. Suicide in teenagers: Assessment, management, and prevention. Journal of American Medical Association 286 /24 (2001): 3120-3125. 2006 fact sheet on Suicide: Adolescents and Young Adults, (San Francisco: National Adolescents Health Information Center, 2006), 2.