Assisted Suicide and Religion

[SharpenedMoonlight]

Recently in my Philosophy class we were discussing death and dying, as in when to let someone die when there is no hope of saving them. Eventually they got to the topic of refusing treatment and I thought "I remember the days when I was hardcore religious. I knew that suicide was a huge sin and by killing yourself, you went to Hell for that sin. Does that mean that all suicides are eternally damned? That's awful. There are some kind and generous people that have done nothing wrong that killed themselves. But they're condemned." And then I got to wondering what defines suicide. Would refusing medical treatment count as suicide? It's treatment that could save your life, albeit it may be painful, expensive, and you may have nothing but a miserable life, but in a sense you are still killing yourself by refusing treatment. Is that suicide? Are you going to Hell for not going through that 12th round of radiation therapy? Or because in your living will you stated that you didn't want to be ressucitated when you flatlined? Because in doing so, that gives you a choice to die. And choosing to die, isn't that suicide? So doesn't that mean eternal damnation?
I'm not trying to offend or hurt anyone, I'm asking what people think.  

[cleolvtempus]

I have actually never heard anyone pose that perspective. It is a valid concept especially with regards to religious understandings of suicide and damnation. the concept of choosing when you die i feel would be considered a form of suicide but in a different way that is less definitive as suicide, not as in your not fully dead since dead is dead no matter how you get there, but as in you are not taking your own life but letting what ever is already killing you to finish its job. I think the religious argument against this perspective would be that its gods will for you do die that way and therefore you are refusing treatment because it would mean interfering with gods will. its not suicide because you are not in essence choosing to die you are just accepting the fact that god wants you to die and has chosen you do so in this such and such manner.
I like this topic and concept. i think i might debate this further with some other in school. thanks for the idea!
Cleo  

[Naunii Kato]

I really like this, it reminds me of something I would come up with. Anyways, If I had to put my opinion on the matter, then in offence in no way to the person who posted above me, but I have to disagree with her. (In my opinion, understand I'm not speaking for anyone but myself ) I'm more of an atheist than anything but I use to be hardcore religious and I changed big time for no real reason but my own. Anyways. First of all, God does not choose paths for everone. People die who knows when and its not decided by anybody. The concept of Sin's and the Bible were made by man. Strait out, they had nothing to do with any godly figure. They were created by human, everyone needs to get over that subject and understand it. I don't care if people say "Those people had special encounters with god or angels or religous figures that told them to write that." Anyone could say that... I could randomly come out and make a five hundered thousand page book on what I think happened in life as well and tell everyone god told me to write it... Get the picture? Anyways. In asnwer to your question, through my simple minded opinion would be this. Everything people say here about 'Heaven' or 'God' or what he says, goes, is wrong. Its just what they want to believe so they prive on it. I think God has reasons to things. When you die (No matter what the cause: Suicide/ accident/ natural/ etc. ) Then he'll decide if he wants you there or not. Plain and simple... Just means all is waited till the time comes. Its not like god watches as a new baby is born and is like "Yep, that kids gunna comit suicide because he was being abused in his home, yep, gotta remember to make him go to hell for that..." Yeah, get my point?

Like everyone else, this was not suppose to be offending in anyways. Simply sharing my opinion. emotion_bigvein

 

[cleolvtempus]

Naunii Kato

I really like this, it reminds me of something I would come up with. Anyways, If I had to put my opinion on the matter, then in offence in no way to the person who posted above me, but I have to disagree with her. (In my opinion, understand I'm not speaking for anyone but myself ) I'm more of an atheist than anything but I use to be hardcore religious and I changed big time for no real reason but my own. Anyways. First of all, God does not choose paths for everone. People die who knows when and its not decided by anybody. The concept of Sin's and the Bible were made by man. Strait out, they had nothing to do with any godly figure. They were created by human, everyone needs to get over that subject and understand it. I don't care if people say "Those people had special encounters with god or angels or religous figures that told them to write that." Anyone could say that... I could randomly come out and make a five hundered thousand page book on what I think happened in life as well and tell everyone god told me to write it... Get the picture? Anyways. In asnwer to your question, through my simple minded opinion would be this. Everything people say here about 'Heaven' or 'God' or what he says, goes, is wrong. Its just what they want to believe so they prive on it. I think God has reasons to things. When you die (No matter what the cause: Suicide/ accident/ natural/ etc. ) Then he'll decide if he wants you there or not. Plain and simple... Just means all is waited till the time comes. Its not like god watches as a new baby is born and is like "Yep, that kids gunna comit suicide because he was being abused in his home, yep, gotta remember to make him go to hell for that..." Yeah, get my point?

Like everyone else, this was not suppose to be offending in anyways. Simply sharing my opinion. emotion_bigvein

You didn't understand my comment. First off it is not my own personal view, i agree with you that the bible and religion itself was made by man not by a supreme being, but that is not what this topic was asking/debating. and in answer to the topic's question i felt that in my own non-christian/catholic view point that it could be considered to be suicide when looking at the Christian/catholic understanding of suicide and that they would ague against that view point with the religious understanding that its gods will that they die in whatever manner it is that they die and not their own, and therefore by refusing to accept treatment to potentially survive a cancer or what have you it is not considered suicide and therefore they would not be damned and sent to hell. What you are arguing is in essence the existence or lack there of of a god and the legitimacy of religion, not the understanding from the religious perspective of whether or not refusing medical treatment could be considered suicide and therefore count along side other forms of suicide and be sent to hell. the debate you want to get in on is in the topic in this sub-forum called does god exist or not and its actually quite good, although it has recently died off as people have said their part and left it at that ^_^
Cleo