Would the Catholic Church see a death from taking unnecessary risks as suicide?

Question

I have two specific situations.

The first involves an older man with a wife and two children that loved to race cars. He was already wealthy enough to retire but despite the known risks, continued to race cars for his own enjoyment. He was killed recently in a car race. Would the Catholic Church see this death as suicide?

The second involves a younger man with a wife and two children who was obsessed with dangerous creatures. He was already wealthy enough to retire but continued to play with dangerous creatures despite the risks because it was his passion. He was killed recently by one of these creatures. Would the Catholic Church see this death as a suicide?

Thank you everyone that has answered.

I please ask that no reference be made to actual persons.

The question is sincere.

I ask it as I was recently speaking with a much older learned sincere Catholic person who remembers discussing this exact topic in group more than 20 years ago.

She recalls that the Church would have called it suicide if the risks of death were known (concious), unnecessary and still the choice was made to pursue them.

This in her view would have included someone who deliberately drove recklessly on the roads and someone who constantly played with wild and dangerous creatures.

It then made me think and I was curious to know if this view has evolved over time to be more lenient.

It is pertinant to me because I see a continuing disconnect in society, particularly with our younger generation between action and consequence and a growing disrespect for the sanctity of life.

A kind of "just do it" self-rightous attitude.

Thank you Mary's Daughter. From my perspective, you answer so far appears to be the most sincere and considered and helps resolve the issue for me. I will most probably give you best answer soon, but wish to leave a little bit more time for some more considered answers. Bless you too.

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

But given that the CCC also says, "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."

Does a "devil may care" or "at least I will die doing what I love" attitude knowing the risks full and well count as suicide?

Putting a gun to one's head may well be suicide, dying from Russian Roulette when using only one loaded chamber of a six-chamber gun may be suicide, then isn't taking unnecessary unproductive risk to life also risking suicide even if it is a 1-million chamber gun?

My Catholic friend just added, "it appears to be an immortal attitude, that is some people, groups, cultures appear not to have any respect for their mortality.".

Answer 1

Suicide requires the intent to kill oneself. Neither example you give fulfills that requirement.

I can't speak for whether or not it is sin--the Church teaches that you need gravity, full consent of the will and full knowledge. Only these men knew if they had full knowledge about whether or not there was any sin involved.

I think it's kind of like the difference between sin and occasion of sin. I hope that helps! God Bless!

Answer 2

Strange question. I don't presume to answer on behalf of the Catholic church but I cannot figure out why anyone would view these scenarios as suicide. Seems pretty silly to me. Every ones threshold for taking risks is different, this has nothing to do with suicide unless the person taking the risks is doing it with the aim of dying. It all depends on the motives of the person, not the fact that they are taking risks.

Answer 3

No, according to the Catholic Church a suicide is when you take your own life for no reason.
Like for instance, you feel you are depressed, and though you could have, you don't go get professional help, and you end up killing yourself. THAT is suicide. Killing yourself for no reason.
Now, martyrs on the other hand, are not classified as suicide because they died for their faith. And getting killed protecting someone else isn't suicide either.
So, the two men you talk about would not be considered suicide because they did not intentionally go out to get killed.

Answer 4

No, I do not think the catholic Church would see either of these deaths as a suicide because in neither case did the men intend to end their lives by their actions.

Answer 5

Richard Petty didn't intend to crash his car.... and he was a christian...

And the Croc Hunter wasn't obsessed with dangerous creatures. He was a conservationist. He wanted to show people why they should respect wildlife.. and a lot of what he did was for show for the cameras and wasn't as dangerous as it looked.
And Sting Rays are inherantly NON violent...

And neither intended to die... so NO, it wasn't suicide...

Your argument is like saying that if your so poor you can't buy food and you starve your committing suicide...

A little ridiculous dont you think?

Answer 6

I doubt they would see it as suicide. Maybe if someone stopped caring about themselves, and put themselves in harms way because they didn't care if they lived or died - that could be seen as suicide.

Answer 7

Suicide, no matter the religion, is the INTENTIONAL causing of ones own death... Do any of these scenarios fit that...? No...

Answer 8

NO theyre not stupid