Why do people think that those who commit suicide go to hell?

Question

Now, I am NOT pro-suicide by any means, but it just doesn't make sense to me. Mental illness is a medical problem, caused by chemical imbalances in the brain...that is common knowledge. Do diabetics, or people with heart disease, renal problems, etc go to hell because of their various diseases?

I just think it's a terrible stress on the family of suicide victims to think that not only was their loved one tormented in life, but there is a good chance they are being tormented in their afterlife as well?

Any thoughts on this?

Uh, yeah...I don't want to commit suicide by the way...and nothing in my post even resembles that. I was just posing a question in people's beliefs regarding suicide. Seriously.

Answer 1

THE tragic news of a suicide does not close a chapter in the lives of relatives and friends; it opens one—a chapter of mixed feelings of pity and anger, sorrow and guilt. And it raises the question: May we entertain any hope for our friend who took his or her life?

Although self-inflicted death is never justified, never righteous, the apostle Paul did hold out a beautiful hope for even some unrighteous ones. As he told a Roman court of law: “I have hope toward God . . . that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.”—Acts 24:15.
Many theologians have long dismissed any suggestion that the resurrection of the unrighteous might offer hope for those who commit suicide. Why?

Centuries ago, churchmen introduced a non-Biblical concept: immortal souls that leave the body at death and go straight to heaven, purgatory, Limbo, or hell. That concept clashed with the Bible’s clear teaching of a future resurrection. As Baptist minister Charles Andrews asked: “If the soul is already blissfully in heaven (or is already justifiably roasting in hell), what need is there for anything further?” He added: “This inner contradiction has remained to plague Christians throughout the centuries.”

One result of such errant theology was that “since Augustine’s time [354-430 C.E.], the church has condemned suicide as a sin,” says Arthur Droge in the Bible Review, “a sin beyond redemption, just like apostasy and adultery.”

Jesus told a criminal sentenced to death: “You will be with me in Paradise.” The man was unrighteous—a lawbreaker rather than a distraught suicide victim—guilty by his own frank admission. (Luke 23:39-43) He had no hope of going to heaven to rule with Jesus. So the Paradise in which this thief could hope to come back to life would be the beautiful earth under the rule of Jehovah God’s Kingdom.—Matthew 6:9, 10; Revelation 21:1-4.

For what purpose will God awaken this criminal? So that He mercilessly can hold his past sins against him? Hardly, for Romans 6:7, 23 says: “He who has died has been acquitted from his sin,” and “the wages sin pays is death.” Although his past sins will not be accounted to him, he will still need the ransom to lift him to perfection.

Only God can fully understand the role of mental sickness, extreme stress, even genetic defects, in a “suicidal crisis,” which, the National Observer noted, “is not a lifetime characteristic [but] often a matter only of minutes or of hours.”
Granted, one who takes his own life deprives himself of the opportunity to repent of his self-murder. But who can say whether one driven to suicide might have had a change of heart had his fatal attempt failed? Some notorious murderers have, in fact, changed and earned God’s forgiveness during their lifetime.
Thus, Jehovah, having paid “a ransom in exchange for many,” His Son, is within his right to extend mercy, even to some self-murderers, by resurrecting them and giving them the precious opportunity to “repent and turn to God by doing works that befit repentance.”

The Scriptures encourage us to see ourselves, not as immortal souls, but as valuable creations of the God who loves us, who treasures our being alive, and who looks forward with joy to the time of the resurrection.

4000 years had passed from Adam & Eve, Jesus said to a Religious Leader that no one had gone to Heaven, and millions of people had passed away in death. This is a quote from the King James Bible:

John 3:13 " And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven,"
it seems to me, this would eliminate the "immortal soul" belief, not only that, if you go to Heaven or Hell when you die, you completely do away with the resurrection that the Bible speaks about, because the resurrection is suppose to take place after Jesus comes the second time, and that has not happened.

Answer 2

Context. The old testament is oral history of small bands of jews wandering around the desert. They relied on each other to work as a team to survive. Anything that threatened the safety of the group was added to the laws. Thou shalt not kill and all that are pretty obvious, but the more subtle things like a ban on suicide makes sense in this context. They couldn't afford to lose anyone out of the group. Kosher is another example - an early form of food safety, as are some sexual morals. Can you imagine the havoc created by an adulterous affair? It could rip the community apart and people would die. The real question is do you accept this, or is it gods law? Personally I believe it to be true, and I live by a reduced set of strictures.

Answer 3

According to Revelation, hell and hades are the same. And Revelation 20;14 states that hades and death will be done away with...cast into the lake of fire...total destuction.. So hades cannot be a permanent place of torment. Rather it is associated with death and this can only mean it is the common grave of mankind. This then agrees with (Revelation 21:4) And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”

As to suicides being punished AFTER death, the Bible says nothing specific, except (Ezekiel 18:4) Look! All the souls—to me they belong. As the soul of the father so likewise the soul of the son—to me they belong. The soul that is sinning—it itself will die.
Suicide is a sin against God. And once dead, Ecclesiastes 9; 5,6 applies.

Answer 4

Christians are not perfect, they are forgiven. Everyone sins, no one should throw stones. Suicide is considered "the ultimate sin" because we cannot ask for forgiveness before we do something wrong(because you know it's wrong and do it anyway). If suicide is your decision, you can't ask for it when you are dead. It is a hard answer when it comes to mental instability. I believe that if you are truly mentally unstable then the Lord up above will know your heart and make a decision of his choice. Now I also know that the ultimate sacrifice is considered when a person gives there life for others. Is that not suicide or is it really the ultimate sacrifice. That's the big question!

Answer 5

I am a cradle Catholic. I remember back in the 60's suicide victims were not allowed a Christian burial. Since then the Church has prayerfully changed their thinking in that area among others. The Church teaches that no one knows the state of a persons mind at the time of the act accept God. They are now, and have been for some time, allowed to have a Christian burial. The Church is made up of humans and therefore is flawed. We have made mistakes in the past and will probably make more in the future.

Answer 6

I can find nowhere in the Bible that it says punishment for suicide is hell, contrary in fact.

Isaiah 28:15-18
15-Because ye have said, we have made a covenant with death,
and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge
shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: For we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
16-Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believith shall not make haste.
17-Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
18-And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourage shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.

I think going by this passage from the Bible, that if a person does commit suicide, they won't go to hell, Vs.18 is the closest thing I've seen that says anything about it. There are other places in the Bible that talks about suicidal thoughts, and Judas committed suicide after betraying Jesus (Matthew 27:3-5) but it never mentions the price ones soul pays.

Answer 7

Of course I have thoughts on this! That's why I am in this goofy forum!

In the context of Christianity -- if you are born-again, you are going to Heaven. Full stop, that's it. Born again of incorruptible seed. No one can take it back, you can't lose it by sin or suicide.

Personally, I think suicide is incredibly sane. In some cases it might have to do with chemical imbalances and the things you list. But, life can be just too hard for some and they have little hope in today's world.

Why go on? Certainly not to appease the family. Ultimately it's a purely selfish act. And anyone who chooses that act -- I choose to respect. I respect them and their choice.

Answer 8

I know several people that attempted or thought about suicide at least once in their lives. The reason people say suicide victims go to hell is because it's an act of selfishness. It's as if they are not thinking of their loved ones' feelings once they are gone. Let's say this dude has a few friends and commits suicide, but his mom and these aforementioned friends have unconditional love for him. A religious person would say that the people who loved him would be hurt by his self-inflicted actions, and that is the selfish part: not thinking of your loved ones. Therefore, suiciders go to hell. Seems a bit unfair. Apparantly, this all-loving God is supposed to love us no matter what, but not enough to save us from the eternal damnation of the pits of hell.

Answer 9

i've been christian for twenty years, and i have struggled with suicide for twelve years, so i have done some studying on the subject. i don't see anything to confirm this belief, however common it may be. for one, i don't believe that sins you commit and haven't resolved before death count against you, because we all sin everyday, many times. it would be impossible to go with a clean slate. if anything, swallowing a bottle of pills and then asking forgiveness for it may be the MOST likely way of dying guilt-free. and there isn't really anything in the bible about purgatory, etc. furthermore, suicide may or may not even be a sin. there are only a few of suicides mentioned in the bible (saul, judas iscariot) and they are recorded without comment on them being wrong. finally, while a lot of people talk about how life is God's wonderful gift to us, the bible also teaches that this life is brief and meaningless, and ultimately, we'll all be a lot better off in eternity with christ than we will here.

Answer 10

People believe this because the Romans who created the Bible said it is so. 1,700 years of preaching the same thing somehow becomes accepted fact.
I believe this was incorporated into religion to control the masses to perpetuate power to the rulers (Pope) and safeguard the economy. Who would pay taxes, work as slaves, and remain good subjects to the tyrants if they had the option of suicide without consequences?
Where would the wealthy and powerful rulers of the U.S. be if all the middle and lower classes committed suicide?
Mark Twain once said that we should appreciate, not condemn all the fools in the world. For without them, how would we make a living?

Answer 11

Those who are adamant that a person who takes his life is committing a mortal sin, and will go to hell, are basing their belief on church doctrine rather than on the Bible. Scripture is silent on the subject. There are no verses that say "He who takes his own life shall be damned. According to Scripture, only one sin does not have forgiveness, and that is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. That means there is forgiveness for every other sin

Some quote 1 Corinthians 3:17, which says that God will destroy someone who defiles the temple of the Holy Spirit. Yet, there is disagreement about what it means to defile the temple. Does this include suicide? Does it include illicit drug abuse (slow suicide), prescription drug abuse, cigarettes (deliberately breaking in poisons that will eventually kill) tattoos, over-eating (digging a grave with your spoon), or alcohol abuse?

God forbid that we add to the pain of someone who has lost a loved on through the tragedy of suicide, by making a judgment about their eternal destiny. God is the ultimate Judge, and we should therefore leave the issue in His hands. It would be wise to follow biblical example and not come to any verdict in the case of suicide.