Suicide-- Brave or Condemning?

Question

In early Japanese culture, should a samurai be captured in battle ( or have any other disgrace tarnish his name), he would have the opportunity to take his sword and commit suicide. This "courageous" act (seen as such because it usually is a difficult thing to do) would redeem the samurai and bring honor back to his name. Should he hesitate, he would be beheaded and have dishonor tarnish his name for eternity.


In (primarily, but not limited to) Christian society, suicide is an unforgivable sin because it casts away God's precious gift of life. It is seen as cowardly because they see it as an escape from problems which the person would not overcome. The sinner would forever burn in hell wallowing in their torment.



Knowing these two sides of the subject. what do you think????

Answer 1

Whether this is Brave or Condemning is highly dependent on one's motive.

For instance, the people of Al Quaeda commited suicide with the belief that they were benefitting their people, so they would be considered brave in doing it (altruistic suicide). The samuri would also be brave.

Now, if I was to commit suicide because my wife just divorced me and took the kids, it would be a selfish act and at the same time be the act of a person who is very weak (emotionally).

What Christians do not understand is that the Bible is not concrete. This is a guide to how we should live our lives. If the Bible was the ultimate rulebook for life, then would it not be true that the sun revolves around the earth and that the earth is a cube? My point is, the Bible says that taking your own life is sin, no matter what, though it does not say which conditions. If you killed yourself to prevent yourself from being forced to blaspheme God, would it still be sin? If you killed yourself to benefit your people (blowing yourself up with a bomb to kill a terrorist that is plotting to destroy a building or something like that), would you still be sent to hell? I highly doubt it.

Brave if you are committing suicide as a selfless act or act of pride.

Condemned if you are committing suicide in result of cowardess and selfishness. If you commit suicide as a way out, you will be looked down upon by THE ALMIGHTY GOD AND SAVIOR!

Answer 2

I don't think it matters what your religion is, or even if you believe in G"d. I do think that life is precious, and that we should appreciate this chance on earth where we have the possibility of developing our soul. We also have a "built in" defence mechanism, where we have the urge to continue to live.
There are three main reasons for this "defence mechanism" to shut down. The first is depression, and the second is desperation and the third is "sacrifice your life to THE cause". All spring from mental illnesses and extreme negative feelings which a person can harbour.
As previously mentioned, the first is depression. This often occurs often in the West, where people are affluent (relatively), bored and extremely lonely. When a person has no sense of purpose in his or her life and feels an engulfing emptiness. People need a sense of community (real life, not cyber), especially young people need a role models, or at least, someone they can turn to, and to be involved. This is very sad, because usually the feeling of wanting to commit suicide is spontaneous and a spur of the moment thing. With the right support, this same person that wants to commit suicide, could "snap out of it", and afterwards be very relieved that he or she did not succeed in their mission. I wonder how many people acted on impulse. Very very sad.
The second reason I mentioned, desperation, is somehow connected to the third. When we lose our possessions or lose our health, or like in conflict areas, where people lose their friends & family, possessions, their chance for a future and are humiliated, these people are much easier to persuade to do "reckless" things. They are manipulated into doing things, such as sacraficing their life to a cause, i.e., suicide bomber, or for that matter, a Samurai. The difference, though, between a Samurai and a suicide bomber is the aim. The Samurai killed himself only, while the suicide bomber kills himself in the attempt of taking as many (other) lives as possible.
For the Samurai, it was not an unforgivable sin to take his own life. It was an unforgivable sin to be captured. And do not forget, a Samurai that was caught, was usually killed. So he spared himself this humiliation.
As you mentioned, the Christian society does consider suicide as a sin. But the Christian society has no problem with sending their boys & girls into war. That is a form of suicide as well; the boys & girls do not choose to die, they are killed, but they know their chances of survival.
I do think life is precious. I also think it is unacceptable to push or manipulate others into endangering their own life.
But when one becomes terminally ill, then i think we should respect the wishes of the person that is ill. If that person wants to end life because he are she will suffer for an additional few months, mabye they should have the right to choose.

Answer 3

I believe it's semi-cultural. I do not think those Japanese wrong for killing themselves to uphold the family honor. Their death had a purpose. Jesus' death had a purpose, and, in a BIZARRE way, was somewhat of a suicide. I mean, he DID have power to call down angels to get him off that cross, didn't he?......

And I don't know where it's said that suicide is an unforgivable sin. As far as I know, the only unforgivable sin is blaspheming the holy spirit (which people still have different thoughts on what exactly that is). For American culture, and most "Christian" culture, suicide is the most selfish act imaginable. It affects everyone surrounding that person. People feel guilty because they believe that perhaps they could have helped that person. Suicides have almost no purpose than cowardess and to run from mistakes and pain. It takes people of great courage to FACE those mistakes and live through the pain. That's how we grow and become people of great depth.

SO, from my standpoint: suicide is wrong unless there is a pure purpose behind it. Too bad. Seems like such a great way out sometimes....

Answer 4

Come on now... If you are either of the two- japanese (samuri) or catholic/christian then your opinion is an obviouse one... that being said neither of the latter are true. Suicide happens when your whole self is not all there. As human beings we should respect their wishes of wanting to leave a world where they were trapped in their own minds and had no choice and no way out. Not judge them. Also as far as the honor goes who's to say they don't deserve it. They did what was right by their country and their families. Personally i'd rather live, that's just me though. Some would even argue that a type and measurement of brainwashing would need to be taken into account. I say love your loved ones alive or dead and if you don't have any sort of connection or relation to the deceased then just be tolerant and not ignorant.

Answer 5

Keeping religion out of it suicide is nothing more than a selfish act to torment the people left to deal with aftermath. But if someone is in physical pain from a fatal disease with no chance of recovery, i completely believe a person should be allowed to take their own life. I find your question so interesting because one could go off on so many different tangents. I also think the contrast of cultures is hard to compare but this is the best question I have read so far and great for a discussion.thanks

Answer 6

I've always felt that suicide was the coward's way out...that it was actually easier to kill oneself than to face what awaited if one didn't.

However, we must realize that some people who do this are mentally ill...usually depressed...and are not in their right minds when attempting suicide.

We also must realize that different cultures view things differently...such as what bravery and cowardice are.

I (as long as I was in my right mind) would not commit suicide...I value life very much.

Some people, as soon as they hear they have some disease (which may be treatable in some cases) think that suicide is the answer.
Though, on hearing that you have a particular disease, you may feel that death and suffering will follow in the near future, anyway...and not really be thinking clearly.

I think a lot of this goes along with family and/or religious beliefs--and would be different from one person to the next.

If I ever did anything against the law, I would probably think that dying would be easier than spending the rest of my life in prison...but was raised to think of suicide the same as of homicide.
Many people believe much differently on that matter.

Answer 7

Suicide is a terrible thing to do to those who love and care about you. I know from personal experience. It affected my feelings for this person, because I had always held them in high esteem and respected them very much. Nobody, including me, had ANY idea they were thinking of taking their life.

I do not agree with "Christian" belief regarding choosing your own death - we supposedly have "free will", so why would using your free will towards yourself be considered a "sin"? Being sentenced to "hell" for using something "god" graced you with is hypocritical to say the least. I know of nothing in the biblical teachings that relates suicide with cowardliness either. I thought suicides did not go to "heaven" OR "hell", but were stuck somewhere in between in a placed called "purgatory".

Suicide, to me, IS the lazy selfish way out IF there IS a way out - usually there is. Suicide should ALWAYS be the very last thing you consider as a way to feel better.

Answer 8

Life is gift given by God and only he should take it away. To commit murder on oneself is not seen as honorable, especially if it is to make someone else feel better about themselves by giving them honor, at the expense of your God given gift, which nobody is worthy of taking away. If someone commits suicide out of psychological problems then that is a sad event I believe the religions will excuse it out of insanity on the killer. If it is for a 'noble' reason, it is unacceptable. I think the Samurai would feel too much shame and face problems so it would make it easier for him psychologically to take his life rather than face the consequences of how society and family would treat him. Today we do not like to put people in such a terrible position, making oneself feel better at the cost of another's life.

Answer 9

There is no connection, In the west, people who commit suicide are usually dealing with problems they can't overcome, and they see suicide as a way out of their problems. This has nothing to do with religion, you have had priests commit suicide, it is an extreme act. and it's neither a cowardly act or courageous. usually it is an act of desperation.

Answer 10

The samurai were a warrior for the books! they probably didnt believe in what christians do but. but to tell u the truth i would rather be a samurai than a christian any day! i have no religion i dont have a need for one.