Suicide: The Wrong Exit

 

It is with heavy heart that I composed this post. I had never personally known anyone who had committed suicide---until last month. I received a phone message that my friend "Peter" (not his real name---Introibo) had tragically taken his own life. I had written on the painful and incredibly sad life of Peter before; See introiboadaltaredei2.blogspot.com/2022/04/covering-up-obvious.html. I cannot do his story justice here in a short synopsis, so I kindly ask you to read the whole story at the above referenced post.

Suicide is tragic in the extreme. I'm still reeling from the shock and sorrow in the aftermath, and wondering if there was anything more I could have done. He showed no signs of being suicidal and left no note. I'm writing this post to honor Peter's memory. I will set forth Church teaching on the topic, explain the possible causes of suicide, and expose the modern world's attempt to make taking your own life seem acceptable (at best) or even noble (at worst). In this way, maybe I can prevent someone from taking their life, no matter how bad their circumstances may be; and although we all must all leave this world one day, they may realize that suicide is the wrong exit.  

Church Teaching on Suicide

Suicide is either direct or indirect, according to both the intention and mode. A person who kills himself from knowledge and choice makes the act direct. The mode is direct if what is done tends by its very nature to cause death (e.g., taking a lethal dose of cyanide). Someone who is mentally ill would only kill himself indirectly. The mode is indirect if that which is done tends from its nature to another end, i.e. to struggle with a criminal wielding a gun. It is wrong to assume that all people are mentally ill, and the suicide is only indirect (although one is free to assume a majority may be psychologically disturbed). N.B. If someone mentally disturbed  kills himself, it would, in most cases, not constitute mortal sin, and they may not be damned. For sin to be mortal, the matter must be serious, and it must be done with full knowledge it is wrong and full consent of the will. The mentally disturbed will most likely lack the full knowledge and/or full consent of the will for mortal sin---Introibo

 Direct  suicide is always a mortal sin that deprives the person of ecclesiastical burial unless they were able to give signs of repentance before death (See Canon 1240, section 3). If the person who attempts suicide is unsuccessful, they are subject to various penalties pronounced in Canon 2350, section 2. If it is doubtful that the person killed himself, the doubt is decided in the decedent's favor that he did not, provided there would be no scandal. 

Suicide is a grave sin for three (3) reasons:

1.It is a most grave offense against the rights of God. The act usurps God's authority over life and death. "Thou, O Lord, hast the power of life and death." (Wisdom 16: 13). Human life has intrinsic worth because it comes from God, and God wills the salvation of all. The Second Person of the Blessed Trinity took on a human nature and died for humanity, to give all a chance to get to Heaven. 

2. It is a grave offense against society. A community has the right to be benefited by the lives of their members. It has a demoralizing effect on those who loved the person. People valuable to society would rashly kill themselves in a fit of depression thinking they are not valuable. Even members of society not able to contribute in any substantial, material way would deprive others of an example of fortitude, or the opportunity to show charity and mercy to the needy. 

3. It is a grave offense against the natural law. You cannot "love thy neighbor as thyself," unless there is love of self (not inordinate). Those who kill themselves to escape pain and miseries, incur the greater evils of death and moral cowardice, to be followed by eternal damnation--the greatest of all evils and suffering.  

(Material above condensed from theologians McHugh and Callan, Moral Theology, [1930], 2: 117-123).

The Alarming Statistics

Between 2020 and 2021, suicide rates alarmingly increased.  According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the statistics are startling:

• Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S.
• Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for individuals ages 20 to 34.
• Suicide rates increased 37 percent between 2000 and 2018 and decreased 5 percent between 2018 and 2020. However, rates nearly returned to their peak in 2021. 
• Each year, nearly 48,000 Americans die by suicide – that is 132 per day or 1 death ever 11 minutes.

(See brownhealth.org/be-well/rise-suicide)

Those are scary numbers. Next, consider the suicide statistics concerning young people from jasonfoundation.com:

• Suicide is the SECOND leading cause of death for ages 10-24

• Suicide is the SECOND leading cause of death for college-age youth and ages 12-18 

• More teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, and chronic lung disease, COMBINED

• Each day in our nation, there are an average of over 5,240 suicide attempts by young people grades 7-12

Common Causes/Risk Factors of Suicide

• mental health conditions
• serious or chronic health conditions, particularly chronic pain
• traumatic brain injuries
• recent suicide attempts or recent discharge from a psychiatric unit
• access to lethal means
• prolonged exposure to stress
• stressful life events, such as a death, relationship break-up, or job loss
• exposure to another person’s suicide
• a history of suicide attempts
• a family history of suicide
• experiencing childhood abuse, neglect, or trauma
• use of alcohol and/or drug abuse

(See Op. cit.)

Things Connected to Suicide and Almost Never Discussed

There are four (4) contributing factors to suicide in today's culture that are hardly ever discussed. Each will be examined in turn. They are:

• Involvement with the occult
• Protestant and Modernist theology
• Glamorization of suicide in the media
• Acceptance of assisted suicide for the sick and elderly

Involvement with the Occult

I came across this article, written in 2017, which demonstrates exactly this point. The website containing the article is non-religious, and well worth reprinting here:

As occult practices are on the rise, contemporary theologians become increasingly interested in psychology, with many Christian authors wrestling with the question of how demons can influence mental disorders.

It is only fair to say, people with psychological problems should receive psychological treatment: and indeed the majority of therapists will point blank refuse to link depression with virtually any form of witchcraft, magic or occult involvement. But an increasing number of theologians appear less inclined to accept occultism as an innocuous pastime.

So, the question is: Can we screen episodes of mental illness from, literally, the devil's work?

While many forms of depression result from a chemical imbalance, it is usually a combination of events and a variety of long-term or personal factors, rather than one immediate issue that breed anxiety and depression. And as any mental disorder goes, it will be medical practitioners and therapists who administer treatments upon tracing the root cause of the problem.

But whereas it may be difficult to tell whether certain patterns of depressive behavior are innate or inherited, the article published last week in Open Theology suggests, a contact with the Satanic and occult rituals may trigger off psychopathological reactions. Psychopaths are generally less likely to suffer from typical depressive disorders, but drawing upon an extensive research, Dr. Zlatko Sram from Croatian Center for Applied Social Research argues, that people who practice black magic or have otherwise occult bondage in their history are particularly susceptible to comorbidity of depression and psychopathy.

The author conducted a survey on over one thousand participants and found strong evidence that people suffering from depression and psychopathy simultaneously are attracted to satanic practices as a means of obtaining magical power and control over their destiny—regardless of their sex or ethnic origin. The research categorized different esoteric practices that spanned from psychic séances, through black magic, to engaging with an occult society or reading books and magazines dealing with esoteric and occult issues. Psychopathy and depression were significantly predictive of "satanic syndrome" in individuals who had been subjected to the occult involvement, suffering bouts of depression and mental disorders nearly twice as often compared to the rest of society. Given the nature of the satanic syndrome, namely the fact that it is measured by specific occult practices, the author suggests to verify the scale of the problem in psychiatric hospitals and clinics.

This key correlation yields new perspective on the early-onset depression. "This is an important study in that it takes ontological claims seriously and supports the real possibility that demonic forms of bondage may be linked to psychopathology as [...] evil forces can interfere in human behavior." comments Prof. Ralph W. Hood from University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

(See medicalxpress.com/news/2017-01-occult-depression-psychopathy.html; Emphasis mine). 

Protestant and Modernist Theology

The Protestant doctrine of "salvation by faith alone" lends itself to suicide. After all, if you believe in Christ and are guaranteed Heaven, if your life on Earth is miserable, why not kill yourself and go to paradise? The typical Protestant response to get out of that logical extension of their doctrine is to say, "If you REALLY believed, you wouldn't commit suicide" (so you can never be sure your faith is "real"), or "Once you are born-again you will not want to kill yourself" thereby implying you're not really "born-again" if you commit suicide. 

The Vatican II sect has eliminated any idea of Hell (or if it does exist no one--or almost no one--goes there. Peter was hit by a double dose of heresy, from the Vatican II sect in which he was raised (and abused), and from the "born-again" heresy to which he converted. It might have convinced him suicide would put him in a better place.

Glamorization of Suicide in the Media

Here, I give but two examples:

In 2017-2020, there was the Netflix series, 13 Reasons Why, which was based on an internationally bestselling book of the same name by author Jay Asher. It chronicles the story of Clay Jenson who has received cassette tapes in a package and hears the voice of deceased classmate Hannah Baker. He's one of 13 people who receive Hannah's story, which details the circumstances that led to her suicide. The show glorifies teenage suicide. Hannah was a victim of rape, cyber-bullying and other evil acts. She kills herself to "get revenge" on the thirteen people who wronged her. This female "protagonist" is shown as a "martyr," thereby displaying the show's complete disregard (and a warped understanding) of martyrdom. It also romanticizes suicide as "heroic."

The 2016 movie Me Before You is a PSA for assisted suicide. The movie tells the story of Will Traynor, who is a good-looking, wealthy, and intelligent young man. Will's spinal chord is irreparably damaged when a motorcycle strikes him as he crosses the street chasing a cab. He cannot accept his new life as a quadriplegic facing profound physical limitations, pain, and recurring episodes of pneumonia that undermine his efforts to rehabilitate what is left of his upper body function. He is determined to end his life even after meeting and falling in love with Louisa Clark (Lou), a quirky, young working-class woman from his hometown whom his mother employs in the hopes her companionship can help Will find the desire to live. He eventually argues that his death is his gift to Lou to free her from the bonds her devotion to him would place on her life. It seems a strange way to say “I love you.”

He is committed to dying because he used to be an athletic, adventurous, sexual player with considerable resources to thrill-seek in stunning international locales. One cynically could conclude if Will had been introverted, clumsy, and less attractive, the tragedy of his loss might have been more bearable for him. There is frequent mention of how much pain he is in, but it is difficult to determine whether this is primarily psychological pain. At one point Nathan, Will’s in-home medical healthcare provider, illustrates Will’s suffering for Lou by explaining Will often dreams he is his old self skiing, then endures the pain of waking up to this terrible reality. That is reason enough for Nathan to voice his full understanding of Will wanting to die.

The primary moral justification offered to support the choice for suicide is that this is Will’s decision, a direct appeal to the principle of autonomy. In this regard, Me Before You continuously begs the question in relation to the issue of physician-assisted suicide. All protestations are met with assurances that this is simply Will’s choice. No character is ever asked to argue whether this is a morally legitimate choice. No alternative voice is offered from other people living with this same condition that enjoy life. The film assumes the very thing that must be argued in continuously framing the issue as a settled matter of autonomy--and you, the movie viewer, should agree.

Acceptance of Assisted Suicide

A form of euthanasia, physician assisted-suicide is legal in many countries and in ten (10) U.S. states as well as Washington D.C. The term active euthanasia in this section is the same as assisted suicide.

Most Common Assisted Suicide Arguments:

1. The Autonomy Argument. Since biological life is not the real, moral issue, then life is not intrinsically valuable or sacred simply because it is human life. The important thing is that one has biographical life and this involves a person's ability to state, formulate, and pursue autonomously chosen interests, desires, and so on. If a person autonomously chooses to end his life or have someone else assist him in ending his life, then such action is morally permissible. One should be free to do as one chooses as long as no harm is done to others.

2. The Mercy Argument. It is cruel and inhumane to refuse the plea of a terminally ill person that his or her life be mercifully ended in order to avoid unnecessary suffering and pain.

3. The Best Interests Argument. If an action promotes the best interests of everyone concerned and violates no one's rights, then that action is morally acceptable. In some cases, active euthanasia promotes the best interests of everyone concerned and violates no one's rights. Therefore, in those cases, active euthanasia is morally acceptable. 

4. The Golden Rule Argument. Moral principles ought to be made universal. If I don't want someone to apply a rule to me, I shouldn't apply it to them. Similarly, if I want someone to apply a rule to me, I ought to be willing to apply it to others. Now suppose I were given a choice between two ways to die. First, I could die quietly and without pain, at the age of eighty, from a fatal injection. Or second, I could choose to die at eighty-plus-a-few-days of an affliction so painful that for those few days before death I would be reduced to howling like a dog, with my family standing helplessly by. The former death involves active euthanasia, and if I would choose it, I should be willing to permit others to choose it too. 

Replies to the Common Assisted Suicide Arguments:

A) Reply to the Autonomy Argument. First, it begs the question that there is no God and no Natural Law/Divine Law. The same could be said for all five arguments. However, all fail on separate and independent grounds as well. As to this argument, if we only need to protect people with "biographical lives," it would seem, then, that a person who no longer has such a life, who has no point of view, is no longer covered by the duty not to kill. However, if the person has lost the right not to be killed, it would seem that other rights would be lost as well, since the right to life is basic to other rights. In this case, it would be morally permissible to experiment on such a person or kill him brutally. Why? It is because we are no longer dealing with an object which has the relevant rights. 

B) Reply to the Mercy Argument. First, there are very few cases where modern medicine cannot alleviate suffering and pain. It is wrong ethical methodology to build an ethical doctrine on a few problem cases. The mercy argument violates this methodological principle by placing too much weight on an argument which only applies to a small number of situations. 

Second, though this can be abused, there is a point to suffering. One can grow through it; one can teach others how a wise, virtuous person handles life's adversities including suffering and death. The person can expiate his/her sins and offer the suffering up in union with the suffering of Christ.  One can also show that one cares for his or her membership in community with others and that is not right to withdraw from one another in time of need. Further, one can affirm the fact that people have value and purpose beyond happiness, the absence of pain, or the ability to pursue autonomously chosen goals.

Third, life is a gift and we are not the sole, absolute owners of our lives. We are made in the image and likeness of God. He decides matters of life and death, not us. 

C) Reply to Both the Best Interests and Golden Rule Argument. Two responses have been offered which apply equally to the Golden Rule argument and the Best Interests argument. First, the arguments beg the question against a sanctity-of-life view in favor of a quality-of-life view. In other words, if life is sacred, or if persons have intrinsic value simply by being human and, thus, are ends in themselves, then active euthanasia inappropriately treats a person as a means to an end (a painless state of death). Not everything a person takes to be in his own best interests is morally acceptable. Similarly, not everything a person would wish to have done to him or her is morally good. Quality-of-life judgments are often subjective and can be morally bad.

Put differently, a person can dehumanize himself--- and actually does so--- in active euthanasia by intentionally killing himself (or if someone else intentionally kills the person). Hence, when one engages in active euthanasia, one abdicates one's privilege and responsibility to live out one's life in community with and for others. This signals a failure of the community to be present to the sick person in a caring way. It also signals a failure of the person himself to die in a morally appropriate way (e.g., to teach others how to suffer and die) and to undergo a manner of dying which does not hinder those left behind from remembering the person in a morally helpful way. 

Conclusion

I grieve for Peter and pray for the repose of his soul. I ask all of my readers to please do the same. I wonder if I did enough to try and get him out of his apartment and help him. If anyone you know seems depressed and going through a hard time, please listen to him and let him know you are there to help. Don't be afraid to ask if they have thoughts of suicide. There are hotline numbers to call (now you can call 3 digits here in the U.S. --988). PRAY FOR THE PERSON. 

Suicide is a great way for Satan to get a soul in Hell. Never let anyone convince you otherwise. Call on the Blessed Virgin Mary when you feel alone and depressed. God will win in the end, not suffering and evil. However, you must stay close to Him and never despair in His help. "I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your seed." (Deuteronomy 30:19).