ARTICLE 5: Religion and suicide ARTICLE 5
This article can be used to support Lesson 6: RS
CHRISTIANITY Christians are mostly against suicide. The arguments are usually based on the beliefs that life is given by God, and that human beings are made in God's image. Some churches also emphasise the importance of not interfering with the natural process of death. Life is a gift from God • all life is God-given • birth and death are part of the life processes which God has created, so we should respect them • therefore no human being has the authority to take the life of any innocent person, even if that person wants to die Human beings are valuable because they are made in God's image. Human life possesses an intrinsic dignity and value because it is created by God in his own image for the distinctive destiny of sharing in God's own life. No-one has the right to value anyone, even themselves, as worthless. Arguments based on the quality of life are completely irrelevant . Some features of Christianity suggest that there are some obligations that go against the general view that suicide is a bad thing: • Christianity requires us to respect every human being • If we respect a person we should respect their decisions about the end of their life HINDUISM Hinduism is less interested than western philosophers in abstract ideas of right or wrong. Rather it focuses on the consequences of our actions. Hindus believe in the reincarnation of the soul (or atman) through many lives - not necessarily all human. The ultimate aim of life is to achieve moksha, liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth. A soul's next life is decided by karma, as the consequence of its own good or bad actions in previous lives. You could regard a soul's karma as somehow representing the net worth of its good and bad actions. A soul cannot achieve moksha without good karma. Another important principle is ahimsa, not being violent or causing harm to other beings.
Killing (euthanasia, murder, suicide) interferes with the killed soul's progress towards liberation. It also brings bad karma to the killer, because of the violation of the principle of nonviolence. When the soul is reincarnated in another physical body it will suffer as it did before because the same karma is still present. The doctrine of karma means that a Hindu tries to get their life in a good state before they die, making sure that there is no unfinished business, or unhappinesses. They try to enter the state of a sannyasin - one who has renounced everything. Prayopavesa, or fasting to death, is an acceptable way for a Hindu to end their life in certain circumstances. Prayopavesa is very different from what most people mean by suicide: • it's non-violent and uses natural means; • it's only used when it's the right time for this life to end when this body has served its purpose and become a burden; • unlike the suddenness of suicide, prayopavesa is a gradual process, giving ample time for the patient to prepare himself and those around him for his death; • while suicide is often associated with feelings of frustration, depression, or anger, prayopavesa is associated with feelings of serenity Prayopavesa is only for people who are fulfilled, who have no desire or ambition left, and no responsibilities remaining in this life. It is really only suitable for elderly ascetics. Hindu law lays down conditions for prayopavesa: • inability to perform normal bodily purification • death appears imminent or the condition is so bad that life's pleasures are nil • the decision is publicly declared • the action must be done under community regulation ISLAM
Muslims are against suicide. They believe that all human life is sacred because it is given by Allah, and that Allah chooses how long each person will live. Human beings should not interfere in this. Life is sacred. Suicide is not included among the reasons allowed for killing in Islam. Do not take life, which Allah made sacred, other than in the course of justice. Qur'an 17:33
If anyone kills a person - unless it be for murder or spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he killed the whole people.
Qur'an 5:32
Allah decides how long each of us will live
When their time comes they cannot delay it for a single hour nor can they bring it forward by a single hour. Qur'an 16:61 And no person can ever die except by Allah's leave and at an appointed term. Qur'an 3:145
Suicide is explicitly forbidden
Destroy not yourselves. Surely Allah is ever merciful to you. Qur'an 4:29 The Prophet said: "Amongst the nations before you there was a man who got a wound, and growing impatient (with its pain), he took a knife and cut his hand with it and the blood did not stop till he died. Allah said, 'My Slave hurried to bring death upon himself so I have forbidden him [to enter] Paradise.' " Sahih Bukhari 4.56.669
JUDAISM
The Jewish tradition regards the preservation of human life as one of its supreme moral values and forbids doing anything that might shorten life. ...The message of Judaism is that one must struggle until the last breath of life. Until the last moment, one has to live and rejoice and give thanks to the Creator... Dr Rachamim Melamed-Cohen, Jewsweek, March, 2002
Jewish law and tradition regard human life as sacred, and say that it is wrong for anyone to shorten a human life this is because our lives are not ours to dispose of as we feel like. All life is of infinite value, regardless of its duration or quality, because all human beings are made in the image of God. It is not lawful to kill oneself to save oneself from pain. A passage in the Talmud tells the story of Rabbi Chanina ben Teradion, who was being burned alive by the Romans. His pupils urged him to end his suffering quickly by opening his mouth and inhaling the flames. He replied, "It is better that He who gave [me my soul] should take it rather than I should cause injury to myself." It's also against Jewish law to help someone to kill themselves, since one is not allowed to enable another person to break Jewish law. Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/