Christianity depicting a person committing the sin of
desperatio, the rejection of God's mercy, because while choked they are unable to ask for repentance. There is no express biblical warrant condemning and prohibiting suicide, and there are people mentioned within the Bible who die by suicide. Depending on a denomination's
canon of books, there are seven or eleven suicides mentioned in the Bible. The descriptions of people in the Bible who died by suicide are negative. Major contexts include betrayal (
Ahitophel and
Judas) and divine judgement resulting in military defeat (
Saul and
Abimelech). In particular, describes the "wicked" as falling on their own swords, and
Zimri is described as having "died for his sins which he committed, doing evil in the eyes of
Yahweh" (). Many Christian theologians take an unfavorable view of suicide. In early Christian traditions, the condemnation of suicide is reflected in the teachings of
Lactantius,
St. Augustine,
Clement of Alexandria, and others. Among the martyrs at
Antioch were three women who died by suicide to avoid rape; although professor William E. Phipps gives this as an example of virtuous early Christian suicides, Augustine declared that although they may have done "what was right in the sight of God," in his view the women "should not have assumed that rape would necessarily have deprived them of their purity" (as purity was, to Augustine, a state of mind). ("If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in
hell, behold, thou art there.") has often been discussed in the context of those who die by suicide. According to the theology of the
Catholic Church, suicide is objectively a sin which violates the fifth commandment,
You shall not kill," . However, the gravity and culpability for that sin changes based on the circumstances surrounding that sin. The
Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992), Paragraph 2283 states: "We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives." Paragraph 2282 also points out that "Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide." The Catholic Church used to deny all suicides a Catholic funeral mass and burial in
consecrated ground. However, the Church has since changed this practice. Protestants, such as most mainstream
Evangelicals,
Charismatics,
Pentecostals, and other denominations have often argued that suicide is self-
murder, and so anyone who performs the act is sinning and it is the same as if the person murdered another human being. An additional view concerns the act of asking for salvation and accepting Jesus Christ as personal savior, which must be done prior to death. The unpardonable sin then becomes not the suicide itself, but rather the refusal of the gift of salvation. Most Pentecostals believe that a born-again person can still go to Heaven because the blood of Jesus covers the sin of suicide. Suicide is regarded generally within the
Eastern Orthodoxy tradition as a rejection of God's gift of physical life, a failure of stewardship, an act of despair, and a transgression of the sixth commandment, "You shall not kill" (). The Orthodox Church normally denies a
Christian burial to a person who has died by suicide. However, factors bearing on the particular case may become known to the priest who must share this information with the diocesan bishop; the bishop will consider the factors and make the decision concerning funeral services. However, the Eastern Orthodox Church shows compassion on those who have taken their own life because of
mental illness or severe emotional stress, when a physician can verify a condition of impaired rationality. Some other denominations of Christianity may not condemn those who die by suicide
per se as committing a sin, even if suicide is not viewed favorably; factors such as motive, character, etc. are believed to be taken into account. One such example is
The New Church. In
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), suicide is generally viewed as wrong, although the victim may not be considered responsible for the act depending on the circumstances.
Islam In
Islam, suicide is considered a
major sin, and those who kill themselves are disobedient. They will be punished in the Fire on the
Day of Judgment because of this crime they committed. However, committing this sin does not take one out of the fold of Islam, and according to some scholars, nor does it necessarily condemn them to eternal damnation in Hell. As evidenced in the
Quran: However, it is universally prohibited based on a verse in the Qur'an which instructs: The prohibition of suicide has also been recorded in multiple statements of
Hadith (sayings of
Muhammad); for example: Despite it being prohibited and considered a sin in Islamic and previous texts (
Torah and
Injeel), it was, in some instances, imposed as a punishment by Allah on the transgressors among the Children of Israel, as indicated by Allah's saying:
Muslims view life as a gift from Allah to humans. In
Islamic law, preserving life is one of the five essential objectives. Islamic teachings emphasize that life in this world is temporary and is a period of testing, an abode of trials and tribulations and that true life is the
hereafter, where humans are rewarded or punished by Allah. On this basis, Islam encourages patience in obedience to Allah and in facing life's difficulties with faith and hope in Allah and the
Last Day, acceptance of Allah's decree, and without despair or hopelessness. Allah rewards his servants in the hereafter. The concept of personal
freedom does not exceed the boundaries of servitude to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Death is not an escape from life, and it does not end with it. The punishment for the one who kills himself is only realised in the afterlife since people cannot punish a dead person. The deceased's family are not punished for a sin they did not commit, and the one who kills himself bears the sin of murder, which may include tormenting oneself, distressing one's family and community, and possibly causing a loss of rights and obligations related to others. It is well known that a person can choose certain things in life and has the freedom to choose what to eat, drink, wear, do, or abstain from. However, it is certain that there are limitations to this freedom and that this choice does not exceed the bounds of what is possible, as evidenced by reality. A person did not create himself, cannot determine the characteristics with which he is born, and does not have control over life and death. He cannot decide when he will be born, how long he will live, or prevent his own death. There are many things he is incapable of, and he undoubtedly depends on others for existence and life. Thus, he cannot violate laws or infringe upon others. His freedom necessitates respecting the rights of others. The fact that he did not create himself means he is dependent on the Creator who brought him into existence and gave him life, which is Allah. Life belongs to Allah, and for a person to kill himself exceeds the bounds of the choice that Allah has granted him. Considering suicide a sin against Allah means that the concept of personal freedom does not extend beyond the person being a servant owned by Allah, and he does not have absolute freedom. Views on euthanasia vary.
Judaism Suicides are frowned upon and buried in a separate part of a Jewish cemetery and may not receive certain mourning rites. In practice, every means is used to excuse suicide—usually by determining either that the suicide itself proves that the person was not in their right mind, or that the person must have repented after performing the deadly act but shortly before death occurred. Taking one's own life may be seen as a preferred alternative to committing certain
cardinal sins. Most authorities hold that it is not permissible to hasten death to avoid pain if one is dying in any event, but the
Talmud is somewhat unclear on the matter. However, assisting in suicide and requesting such assistance (thereby creating an accomplice to a sinful act) is forbidden, a violation of ("Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling-block before the blind"), which is understood as prohibiting tempting to sin as well as literally setting up physical obstacles. Biblical and other Jewish accounts of suicide include those of
Samson and the
woman with seven sons. Although the
Jewish historian
Josephus described a Jewish mass suicide at
Masada, according to the archaeologist Kenneth Atkinson, no "archaeological evidence that Masada's defenders committed mass suicide" exists. ==Neopagan religions==