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My personal experience - 3 people that have committed suicide in the last 20 years. Two were practicing Catholics, the other Baptist.
Thoughts of suicide is like a person who hears a song that few hear, it is a romance in a slow dance that a person is drawn to like a June bug to the moon.
I would think that the more people there is that don't believe in God, the more t would commit suicide, and I only say this because my belief in God keeps me from suicide, and it is not as the many Christians would imagine, there is no hell, and even if there was, suicide wouldn't be a cause for going to hell.
I have known so many, SO MANY THAT COMMITTED SUICIDE.
Each time I felt gullty as if I could have said or done something and it always felt like my fault, I was always shocked and in wonderment as to the resolve of people's minds so strong as to commit suicide.
One of my very best friends, and I mean, THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FREAKING CHICK YOU HAVE EVER SEEN IN YOUR LIFE.
This 21 year old, her parents were wealthy to begin with, and they already lived in a mansion on Memorial drive paid for, and then the parents were both killed in a carwreck.
This 21 year old, by inheritance and through life insurance and the pay out for the neglect of the wreck, she was now worth about 6 million dollars living in a paid for mansion with like 15 rooms, the biggest pool you ever saw, and a garden to be jealous of, a very vast garden.
This chick was so freaking beautiful, and she had a light surgery getting a breast augmentation or whatever.
Anyhow, she didn't heal back like she was supposed to, and I think it just ruined the appearence of her breasts.
She called the night that she killed herself, and although we had no clue of any impending danger, looking back it retro, it was quite errie because she knew she was dying as she spoke, but we did not.
What I mean is this, although the bad surgery might have been a tipping point, it is certainly not why.
The reason why is romance, a dance of death that this chic danced in her head all the time.
It is an addiction like any other addiction but worse.
Last edited by Hannibal Flavius; 08-12-2019 at 09:06 PM..
As far as I know, one of the people I knew who took their lives were religious. None of the religious people I know have taken their lives. Not sure if that means anything or proves anything but I do suspect that being religious may reduce the chance of a person going that far, simply because they have a support group and they have a focus. That might apply more to the charismatic religious groups - I don't know for sure.
I can say though, that it was a charismatic born again Christian that set my son on the path to suicide - his mother.
Ironically, she found the strength to survive the tragedy of his death through her religious faith.
Just a thought, charismatic religion (happy clappies, as we called them) seem to work on boosting dopamine in the brain (happiness, joy) which would or should help alleviate depression and ultimately, it's depression that drives one to take one's own life.
As far as I know, one of the people I knew who took their lives were religious. None of the religious people I know have taken their lives. Not sure if that means anything or proves anything but I do suspect that being religious may reduce the chance of a person going that far, simply because they have a support group and they have a focus. That might apply more to the charismatic religious groups - I don't know for sure.
I can say though, that it was a charismatic born again Christian that set my son on the path to suicide - his mother.
Ironically, she found the strength to survive the tragedy of his death through her religious faith.
Just a thought, charismatic religion (happy clappies, as we called them) seem to work on boosting dopamine in the brain (happiness, joy) which would or should help alleviate depression and ultimately, it's depression that drives one to take one's own life.
It's one of the more convincing arguments that religion has- that it makes people feel good, worth while,. justified. That there's a good purpose to it all. For me, hard truths are better than comfortable lies, but i can see why the comfortable lies are so attractive. In a funny way, it's like the 'doing good' argument. The believers say that they do more good than atheists do
We say, that may be so, but if so we do do good without hope of a reward (other than a vague general hope of example making things better) while the believers do it because they think it will please God. The believers protest that they don't. They do it for the same reason that atheists do, but they do it more because religion makes them better.
Hard to beat that one. So how about suicide? Same argument, I suppose. Atheists will off themselves at the drop of a hat because they do not believe in a god that will give them some afterlife -stick for offing themselves without his permission. Which argues that the only reason they don't top themselves is because they are afraid of what God will do to them if they do top themselves. But then Christians can claim that they don't do it for that reason but because religion gives them a meaning to live for so suicide isn't even considered.
Yes, i can do thje apologetics myself. But I'd rather go with the evidence, rather than a satisfying fairy -tale.
Last edited by TRANSPONDER; 08-13-2019 at 06:03 AM..
This post is religiously blinded rubbish if you ask me. To connect atheism as a deciding reason for suicide rates highlights to me a major problem with religion where many who are devout are blinded to the realities of life around them. Such strong accusations from a religious standpoint are what creates conflict among people. Atheists don't break down an institution - that's done from within as much as from anywhere.
Social pressures, mental health, drugs & alcohol all are reasons for suicide. Being born into poverty, being bullied, believing you just cannot cope lead to suicide. And don't tell me that you have to believe in God in order to avoid it all. That is just wrong. Past studies don't prove out your point - they are mixed.
All those problems existed in previous generations yet you didn't have scores of young people feeling so hopeless to want to end their lives or go on bloody killing sprees.
All those problems existed in previous generations yet you didn't have scores of young people feeling so hopeless to want to end their lives or go on bloody killing sprees.
Isn't that more of a failure of us as a society rather than religion? Years ago we looked out for our neighbors we got to really know each other. Lucky if I know hardly anyone in my building and yes, I've made the attempt. Kids don't even play outside anymore. My parents generation, your neighbor was in trouble you pitched in to do what you could. I don't see so much of that today. People are more isolated and that I think is the true cause of higher suicide rates, not religion or no religion.
All those problems existed in previous generations yet you didn't have scores of young people feeling so hopeless to want to end their lives or go on bloody killing sprees.
Maybe you should recalibrate your narrative.
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention reported that in 2016 suicide was the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S., imposing a cost of $69 billion to the US annually. Other statistics reported are:
The annual age-adjusted suicide rate is 13.42 per 100,000 individuals.
Men die by suicide 3.53x more often than women.
On average, there are 123 suicides per day.
White males accounted for 7 of 10 suicides in 2016.
A firearm is used in almost 50% of all suicides.
The rate of suicide is highest in middle age—white men in particular.
All those problems existed in previous generations yet you didn't have scores of young people feeling so hopeless to want to end their lives or go on bloody killing sprees.
Virtually all of the killing sprees in America in recent years have been done by Christians. What makes you think scores of young people are feeling hopeless?
Virtually all of the killing sprees in America in recent years have been done by Christians. What makes you think scores of young people are feeling hopeless?
My question, is why Jeff, if he feels so horribly for these people who feel hopeless, keeps adding to their burden with his hateful comments. Mostly in regards to gay people or atheists. He certainly doesn't care if his words cause harm to those groups, or if his comments help lead one to suicide.
Personally, I just think this is something that he believes is some kind of "gotcha!" against atheists, and he doesn't' really give a rat's behind about those "hopeless" people. He only cares about furthering his agenda of trying to make atheists look bad.
Virtually all of the killing sprees in America in recent years have been done by Christians. What makes you think scores of young people are feeling hopeless?
Jeff if well known for anti - atheist propaganda, including (notably) in claiming statistical evidence that atheism causes suicides and killings when in fact the Stats say different.
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