Death

[pianoanda123]

The definition of Suicide is non negotiable: 'the intentional taking of one's own life." (Webster)

And in american culture ( which is majorily Christian) the topic of Suicide is Taboo, not allowed to be spoken of, and condemmed beyond all recognition.

It is called selfish, cowardly, and pethetic by the masses, and sinfull by the Christian Religious types.

I do not agree with these statements. I do not beleive suicide 'is' selfish, cowardly, or pethetic'...I believe it can be, but this is not a definate.

Death for billions is a scary subject, for me, it is not so. I have worked with morticians, my family is extensivly rooted in the medical realm, and I go outside the norm, and have had the privilage to work for funerals, medical institutes, as well as some other various occupations commonly looked upon as 'gloomy' and 'sad'.

The majority of peopel never wish to contemplate their own death for various reasons:
-They fear the end/beginning (for those religious)/ (but unainimously) 'the unknown'
-They fear departing from what they already have grown comfortable with (again rooting to the fear of the unknown, change, and setepping outside of comfort, no one like that)
-They do not want to think of others left without them (children or adults cared for with mental or physical disabilities)
-They fear the very action of thinking of their own death, for it has been taught as a medical emergency, a sin, a 'kucoo's thoguth'.
-They fear being outcased for trying to discuss with another

These are all understandable but it is sad, to me, that such images hgave been thrust upon such a tearm, so that those who seek help, often do not seek it for fear of being outcasted, and labled for the rest of their life. Sad indeed.

What is more sad, is the unwavering stance of the masses, that refuse to give an ear to such subjects, for religious, and personal piety. It is seen as a horrible thing to have a family memeber who speaks of death often and comfrotbaly, becasue it's [i]unusual, strange, weird, loony[/i].

I am not one of these pidgeons squacking to join the masses, but instead one who is privilaged to be set face first with reality.

We all die, it's a prayer most ignored, and a subject most feared.

There is no running and there is no 'close your eyes' and it goes away. It stays despite the best of efforts.

My family has a history of aneurysm, either Aortic (heart) or brain. What an aneurysm is, is a blood vessel that merely pops, and jsut like a bublb burning out, it goes withouta sound and there is no way to fix it. They are very rarly found, and even mroe rarly surgically removed (these blood vessels must inlarge to over 5mm before surgery is availiable...and in terms of blood vesses, thats pretty darn big.)

So saounds depressing right? This happens at any time or your life, and best for my family, headaches are heridatry too, reoccuring and painfull, and one day, it'll be the end for me, my father, his brother, as it was for his mother, his uncle, and others.

I am sligtly saddened by this I shall not lie, but not past the potin of "aww shucks'

But look at it as your ow life, no idea when or where you'll go, you jsut knwo that you will.

I have more comfort that you, mine will be painless and quick, and disagree all you wish, but there is no way for me to be 'brought back' to life in some disabled or vegative state.

I do not condone the chice of others, infact I support parents caring for children with disabilies. My personal opinion on my own life, is that if anythign would put me into a state of inability to self support, then I would take my own life.

Sounds wrogn right? The of so common screams of "don't do it!" "thers more to live for!" "don't think that!" "God wouldnt' want that" all of those, that is what I have hear din hospitals, in funeral homes and everythgin else. And ask yourself "is this me putting up my defense, so I won't listen?"

I am very fortunate to msot likly die this way, no slwo death, no fear in not knwoign whats happening, jsut a simple click and it's lights out.

But thereare other cases I support.

And here is why, a story will illustrate this very well:

The eskimoes, I marvel at, for teir respect for death, life, and family/love. Truley it is a higher respect than I have ever known, and I hope to life up to it some day.

When the grandparents become old, frial, and have become more of a burden than a help, they do the famiyl one last favor. The couple go out onto the ice, and they fall asleep on the ice, calm and peacfully, a bit cold, but thats to be expected. On the ice they die, as their body tempature slowly lowers. The famiyl then collects the bodies and uses them for what ever various needs.

THis sounds horrible at first but upon further inspection is it seen what love is given here. The family respects the grandparents wishes, and the grandparents repect the familys lives, and both parites repect death, by not fighting it."

that is the story. Now the conclusion dosnet mean anythign untill a few more looks are taken.

Hospitals keeping those failfully wounded, bound to machine for a moment awya would e their demise, why?

Because the person wants to stay, perhaps. But more comonly the famiyl does not want to say good bye.

You said suicide was selfish? What is the family doing?

More so, if a grandparents said "this is how I want to go, this is how I will go, I will be happy this way, and I will knwo my end" and if the famiyl refuses their parent this, admits them, or similar. Who's being selfish?

The family does not respect the elder, but mroe so, they do not repect the lfie they are given. And lvfe includes your death, you are atill alive when you die, rememerb that now.

Another story, as heard on NPR, as part of "This American Life"

there were three stories and the last one is parelle to this one, but it actually occured.

The mother had always told her children, "When I am older, and of unstable/sane mind, but still smart enoguht o notice it, I will take my life by drug over dose. It will be painless, and it will be quick." She told this to her children, spouse, family. Everyone knew, and did not protest to her, for she said it oftena dn very. When the day came, she called her son, and told him that she was ready, he did not protest, and did as she asked, said goodbye as she walkedinto the basement of her house, and as he left, knwoign what was going to happen.

He did feel the urge to call the police, but he reasoned, that wouldn't help, if she stays alive, she will be miserable, and she'll be doing what she had prayed, and vowned never to do. She did not want to keep the lives of others centered on her, she wanted to meet death at her choice, so she wasn't afirad or similar.

As he drive he waited an hour or so then called the police, for suicides have to be documented.

now, if you're still reading I ask you to pay special attention to this last part.

When the son was asked, if there was remorse or regrett, "no, she did what she had told me, and the family, without hesitation. I feel good in knwoing that she was comfortable, and I feel good in knowing that she knew what was going on."

If you come across this article, ther are two toehr stories, of the chidlren whos mother was murdered, and how constant search for the murdere wayned their life into a sdismal spiral, and the story of the mother who lost a son, and her life of woes and sorow, for variosu reasons.


For me(back to me hehe) my life is heavily rooted in my body. That is, I am not a comfortign figure, or a famiyl figure, my purpose in life, is to serve others, by maching machines, or goods, servicing them or maintaining them. My only source of release from stress (not even a very good one) is to play the piano.

If I go deaf, or blind, I will take my life, as I have stated all my life.

Sounds harsh right, there are millions of others who survive blind or death, I'm belselfish, yes Iv'e heard it all before.

But if you're still thinkign this without asking "why" then you're not the one to talk, for selfish also includes not opening to anothers opinions (more commonly said as stubborn)

IF I loose my hearing, I will no longer be able to drive, perform piano, work in any machine or metal shop (weldign is my speciality) work in any construction enviroment, or ANY SITUATIOn that readily relies ont he verbal communication to warn, and comman others at very fast speeds. OSHA will not allow it, not will the employers.

My eyes espically, if I loose my eyes, the same, I can not weld, nor play piano, nor anything else (yes stive wounder and the others played blind, but did beethoven, choplin? Check out the classical composers, my piano requires eyes, for no muscle memory can allow you perform "hungarian Raphsody II" or "Tocatta and Fuge in d Minor"

the only things I will be able to or allowed to do is be a speaker of some kind, a greeter, or similar.

I can not greet or speak or talk for the help of others, for I can not care formyself in that way, I am a quiet person enough, and for me to greet others every day, or jstu talking to peoepl in short, would kill me. For that is what makes me most depressed. For thsoe that are thespians you may connect to this. Of the millions of fans, you are lucky to have one friend.

But the point still stand, if I am blind, I will not be able to go through my daily routeens without the aid of another, and the same goes for hearing.

So my question is, I know people say "god gives us hard situations because he knows we can do them" that is a ncie thougth. I do not beleive it any mount of heatidly at all, for my variosu resons, and experiences in the churches( having several presists say "Come back when you udnerstand" is not a comfort, and also to have church goers squack at you is not plesant either, not to mention the 'personal' level with God/Jesus, or whome ever you'd wish to call")

SO is my beleif selfish, to some point I am sure, but there is no selfless act, weather obayinng or not we take actions from outr own choice. Our choice makes it our own, and makes it ourself.

I find this whole "God will not give you somethign you can't handle" and so I ask "why dosent he let us choose our death?" or more often "how do you knwo my plan for death is not the same as his?"

No one ever said God woudl choose the same for everyone, so who is to say God dosent let us in on what our death will be?

I am comfortable in these senses in the lfie I live, for I knwo my end.

I knwo the after math as well.

Take care!

[Thy Geekdom Come]

I'm not clear what your question is about Catholicism, but the reason we are against suicide has nothing to do with fearing death. In fact, a fully formed Christian (not that many, myself included, are fully formed Christians) does not fear death, but embraces it, because it takes him to heaven. The problem is that suicidal death does not take one to heaven. Objectively speaking, suicide is murder, and murder is a grave sin. Now there are many who commit suicide because of grave mental illness, life crises that leave them unable to make good decisions, etc., and we hold out hope for such people, which is why the Church now allows those who committed suicides to be buried in sacred ground. The problem remains, however, that it is a form of murder, and the Church most certainly cannot accept that. Life is a good thing. We are to do what we can to sustain it and keep it whole and healthy. To give up on life and choose to end it is to lose hope in God to provide for His people. We're not meant to be in total control of ourselves.

God bless you,

Micah