Posted on 08/15/2014 12:21:00 PM PDT by Kaslin
There was something thoroughly distasteful about that Robin Williams press conference the other day. It sounded wrong. It looked bad. It smelled.
Was it newsworthy, so much so that news networks would break into their regular afternoon programming to broadcast live the first official law enforcement press conference surrounding Williams' death? We think so. Williams was not just an iconic American comedian since he burst onto the scene with "Mork and Mindy" in the 1970s, he was perhaps the single funniest man in America. That he would die so suddenly understandably generated interest. When the word "suicide" appeared we became a nation of rubberneckers. We had to know what happened.
Actually there isn't a "need" to know, but the appetite is obvious. From Princess Diana to Michael Jackson to Heath Ledger to Philip Seymour Hoffman, the sudden, unexpected death of celebrities is a source not only of mourning, but also of great fascination. All the news networks showed up for live coverage because they knew their audiences were riveted to this story.
But how much should we be told?
Normally it baffles and frustrates when the official government spokesman approaches the massive bank of microphones and says -- nothing. His official statement tells you what you already knew, and when reporters attempt to gather details, they get bupkis."The investigation is ongoing." "I don't have details at this time." "We are not prepared to release that information at this time." The tone is monotonous, officious. Ten minutes after it began, the networks mercifully pull away as reporters scurry to make news out of what wasn't.
So when the Marin County coroner's office held a press conference 24 hours after Williams' body was discovered, to lay out the initial findings on this suicide, we tuned in expecting nothing more than the confirmation of what everyone already knew -- suicide -- with a barrage of questions providing little, or nothing else. Instead this time we got too much. Controversy erupted.
It didn't help that the press contact in this case seemed to be enjoying the spectacle. Before reading the first sentence in his statement, he had an announcement. "My last name is spelled B-O-Y-D," proclaimed Lt. Keith Boyd, with far too much brio in his voice given the topic at hand. At the end of his prepared remarks, he reminded the press that "Media inquiries should continue to be directed to me, Lieutenant Keith Boyd, via my email," and then he spelled that address out before taking questions, pointing at reporters with gusto.
The first rule of coroner public relations ought to be "never seem to enjoy sharing the specifics on someone's death." That should be followed by "and don't give specifics if you don't have the full story."
An investigation on a death such as this takes time. The toxicology report itself takes weeks. Given Williams' documented struggle with substance abuse, that is a necessary component in the full report. As well, there is a certain distance required between the initial news and its analysis when the news is this tragic. Imagine the Dallas police chief divulging to the public everything he knew about Kennedy's head blown off 24 hours after the assassination.
So it was shocking to hear the gory details -- especially when the story is incomplete. Not just that he hanged himself but how he did it. How exactly he was seated-but-not-really-seated. How the body was in a state of rigor mortis, which, of course, it was, and did he need to repeat himself, too. How he had cut his wrists, but how badly, he wouldn't say. How there was a knife nearby with "red" stains, which -- and this was infuriating -- is being tested to see if it's Williams' blood, as if it could somehow be anything else.
Was the star's privacy compromised? The coroner's office was legally obligated to release a report under the California Public Records Act, and the media's massive interest probably made a press conference unavoidable. But what was divulged crossed a line, and the public saw it. "The amount of info being given out about Robin Williams' death is shocking," wrote one woman on Twitter. Another added: "Why does the world need to know this??"
His suicide was a disgusting example for others to see.
But thats not supposed to be said. It was also, btw, against Gods law.
Everyone wants to be part of the story.
A virtual industry of grieving has popped up where people are competing to see who can out mourn this man that next to no one cared enough about to compete to save him.
It sure is a sin
I'm not convinced it is.
For one thing, Jesus said No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.
this is clearly a statement of intent to die as well as taking responsibility/accountability thereof.
Moreover, Samson is listed in Hebrews's hall of heroes
when his last act was suicide, a suicide which God honored: And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.(Judges 16:30)
To say that God honors sin is disgusting. Yet it is clear that he committed suicide on our behalf in the person of Jesus, because our sins demand death. He purposefully, intentionally paid that cost, by Himself and of Himself; and thank God that He did, otherwise we would be utterly doomed.
A friend of mine killed himself a couple years ago. Our local paper has a pokicy of saying nothing about suicides. Just a standard obituary.
Robin Williams died? When?! How!
I never saw or heard a thing about it.
I remember when Elvis died but since then I figure out that celebrities drop like flies. The guy could be funny and it would have been nice to hear him riff on getting old and having alzheimers but he is dead. Next week there might be 3 more dead celebs.
I think you are not looking at Christ’s death in context, which is: “No greater love hath a man than he lays down his life for a friend.” Suicide is not a sin, when an individual chooses to sacrifice his life to save others, such as a soldier in battle. When a person takes his life for any other reason, he is breaking the commandment “thou shalt not kill.”
What Robin Williams did was an act of murder; cruel, cowardly, and sinful. May God have mercy on his soul.
Another Commie bites the dust...
The amount of attention given to him is ridiculous. Some might call him an above average comedian (too loud for me) and actor, but he was not a god or anything near it. He (like many others in Hollywood) made a fortune that he pissed and snorted away and then rather than face the music of his follies he killed himself. 5 minutes worth of reporting and it’s over rather than the Michael Jackson (another dead junkie) who was more revered dead than alive.
Why are all these non show biz people telling us who the funniest people are in the world?
Sorry Sweetheart, it doesn't work that way. You chose to live in a fishbowl, so we get to see everything, warts and all.
Incorrect — we were not His friends, but His enemies.
(Romans 5:10)
For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
This is what makes it (the actions of God, in the Person of Christ) so much more astounding.
Suicide is not a sin, when an individual chooses to sacrifice his life to save others, such as a soldier in battle.
We agree here.
When a person takes his life for any other reason, he is breaking the commandment “thou shalt not kill.”
Then why was Samson's suicide-request honored by God? Are you saying that God honored a prayer prayed for the express purpose of sin?
That goes against what James says: You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures. (James 4:3)
What Robin Williams did was an act of murder; cruel, cowardly, and sinful. May God have mercy on his soul.
Perhaps; but I was not commenting on Mr. Williams's actions, but the assertion that suicide is sin.
I’m just glad Williams used a belt instead of a gun. Just imagine the national dialog that would be taking place if a gun had been used.
It’s time to do back ground checks on the sale of belts. /sarc/
Homicide is murder and is therefor a sin. Suicide is also murder and also a sin
Nope; if this were true then there would never be a justifiable homicide, yet there are — even in the Old Testament Mosaic law.
(Ex: Ex 22:2 If a thief is found breaking in, and is beaten to death, no bloodguilt is incurred;.)
Suicide is also murder and also a sin
If that is the case, then Jesus [who intentionally ended his own life (therefore committing suicide)] sinned; we know this to be false.
This raises a contradiction, therefore one or more of the predicates must be false.
the intentional taking of one's own life.
Sure, Jesus knew His sacrifice was intentional.
But He didn’t kill Himself.
He knew he would live.
And He did.
“But thats not supposed to be said. It was also, btw, against Gods law.”
In none of the examples of suicide in the bible does it ever say they violated God’s law.
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