[srmorton]

I'm no expert on this subject, but I think the idea that suicide is a sin that can not be forgiven comes mainly from Catholic doctrine and not from the Bible. Suicides could not be buried in consecrated ground and had to be laid to rest outside the gates of a church cemetery.

According to the Bible, the only unforgivable sin is blaspheming the Holy Spirit. I am confident that if this young man was a believer he is right now in the loving arms of Jesus.

[Gondring]

I'm no expert on this subject, but I think the idea that suicide is a sin that can not be forgiven comes mainly from Catholic doctrine and not from the Bible.

That's correct. In fact, early Christians committed suicide as a way of demonstrating their preference of being with their Lord rather than clinging to the mere earthly existence. I understand that inscriptions are still visible to this day at some cliffs where they jumped.

Remember Samson...he pulled a 9/11 long ago (brought down a building in a suicide attack to kill 3,000 enemies). And how about the early saints who had died by suicide (e.g., ?

It wasn't until several centuries after Christ's life that suicide was banned. What's interesting is that some early saints died by suicide (e.g., Pelagia of Antioch, died c. 311). In the fifth century, Augustine of Hippo (St. Augustine) had ecclesiastical enemies who advocated suicide, and wrote extensively against it and in favor of their suppression. I believe that it wasn't until the Council of Braga (c. 562) that suicides were not to be "buried with great ceremony in consecrated ground." (This was the same Council that said priests who had taken an oath of vegetarianism had to either eat vegetables cooked in meat broth or be excommunicated, and that .)

Some FReepers have said that their inspiration of their views comes from Augustine, but I find it odd that FReepers would revere the views of someone who claimed private property was a sin and one of the reasons for the downfall of Rome (though he liked the money the rich gave, and he advocated that they give their property to the Church and not to the poor!), and who pushed for getting his political opposition banned/executed (in AD 405, he got Donatism banned by the emperor, with a death sentence for meeting...Donatists were not allowed to hold public office, protect their property in the courts, nor will property to their heirs.)

I fear that many people don't realize these things. I'm not saying anything for or against Catholicism, Christianity, etc. I'm merely pointing out the history, that it's non-Biblical and even not in line with early Church tradition. I'm not an expert in them myself, and continue to try to learn more about these things.