Posted on 03/14/2012 11:24:51 AM PDT by NYer
A study conducted by researchers at the University of Warwick in England found that the suicide rate is 74% higher in nations where 85% or more of the population is Protestant than in nations where 85% or more of the population is Catholic.
“Even today, countries that are majority Protestant tend to have substantially higher suicide rates than those which are majority Catholic, suggesting that the relation of religion and suicide remains a vital topic,” said researcher Sascha Becker.
“When life hits hard, a Catholic can rely on a stronger community which might help him to cope,” Becker added. In addition, “Protestantism stresses the importance of God’s grace alone and not by any merit of man’s own work, whereas Catholicism allows for God's judgment to be affected by man’s deeds and sins. As a consequence, committing suicide entails the prospect of foregoing paradise for Catholics but not for Protestants.”
Additional sources for this story
Some links will take you to other sites, in a new window.
Catholic ping!
Maybe it’s because it’s colder and darker there.
Poland can get pretty dark and cold, too.
Being a servant is an important part of man’s composition. When serving others, the Bible tells us that things will come back to us measured out, packed down and overflowing.
I believe it all hinges on serving others and taking our eyes off ourselves.
OK, give it a break.
We have an election coming up in November and the Godless Commies are within the Gates. It is time to stop throwing rocks at your Christian neighbors and help us save the nation.
This serves no other purpose than to divide us.....
Lets not leave out that the blood of martyrs is the seed of faith, and that suffering well and dying well is our Way of the Cross, the path most certainly for His Church and her redemption.
Prayers of the Church are a lifetime study of preparation for our dying well. Politics is sometimes irrelevant in importance until it messes with the Church. We actively seek to be not foolish but fearless, by His stripes and death.
It’s worth pointing out that the Middle East also has low suicide rates.
Catholics teach that Suicide is a mortal sin and is unforgiveable, that probably has a lot to do with it.
Agreed on the prayer that you mention, however, we can pray as we serve others. (And offer up our aches and pains, too.)
The title is a bit misleading. The map also shows many Eastern Orthodox countries and they are not Protestant.
Another factor which I did not see that would be a difference between Catholic and Protesant rates, but not account for higher rates in Eastern Orth countries - would the the classification of suicide as a Mortal sin.
Protestants do not classify types of sin, and suicide - while not encouraged and certainly could be considered a sin - is not an automatic ticket to Hell (since it is a Mortal sin last time I checked) and also would not prevent a religious funeral or burial in a religious cemetery. To me, as a social historian, that would be a much greater deterrent.
When I had to identify my father in law’s body, the priest told me that we cannot judge their final thoughts in the matter of a suicide.
In his case, a ticket for .25 blood alcohol was found in his car along with his corpse.
Can we really judge? Only God knows.
Well, for one thing, I don’t believe that is the unforgiveable sin, Catholics have a list of them. The only unforgiveable sin as my understanding is is blasphomy of the Holy Spirit, and I take that as refusing to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior.
| 1: | CCC Search Result - Paragraph # 2282 (352 bytes ) preview document matches suicide is committed with the intention of setting an example, especially to the young, it also takes on the gravity of scandal. Voluntary co-operation in suicide is contrary to ... URL: http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2282.htm |
97%  |
| 2: | CCC Search Result - Paragraph # 2281 (373 bytes ) preview document matches 1 Suicide contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to preserve and ... to which we continue to have obligations. Suicide is contrary to love for the living God URL: http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2281.htm |
97% |
| 3: | CCC Search Result - Paragraph # 2325 (103 bytes ) preview document matches 5 Suicide is seriously contrary to justice, hope, and charity. It is forbidden by the fifth commandment URL: http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2325.htm |
I didn’t know Russia was a Protestant country..........
/sarc
Umm, check out Poland on the map in post 4.
The article seems particularly ill-reasoned.
The very first sociology study was on this very topic, and came to the same conclusion, although it was thought to be because a social support system was more prevalent in the Catholic churches because of their communal (in communion with each other and the saints, not communal as in communist)outlook than the Protestant. Interesting that the conclusion remains the same over the years.
I wonder what the socialist athestic societies?
It’s because they don’t count suicide bombers.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.