Posted on 06/08/2012 2:02:20 AM PDT by Cronos
was reading a thread and saw something about suicide rates, so looked up suicide rates by country
Now, of course the colder countries like Sweden, Estonia etc. have high rates (long winters I suspect), but I was surprised to see Hungary and South Korea there
And I was even more surprised that the Moslem countries are at the bottom of the list. Is there something wrong with what we are teaching in our homes and churches?
There’s probably not an easy answer to this question. There seems to be a tendency toward legalism in some Christian churches (not to say that a “do as you please” attitude is to be desired either). The “world” is too much with us, too, and regular Bible study would likely help that and the worry that goes with it.
It can ALSO be asked about some nations with weird religious practices; why do more Catholic people in Brazil flagelate themselves than in the Philippines on certain holidays.
Throwing the word "Christian" into a mix just ever so subtly re-engineers some thought processes.
For all of the failings of the Middle-East, one area where they are stronger than the West is their sense of family. If you’re part of a family, they will invest in you to help you succeed as a person. In turn, they hold you accountable to make sure you don’t quit.
In the West, however, individualism trumps everything. If you’re a person who hasn’t figured out how to move ahead and succeed, you’re largely left to figure it out yourself. Unfortunately, not everybody figures it out and we read about how their body was fished out of the river in they city section of the newspaper or we read how they were found with a needle in their arm.
I think that’s one area we could improve as a society.
First, about the Muslim countries. There’s a teaching in hadits (Mohammad’s wisdom, lower than Quran but is also referred) that the sin that Allah hates the most is suicide. This alone puts some break on suicidal intention. That social control and integration are stronger in this countries also reduce the rate (the same argument was used by Emile Durkheim in his famous book on suicide). He further argued that in some countries people where integration is low, people suffer from anomie. They’re not sure what values to follow.
Second, Christian values are not necessarily practiced in those Christian countries. Some form of existentialism that is close to nihilism is quite strong. Without any meaning in this world, why should one continue to live?
Third, in some countries like S. Korea, pressure from expectations leave people stressed out if those expectations are not met. With achievement is connected with pride, no achievement means living in shame. Taking own life is one way to escape.
That’s a very good point.
Because it's hard to kill yourself jumping out of a tent?
Non-Christain countries don’t bother reporting suicides.
I was even more surprised that the Moslem countries are at the bottom of the list.
Maybe they don’t included the suicide bombers in this but they should. Then of course they don;t allow thier duagthers to live long enogh to suicide as they honor kill so many of them........
Is there something wrong with what we are teaching in our homes and churches?
No in our Government and our Media. Abortion Abortion Abortion. If killing the most innocent is okay and a good thing they why wouldn’t killing yourslef be okay?
yet islam is even more legalistic. And also South Korea which has a large number of charismatics is 2nd in the list of suicide rate
I think you've hit it correctly there. Sweden has a disintegrated family environment and now we are heading the same way (with "gay marriage", easy divorce etc.)
Very well said --> If you’re a person who hasn’t figured out how to move ahead and succeed, you’re largely left to figure it out yourself. Unfortunately, not everybody figures it out and we read about how their body was fished out of the river in they city section of the newspaper or we read how they were found with a needle in their arm.
Good arguments and explanation. Thank you
I think your explanation is extremely good and accurate.
I think Western culture is “riskier” than a lot of Eastern cultures when it comes to suicide. We tend to focus on individual worth and achievement, whereas other cultures might be more group- and family-oriented—maintaining your family or community’s good name is more important than your worth and effectiveness as an individual. Westerners are more socially isolated, and an unfortunate side effect of achievement- and merit-based culture is that there isn’t much hope—not on secular grounds, anyway—for those who chronically fail to find their place. Religion and spirituality can rebut thoughts of being worthless and not belonging on this earth—and research has shown that religious people are less likely to commit suicide than non-religious people are—but until you’ve suffered from true depression, you don’t know how moods, emotions and discouraging beliefs can override rational thoughts. When you’re in that much pain, you want it to end NOW, not in however many years it might take you to figure out why God put you here.
“For all of the failings of the Middle-East, one area where they are stronger than the West is their sense of family. If you’re part of a family, they will invest in you to help you succeed as a person. In turn, they hold you accountable to make sure you don’t quit.”
Unless you are a young woman who gets caught smiling in public. Then they cut your head off...
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