Consider their life....not their death.
Jesus committed suicide by refusing to fight, is he in hell?
We really don’t know, because judgment is not ours to make and only God knows the truth.
The prosciption against suicide (at least in the Catholic Church and traditional Christianity) is very severe, and suicides were generally not buried in consecrated ground (the church cemetery, that is). But basically this was this was meant to discourage others from taking that route, and also to underline the seriousness of rejecting God’s gift of life and God’s mercy. Remember, Judas committed suicide when he realized what he had done...even though, had he repented, the Lord would without doubt have pardoned him.
Now that suicide is practically an epidemic in the US, it is very good to reinforce the idea that suicide is the ultimate rejection of God’s gift. Also, in purely secular terms, I once heard it described as a permanent solution to a temporary problem. So people need the carrot (hope) and the stick (damnation) to get past it.
But nobody really knows how God judges anybody, suicide or not. And that was actually the point the priest was trying to make in his homily in Detroit, except that the parents...who no doubt felt very guilty or perhaps were trying to assuage their guilt for not having dealt with whatever problems the boy had that led to his suicide...basically wanted to pretend it had never happened, probably because they don’t actually believe in eternal life.
I kind of wonder that myself.
Seems like it is the one area that God told us not to get into. That of judging what happens to the soul of someone where the sin is not clear.
And if suicide is a sin and sin is actually one of desire then is "just let me die" also a sin?
Elijah was not reproved for it.
There is a verse about "why die before your time?" but that could also apply to being reckless with your actions or even not keeping yourself healthy by diet and exercise.
Do I think God approves of it? No. But just because something is not in our best interests does not make it a for sure sin.
Mental illness is a very very difficult. And non spritusl. Problem
Your religion or another. Right or wrong. Nobody, well maybe one, has come back to tell us about the other side.
The one thing you can be certain of is that you are here. Thinking, feeling, being, hurting, finding ecstasy or despair somewhere, how ever, somehow. You have life, it is your choice, will you take advantage of what you do absolutely know. You are here.
Almost without regard to circumstance your life can be heaven or hell. I had heaven but chose hell. So I speak from experience and lessons learned.
I write only that even one person might be saved (hackneyed hyperbole - copyright 2018 if I just coined a new term - not searching on it - Goo--gle would steal it ;-)
BTW: I coined "Life is good" but didn't copyright it. So now its not. ;-)
A good start is just to forget about yourself, draw on the person you're with or you interact with.
They have a lifetime of experiences that make them who they are at the very moment you interact with them.
Because life is not a bowl of cherries, the person you are with in that moment, very likely a collection of unknown perspectives given their immediate state of mind.
Reach out, all you have to do is ask them how they're doing.
Listen.
They'll tell you. You will learn. Your life will be enriched. There are some people you do not want to interact with. Use good judgment.
Synopsis: Enjoy life, Its the only thing you're certain you have.
Merry Christmas.
PS: if you're smart you'll cover your bases and be good to all and if GOD is paying attention you're good to go - to heaven .