Suicide, Again

THURS., JULY 4, 1991, 6:25 AM
FARM, STUDY

Yesterday you had your class consider death by suicide, and tomorrow they will revisit that theme, focusing on young people. It is generally assumed that I am wholely (holy?) against any taking of one’s own life. What do I say to you about this aspect of human behavior.

Well, you know I have offered you Teachings dealing with this “form” of death in times past. Let this be My “update,” on this July morning. I have not changed. Let’s see what you hear on this occasion.

The key factor for Me is the balance of motivations by the one taking her own life. I say “balance” because it is very rare that the motivations for suicide are completely selfish or completely selfless and sacrificial. For some the balance is rather even: there are some selfish desires to get out of this earth life because of its pain and consequences, and yet there also are love-based motives of wanting to spare others worry, pain, and hardship. You are right in assuming that suicide in the elderly more often comes from motives that lean toward the positive. There are desires not to be a burden on spouse or children… in terms of time, energy, and money. The desire to be relieved of pain is partly understandable and partly selfish. The pain you now are experiencing is, as I have told you, mostly bearable. And you are doing reasonably well with it. Still, even this amount of pain makes you realize that constant, unbearable pain could make life seem quite “not-worth-living.” Incapacities require the help of others, and this help must come out of otherwise busy lives or must be paid for. You dread the thought of being paralyzed, bed-ridden, or mentally reduced in your elderly years.

In the best sense it does give others a chance to minister to you. In the worst sense it represents a loss of dignity and purpose. The strength and power of one’s spirit is the key. And yet a strong spirit does not automatically bring forth a single action. The Van Dusens had well-developed spirits, increased by a life of service to Me. Their spirits were concerned with not being a burden on their children and society and with leading the way against an outdated taboo. They also, after sharing a long earth life together, wanted to pass on over together. Finally, they knew Me well enough, after a lifetime of prayer, to ask for forgiveness and peace, with the firm assurance that I would give these.

Other old folks, with equally strong spirits, can live out their painful, restricted lives with joy and thanksgiving, being positive examples to those who must wait on them. I am pleased with both extremes of developed spirit and actions therefrom.

In contrast, it is much more rare for a young person to have mostly selfless motives for suicide. In a few cases where death is imminent and life is painful and degraded the desire to simply move on out of a diseased, deteriorating body… on to some other arena of growth is positive, as I see it. Most youthful suicides, however, are acts of selfishness, short-sightedness, and unwillingness to face some tough aspects of life. Spirit regresses in such circumstances… and yet all is not lost. Some who seem to fail in earth life do better in other realms. The circumstances of earth life are more than some people can bear.