Speech<\/a> by Reverend Canon Rosie Harper at the Annual General Meeting of \u201cDignity in Dying\u201d on June 3rd, 2014 (PDF)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nWhat does the Bible say about suicide and killing on request?<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
The Bible describes nine suicides (points 1 to 10 below) and one death on request (A), but does not pass any judgement on their sinfulness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1) Judges 16:30<\/em> \u2013 Then Samson said, \u201cLet me die with the Philistines\u201d. He strained with all his might; and the house fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So those he killed at his death were more than those he had killed during his life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n2) 1 Samuel 31:4<\/em> \u2013 Then Saul said to his armour-bearer, \u201dDraw your sword and thrust me through with it, so that these uncircumcised may not come and thrust me through, and make sport of me.\u201c But his armour-bearer was unwilling; for he was terrified. So Saul took his own sword and fell upon it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n3) 1 Samuel 31:5<\/em> \u2013 When his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n4) 2 Samuel 17:23<\/em> \u2013 When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to his own city. He set his house in order, and hanged himself; he died and was buried in the tomb of his father.<\/p>\n\n\n\n5) 1 Kings 16:18<\/em> \u2013 When Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king’s house; he burned down the king’s house over himself with fire, and died<\/p>\n\n\n\n6) 1 Chronicles 10:4<\/em> \u2013 Then Saul said to his armour-bearer, \u201cDraw your sword, and thrust me through with it, so that these uncircumcised may not come and make sport of me.\u201d But his armour-bearer was unwilling, for he was terrified. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n7) (Apocrypha) 1 Maccabees 6:46<\/em> \u2013 He got under the elephant, stabbed it from beneath, and killed it; but it fell to the ground upon him and he died.<\/p>\n\n\n\n8) (Apocrypha) 2 Maccabees 10:12<\/em> \u2013 Ptolemy, who was called Macron, took the lead in showing justice to the Jews because of the wrong that had been done to them, and attempted to maintain peaceful relations with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n9) (Apocrypha) 2 Maccabees 14:41<\/em> \u2013 When the troops were about to capture the tower and were forcing the door of the courtyard, they ordered that fire be brought and the doors burned. Being surrounded, Razis fell upon his own sword.<\/p>\n\n\n\n10) Matthew 27:5<\/em> \u2013 Throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, [Judas] departed; and he went and hanged himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\nA) Judges 9:52-4<\/em> \u2013 Abimelech came to the tower, and fought against it, and came near to the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire. But a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, and crushed his skull. Immediately he called to the young man who carried his armour and said to him, \u201cDraw your sword and kill me, so people will not say about me, ‘A woman killed him.’\u201d So the young man thrust him through, and he died.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThere are other places in the Bible where prophets express suicidal feelings:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jonah 4:8<\/em> \u2013 When the sun rose, God prepared a sultry east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint and asked that he might die. He said, \u2018It is better for me to die than to live\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJob 6:8-9<\/em> \u2013 \u2018O that I might have my request, and that God would grant my desire; that it would please God to crush me, that he would let loose his hand and cut me off!<\/p>\n\n\n\nElijah in 1 Kings 19:4<\/em> \u2013 But he himself went a day\u2019s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: \u2018It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSt Paul in Philippians 1:21-24<\/em> \u2013 For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labour for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nThe holy Thomas More<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
A code of practice for Catholic politicians issued by the Vatican says that one must do one\u2019s utmost to protect life from conception until its natural end. Coincidentally this direction relies on the words of one of the most famous saints of the Catholic church: the holy Thomas More. Sir Thomas More was the Lord Chancellor under King Henry VIII, who was executed for refusing to recognise Henry as the head of the Church in England and continuing to recognise the Pope as the head of the Church. On October 31st 2000, Pope John Paul II appointed him patron of all statesmen and politicians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This move is a positive one regarding end-of-life and assisted dying issues: in his famous book \u201cUtopia\u201d \u2013 which outlined his view of an ideal society \u2013 Thomas More, described how the Utopians treat their sick fellows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI have already told you with what care they look after their sick, so that nothing is left undone that can contribute either to their ease or health: and for those who are taken with fixed and incurable diseases, they use all possible ways to cherish them, and to make their lives as comfortable as possible. They vi\u00adsit them often, and take great pains to make their time pass off easily: but when any is taken with a torturing and lingering pain, so that there is no hope, either of recovery or ease, the priests and magistrates come and exhort them, that since they are now unable to go on with the business of life, are become a burden to themselves and to all about them, and they have really outlived themselves, they should no longer nourish such a rooted distemper, but choose rather to die, since they cannot live but in much misery: being assured, that if they thus deliver themselves from torture, or are willing that others should do it, they shall be happy after death. Since by their acting thus, they lose none of the pleasures but only the troubles of life, they think they behave not only reasonably, but in a manner consistent with religion and piety; because they follow the ad\u00advice given them by their priests, who are the expounders of the will of God. Such as are wrought on by these persuasions, ei\u00adther starve themselves of their own accord, or take opium, and by that means die without pain. But no man is forced on this way of ending his life; and if they cannot be persuaded to it, this does not induce them to fail in their attendance and care of them; but as they believe that a vo\u00adluntary death, when it is chosen upon such an authority, is very honourable.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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