Suicide by omission?

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RickyZ

Senior Member
Sep 20, 2012
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787
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#1
"Joe" has a heart condition that if left untreated could lead to a fatal stroke. Joe refuses to take his medication. Joe has a stroke and dies.

Did "Joe" commit suicide?
 

BenFTW

Senior Member
Oct 7, 2012
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#2
We have to look at why he didnt take his medicine, maybe it lowered his enjoyment in life and depressed him. It made him feel groggy and he rather live life awake and fully alert. Joe just decided he didn't want to take medicine that would ruin his life, and decided to the live to the fullest. Did he suicide? No, he just ate the fruit of his daily diet. We could argue by that standard that our daily food choices is but a slow suicide. haha
 

BenFTW

Senior Member
Oct 7, 2012
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#3
Joe needs to get on a diet that could revolutionize his health for the better so that he can enjoy his grandchildren and continue to fulfill the purposes God has for his life. A healthy plant-based diet, such as The Starch Solution by John McDougall. That isn't an advertisement by the way, just the better "medicine" for a person with heart conditions due to dietary intake. Look up Dr McDougall, Dr Esselstyn, Dr Neal Barnard and other such plant based doctors.

But of course, "Joe" is dead so he can't heed this advice. lol
 
M

MadParrotWoman

Guest
#4
I agree with Ben Suicide is only suicide if the intention is to end your own life having given up on it, also if it is a sound decision made with a healthy mind.
 
P

PeacefulWarrior

Guest
#6
"Joe" has a heart condition that if left untreated could lead to a fatal stroke. Joe refuses to take his medication. Joe has a stroke and dies.

Did "Joe" commit suicide?
No.

Hope you are well today, RickyZ. :)
 
B

BarlyGurl

Guest
#7
"Joe" has a heart condition that if left untreated could lead to a fatal stroke. Joe refuses to take his medication. Joe has a stroke and dies.

Did "Joe" commit suicide?
No, Joe is the steward of his body and faith life.... I would be more concerned about "JOE" living in adultery or being a "whoremonger" than whether he chooses to practice natural health or pharmacological health.

No one is guaranteed a "life" living beyond the time the Lord has given each one... it is more important that Joe is walking in Faith of Christ Jesus than if he practices and "unpopular" health philosophy.
 
P

PartyOf3

Guest
#8
"Joe" has a heart condition that if left untreated could lead to a fatal stroke. Joe refuses to take his medication. Joe has a stroke and dies.

Did "Joe" commit suicide?

this is why I avoid the dr, the less you know....lol jk
 
Feb 7, 2015
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#9
I agree with Ben Suicide is only suicide if the intention is to end your own life having given up on it, also if it is a sound decision made with a healthy mind.
You scared me! I was wondering who Ben Suicide was.
 

blue_ladybug

Senior Member
Feb 21, 2014
70,869
9,601
113
#10
"Joe" has a heart condition that if left untreated could lead to a fatal stroke. Joe refuses to take his medication. Joe has a stroke and dies.

Did "Joe" commit suicide?

Not really because even WITH the medication, he could still have had the stroke.. so either way, he could never know..
 

RickyZ

Senior Member
Sep 20, 2012
9,635
787
113
#11
Interesting takes on the situation. I kinda lean with Ben in that if Joe stopped taking the meds with the intention of hastening his demise it could be construed as suicide. But like others said, if he just hates big pharma, if he hates the side effects, then his intentions are different. And as the Ladybug says he could still stroke out even with the meds.

Of course the flip side of this question is, if Joe has a fatal disease, and without meds he's expected to live only months but with them he could live longer, is he committing suicide by not taking the meds? Again that probably falls on his intentions. But as BarlyGurl says, "No one is guaranteed a "life" living beyond the time the Lord has given each one". The question that then brings up, are taking life prolonging meds part of God's plan for our lives?

Warrior thanks for the well wishes. How'd you know I needed that? 'Cause according to some the gift of knowledge and revelation are dead ;)
 

Pilkington

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2015
640
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#12
Interesting takes on the situation. I kinda lean with Ben in that if Joe stopped taking the meds with the intention of hastening his demise it could be construed as suicide. But like others said, if he just hates big pharma, if he hates the side effects, then his intentions are different. And as the Ladybug says he could still stroke out even with the meds.

Of course the flip side of this question is, if Joe has a fatal disease, and without meds he's expected to live only months but with them he could live longer, is he committing suicide by not taking the meds? Again that probably falls on his intentions. But as BarlyGurl says, "No one is guaranteed a "life" living beyond the time the Lord has given each one". The question that then brings up, are taking life prolonging meds part of God's plan for our lives?

Warrior thanks for the well wishes. How'd you know I needed that? 'Cause according to some the gift of knowledge and revelation are dead ;)
Again choosing not take the meds even if he doesn't live as long as a consequence is not committing suicide. Ultimately God is control of when we die whether we choose to take a particular course in regards to whether taking meds or not.

My husband has a life limiting condition, stage III heart failure caused by Beckers Muscular Dystrophy, he takes his meds because he feels better on them, health wise he is much better than the clinicians expected and we are certain this is down to the God. When he was first diagnosed he spent 8 days in hospital was discharged for 6 and returned to hospital for 18, for over two years he has had no unplanned hospital admissions. When he was in hospital we planned for the worse. If asked and his heart had stopped I would have asked that he wasn't resuscitated. Sometimes we treat conditions too aggressively. When it is time God will take my husband home.
 
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PeacefulWarrior

Guest
#13
Interesting takes on the situation. I kinda lean with Ben in that if Joe stopped taking the meds with the intention of hastening his demise it could be construed as suicide. But like others said, if he just hates big pharma, if he hates the side effects, then his intentions are different. And as the Ladybug says he could still stroke out even with the meds.

Of course the flip side of this question is, if Joe has a fatal disease, and without meds he's expected to live only months but with them he could live longer, is he committing suicide by not taking the meds? Again that probably falls on his intentions. But as BarlyGurl says, "No one is guaranteed a "life" living beyond the time the Lord has given each one". The question that then brings up, are taking life prolonging meds part of God's plan for our lives?
Also, we shouldn't put our faith in meds. :)

Warrior thanks for the well wishes. How'd you know I needed that? 'Cause according to some the gift of knowledge and revelation are dead ;)
I didn't know -- always wish the best for my brothers and sisters in Christ!

I have arrived at a personal conclusion on the whole "gifts" debate: I cannot agree with those who strictly hold to the view that any specific gifts "have ceased". I also cannot agree with those who hold the view that the gift of tongues is the single gift which is evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit.

I believe:

God’s Spirit equips believers with unique gifts that enable us to carry out the mission of Christ in the world. At the same time, the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in every believer (Galatians 5:22–23), which demonstrate the Spirit’s presence within us. (Source)
 

RickyZ

Senior Member
Sep 20, 2012
9,635
787
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#14
Amen warrior!

Altho I had hoped my comment would be taken in jest and not as an invitation to reopen the gifts quagmire :)
 
J

JeniBean

Guest
#15
My father has an in-operable Brain Tumor and he has chosen NOT to be sick with Chemo and enjoy his time with his family. He states "GOD knows when it is my time, I lived a good life I am not going to be sick and run back and forth for treatments when I can be enjoying my family." I do not feel this is suicide as he did not place the Brain tumor in an in-operable place. I feel he is living his life to the fullest until he is called home.
 
Jun 23, 2015
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#16
My father has an in-operable Brain Tumor and he has chosen NOT to be sick with Chemo and enjoy his time with his family. He states "GOD knows when it is my time, I lived a good life I am not going to be sick and run back and forth for treatments when I can be enjoying my family." I do not feel this is suicide as he did not place the Brain tumor in an in-operable place. I feel he is living his life to the fullest until he is called home.
I am sorry you are going thru this sis. HUGS

Your father has a choice and it is his to make. I agree: it is not suicide.

May the Lord comfort you and your family as you travel this road together. Amen
 
B

BarlyGurl

Guest
#17
>>>>Also, we shouldn't put our faith in meds. :)<<<<

Bingo! and that is essentially a matter for God to convict each in their own heart and mind as only HS rightly divides the thoughts and intentions of man. I DO think this is a very good topic for constructive discussion to inform ourselves on how we might "view" scenarios and learn how to apply corporate "grace" to others if or when a challenge arises. It isn't okay to "manipulate" people spiritually to conform them to our thinking.
 
T

theGeneral

Guest
#18
My father has an in-operable Brain Tumor and he has chosen NOT to be sick with Chemo and enjoy his time with his family. He states "GOD knows when it is my time, I lived a good life I am not going to be sick and run back and forth for treatments when I can be enjoying my family." I do not feel this is suicide as he did not place the Brain tumor in an in-operable place. I feel he is living his life to the fullest until he is called home.
This is the scripture my grandmother read to my father when she declined to do more rounds of treatments at 84 years old
2 Timothy 4:7 " I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith"
She knew that all in all, treatments or not, that she had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord :)
Your sweet father's story just reminded me of this, thank you for your post :)
 
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PeacefulWarrior

Guest
#19
>>>>Also, we shouldn't put our faith in meds. :)<<<<

Bingo! and that is essentially a matter for God to convict each in their own heart and mind as only HS rightly divides the thoughts and intentions of man. I DO think this is a very good topic for constructive discussion to inform ourselves on how we might "view" scenarios and learn how to apply corporate "grace" to others if or when a challenge arises. It isn't okay to "manipulate" people spiritually to conform them to our thinking.
I agree and I can see this being applied to: http://christianchat.com/christian-news-forum/121268-yoga-cures-homosexuality.html#post2259599

Key: God to convict each in their own heart and mind -- Such truth!
 
Jun 23, 2015
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#20
"Joe" has a heart condition that if left untreated could lead to a fatal stroke. Joe refuses to take his medication. Joe has a stroke and dies.

Did "Joe" commit suicide?

Im curious. Why did you choose this subject matter to post about?