Resource A Brief History of Suicide

[Egddios]

Courtesy of the Peaceful Pill Handbook (PPH)

Posting as I find it relevant in light of recent events.

Over the years, the way in which society views the taking of one's own life has varied enormously. Suicide had not always been seen as the act of a sick and depressed person. In ancient Greece, Athenian magistrates kept a supply of poison for anyone who wanted to die. You just needed official permission. For the Stoics of ancient times, suicide was considered an appropriate response, if the problems of pain, grave illness or physical abnormalities became too great.

With the rise of Christianity, however, suicide came to be viewed as a sin (a violation of the sixth commandment). As Lisa Lieberman writes in her book 'Leaving You', all of a sudden 'the Roman ideal of heroic individualism' was replaced 'with a platonic concept of submission to divine authority'.

It was Christianity that changed society's view of suicide from the act of a responsible person, to an infringement upon the rights of God. One's death became a matter of God's will, not one's own and it was at this point that penalties were first established for those who attempted suicide. If the suicide was successful, it was the family of the offender who were punished with fines and social disgrace.

 

[not_a_robot]

Schopenhauer had some thoughts on it.

 

[Oblivion Lover]

Hmph, I knew that those religious fanatics had to be involved on it. Christianity has only brought evil and stupidity to this world.

 

[RainAndSadness]

Other cultures definitely have a more positive view on death. In some cultures, for example in Japan, suicide is even glorified. Christianity ruined a lot of things for western society.

 

[Partial-Elf]

This is a good thread/concept, it really blew my mind the first time I read about it. Christianity sucks and I hate it. I also feel much more sane knowing that how I feel about things like suicide, euthanasia, abortion, etc was much more normal in other cultures

 

[ExitTheDay]

Why am I not surprised that once Christianity came pestering on by suicide was looked down upon