Dear Class Member,
The news we are addressing today concerns the deaths of actor Andrew Koenig and of Marie Osmond's son, both of whom took their own lives. Suicides outnumber homicides in America, and that makes it a topic the church shouldn't overlook.
So suicide and the meaning of life will be the topic of our next class.
If you wish to start thinking about our topic in advance, below is some introductory material.
Recent Suicides Remind Us of Life's Meaning
The Wired Word for March 7, 2010
In the News
Each year, more Americans die by suicide than by homicide.
We were startled to learn that, but the recent deaths of actor Andrew Koenig, 41, and Michael Blosil, 18, the son of entertainer Marie Osmond, both by their own hands, have brought that fact to the foreground.
Andrew Koenig, who played Richard (Boner) Stabone in the 1980s TV series Growing Pains and later appeared on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and other series, ended his life sometime on or after February 14. His body was later found in Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. His father, actor Walter Koenig, said, "Our son took his own life."
Michael Blosil jumped to his death on February 26 from the eighth floor of his Los Angeles apartment building.
Both men suffered from depression, and each left a despondent note. Blosil wrote of feeling sad and friendless.
Michael Gerson, in his March 3 Washington Post column, writes "Suicides outnumber homicides in America, making self-hatred more lethal than violence by others." He goes on to say that in 2009, "the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported that 1.1 million Americans had attempted suicide during the previous year."
Suicide, said Gerson, is "associated with depression, feelings of hopelessness, substance abuse and low levels of serotonin in the brain."
After giving other statistics and perspectives on suicide, Gerson wrote that it is "often preventable," but "precisely because despair can rob individuals of judgment, it may require family and friends to intervene." This, however, is sometimes complicated by the fact that today, more Americans are likely to be isolated and live alone.
We recommend Gerson's column and encourage you to read it here: Pulling loved ones out of the lure of suicide. The Washington Post
More on this story can be found at these links:
Here are some of the questions we will discuss in class:
1. Given that a person who seeks to end his or her own life is often operating under a sense of despair that can distort perspective and long-range thinking, should suicide be addressed in moral terms? Why or why not?2. Suicide is sometimes described as "a permanent solution to a temporary problem." What does that suggest in terms of trying to help people who are suicidal?3. Under what circumstances, if any, could you conceive of suicide as a morally acceptable choice?4. What does the Bible say about the meaning of life?
Confronting the News with Scripture
We will look at selected verses from these Scripture texts. You may wish to read these in advance for background:
Psalm 38:1-22Psalm 102:1-28Amos 9:1-4Matthew 27:3-10Matthew 6:25-34
In class, we will talk about these passages and look for some insight on the big questions, as well as talk about other questions you may have about this topic. Please join us.
Wow, that statistic is shocking. I know that personally I turn my anger inward and that is part of my depression. I really struggle at times to keep going. I find that by counting my blessings on an ongoing basis I do better. Little things like having the money for parking, having a reliable vehicle, working a job, flannel sheets for my bed, money to pay my bills etc.
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