CHRISTIANS: Is choosing not to take cancer treatment b/c Im ready to die considered a sin (suicide)?
The breakdown is this: I was abused my entire life. I have developed depression, anxiety, and severe OCD due to some things Ive experienced. Someone I knew a very long time snapped and attempted to kill her three kids, actually killing her three year old. Since then I began having harm OCD thoughts. UNWANTED thoughts/urges to hurt/kill people. I'll repeat that... COMPLETELY UNWANTED. I dont want to hurt anybody but it is absolute mental torment living with these thoughts and urges. I have tried different medications to no avail, I have tried therapy and it did nothing... I even resorted to checking myself into a mental hospital voluntarily and that didnt help. I used to be an incredibly strong person, mentally and physically. Now I cant work... I can hardly function in daily life because of these thoughts and the depression. Im in debt. And I have a 5 year old that I am terrified of being around simply because i want her to be safe. I cant trust anybody... No one will be with a trainwreck like me. Sorry for the long intro but I was diagnosed with severe cervical dysplasia. A year ago my pap smear was completely clear. My doctor says at the rate the cells are multiplying it will most definitely turn into cervical cancer. I feel like i cant do this anymore. I cant even offer my daughter a good life, Im miserable and making everyone around me miserable. I cant stand the thought of never seeing my child again but I cant stand the fears of hurting somebody and ending up in prison either. Do you think its a sin to not seek treatment and allow myself to die? Its not suicide. I dont want to go to hell... that scares me too. I am in misery. Your opinions please. PS... please dont refer me to a suicide prevention hotline. Been there, done that. Its appreciated, but please just answer the question.Thanks. And also, I do go to a spirit-filled church. I have accepted Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior.
Religion & Spirituality - 23 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
no its not a sin
2 :
GET TREATMENT GURL!!!!!!!!!!!
3 :
Seek treatment. Religious claims are complete fiction. Educate yourself.
4 :
Its fine, as long as its not euthanasia. Some people want the quality of what time is left then the quantity in the case of chemotherapy since it makes you feel like hell for the time you have left.
5 :
If you want to die, its your life to do with as you wish.
6 :
Man religion beats the hell out of common sense. I go to a very spirit filled Church ,check this out one of the leaders of worship had a thyroid operation , the doctor said she wont be able to sing again she prayed and prayed soon it lead her to a doctor that could successfully do the operation , he a believer and she was healed i herd her sing today it was wonderful. So yes you need to get the best help you can possibly get. Get out there find the right doctors ask God and pray that you find the right treatment centers. And Get better. Best regards. -Sizzle.
7 :
In a way it is because if you can't take care of yourself, you can't take of your child and God is very big on being the best parent possible. you don't want to abandon your child. it will hurt her. you've tried all the man-made help such as therapy, mental hospital and everything, now its time to turn to God and let him help you take away these mental illness little by little everyday. ************EDIT**************** As for worrying about things all the time, I know exactly how you feel. i sound like a hypocrite even now, telling you to turn to God for your worries becuase even i feel like nothing works. for YEARS AND YEARS ever since i can remember, my speciality was always worrying: parents dying, choking on food, being raped, having all my stuff stolen, losing jobs, being homeless, being kidnapped, ANYTHING this world has to offer in a bad way. i'm 23 years old and to this day i am TOOO sensitive to things and i dread out my worries until it exhausts me. I have prayed to God for weeks and weeks now to help me get over this silly constant worrying becuase it isnt doing me any good but waste my time and energy worrying about most things that i can't even fix and that are out of my hands. and even thought 90% of the time i feel like my prayers arent being answered, i keep praying, becuase i don't have a choice and it only means that i want to be healed that badly. I've called the suicide hotline before, all they do is sit there and stare into space while i cry and explain my worries away. all they suggested was a councilor which is what i thought THEY were for. So even i've been there and done that. As for cancer treatment, if you have the opportunity, TAKE it. understand that there are sick people in this world who are sick all day and everyday and hav eno access to treatment and cures, but YOU do. take it. yes at first the treatment may be a freaken curse but understand it is only temporary and you will get better. Be there for your child, watch her grow up and become a beautiful woman. mothers are probably THE most important person in a child's life. she will forever need you.
8 :
God never wants you to lead yourself to death. Your body is the temple of God if you have been saved. I can't imagine how hard things may be for you, but God may have a special plan for your life if you stay strong and true to Him. Believe me, He will reward you if you stay strong. I do not know if suicide is worthy of Hell even if you are saved... But, it is sin. If you leave your daughter what do you think that will leave for her later on in life. She would have grown up without you and it would affect her emotionally and maybe even mentally. It may even cause her not to have faith in God. You need to keep praying and ask God to give you guidance, wisdom and courage to do what He would have you to do. It's not always going to be easy, but God loves you and he never wants anything but the best for you. So please... Don't...
9 :
I personally don't think it is considered suicide. But I'm not god... I think that facing your coming death with your head high and with courage is good in god's book.
10 :
Why yes that is a sin it is a form of suicide and it seems that no medication you taking right now will help your inner pain and the hurt and suffering u went through and your going through but continue taking your treatment because everybody in life has a purpose but right now the only thing i can say will help is for you to go to church or talk to GOD it may seem as you don't hear the answer but if you just listen you will well take care and stay well and please take my advice
11 :
Stick around for your child. That is what I am doing, no one can love a child and care for them like thier own mother can. I understand what you are going through with cancer and all the terrible things. I too have had a terrible life and have struggled with anxiety and depression including agoraphobia. My family does not love me and will drop me at a moments notice if they found another spouse and kids to involve themselves with... and voila! No family all of a sudden. The ONLY family or friend I do have with all cirtainty is my 11 yr old son. I have been fighting a rare intestinal cancer for 7 years now and really am near death because I am already cachexic. If you need a friend, you may email me... *Also, everyone goes to the grave, but don't stop fighting and don't "leave it up to God" decide to stay for yourself and your child, at least until she grows up. That's what I'm doing.
12 :
Who are you, to die yourself, it is the ALMIGHTY FATHER GOD has the power to end or extend your life. Do whatever you want but result is in the hand of ALMIGHTY FATHER GOD. Our FATHER never looks at our sins or prayer but it only looks at our faith, if you have faith, you will do miracle or else you will be a pity on society. So repent and surrender to FATHER GOD and ask whatever in Jesus's name you will get it. If you pray for others, serve, feed, help, provide others will be blessed. Believe it or not, it is true. Get operated, you are precious to FATHER GOD, HE will arrange all your needs.
13 :
That is between you and God. However God may have a far better plan for you than you are ready to settle for yourself. If you have been truly saved, God is as able to heal you and restore you and add years to your life as He is able to save your soul. Jesus once said "Be it done unto you according to your faith." If you have a confession of Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved, according to Romans 10:9-10. But God is able to do greater things than this. Listen how God saved this man from certain death, and even hell...... http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3969188605147769651# and again...... http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=3682855866783766146&q=ian+mccormack&total=70&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0#
14 :
Don't let yourself die. That is selfish, which is a sin. Think how sad your little girl would be. Just pray!! God can fix anything! Also talk to your Pastor.
15 :
Please don't give up hope. No one's life is worthless, no matter how bad it seems. Sometimes when you think it's the darkest moment of your life, you just have to find the right person to help you. Maybe the particular therapists you went to in the past weren't helpful, but maybe you were going to the wrong one or they misdiagnosed you. Try another one and get treatment for your medical issues for the sake of your daughter. Think of how much pain she'd be in if she lost her mother. I can't even imagine. Think about her wedding day- and how much she'll be wishing her mom was there. Don't give up on yourself or her.
16 :
The question is; does your doctor think that the cancer is treatable and curable? If so, you are dangerously close to suicide instead of a refusal of heroic treatment. That your motives may seem altruistic in not wanting to hurt anyone else does not make this less so. Could it be your medical condition, even while undiagnosed, was a major factor in your depression? Just consider it a possibility. How long have you attended this church? I went through some form of depression myself; in fact, I was forced to seek treatment a couple of times. However, due to my trusting my spirit, and God's will, more than anything man can do, I feel by talking to both the priests and nuns I have talked to, and prayer, have done me more good than any therapist and medicine. This may not be for everyone, but it was better for me. Perhaps the reason you have been brought to this church is to start overcoming those issues. It won't happen overnight, but if you refuse treatment as you state, how can you ever know? I would encourage you to seek life, not death. However, I will pray for you regardless.
17 :
It is absolutely not sin to refuse medical treatment. God has numbered our days. We do not die one second sooner or later than he has ordained. Pray for God's guidance and trust him to direct your path whatever it is. I have a 'living will' that says: My life shall not be artificially prolonged and no life sustaining treatment shall be administered, if at any time my attending doctor, consultant or surgeon and one independent medical practitioner certify in writing that in their opinion: a) I have a terminal, incurable or irreversible injury, disease or illness; or b) I am permanently unconscious, comatose, in a persistent vegetative state with no reasonable chance of recovery; and c) I am no longer able to make decisions regarding my medical treatment. In the above circumstances I wish to be permitted to die naturally and to only receive such medical treatment as will alleviate any pain or distressing symptoms so as to make me more comfortable even if this has the effect of shortening my life. My sons as proxies. Attached to my will. 2 Kings 20 1 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, "This is what the LORD says: PUT YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER, because you are going to die; you will not recover. The following is my answer to many other questions on hell: No-one is going to Hell. Christians are deceived about it, partly because of mistranslations in the bible and church traditional teachings. 1 Corinthians 3:15 ...if of any the work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; and himself shall be SAVED, but so as through fire. Hebrews 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire. 1 Timothy 4:10 ...the living God, who is the Saviour of ALL men, and especially of those who believe. The majority of Christian churches teach that most of mankind will be tortured forever in the lake of fire. They believe that Jesus will fail at his task that God gave him, that is, to be the Saviour of the world. Who you are you going to believe - God or man? Lake should be translated 'pond' or 'safe harbour'. Revelation 20:14 Then death and Hades (usually translated 'hell' which Christians believe is the lake of fire) were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. So - the lake of fire was thrown into itself - according to Christian teaching. Hebrews 9:27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgement God treats us all the same. His called and chosen died (spiritually) in their spiritual baptism and then are judged in this life. 1 Peter 4:17 For it is time for judgement to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? Those not chosen die a physical death then face the judgement after the second resurrection. At that time they stand before God, receive the Truth, repent and are cleansed in the fire of God. Not a picnic, but there is no everlasting torture. God is love. Believe it!... I am so sorry for your difficulties. Just remember God loves you no matter what. Luke 12 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And yet not one of them is forgotten or uncared for in the presence of God. 7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be struck with fear or seized with alarm; you are of greater worth than many sparrows.
18 :
Sister, I don't mean to evade the question but this is really between you and God. If you are a Christian, you know how merciful He is. I recommend going on living, and praying *stubbornly* for His help. Please don't give up. When God is ready for your life to end, it will. Until then, why not use the time to get even closer to HIm?
19 :
JUST FORGET ABOUT YOUR PAST GIRL!!!! THE ONLY WAY TO A BETTER FUTURE...YOU THINK YOU HAVE IT BAD HAHAHA I HAVE DONE SOME TREACHEROUS THINGS AND I HAVE HAD THEM DONE TO ME AND I HAVE NEARLY KILLED AND ALMOST BEEN KILLED!! DEATH IS SERIOUS!!! IF YOU WANT TO DIE THAN DO IT...YOU MUST LIVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY AND STOP BEING SUCH A INSANE PERSON..YOU CAN FIX YOURSELF JUST HAVE SOME DISCIPLINE IN YOUR HEAD AND YOUR HEART...YOUR LETTING EMOTIONS DRIVE YOU TO DO SOME CRAZY THINGS. IF YOU READ MILITARY MANUALS AND JAPANESE ART OF WAR YOU WILL READ THAT PANIC CAN HAVE YOU KILLED OR MAKE YOU A KILLER... YOU ARE ALWAYS WORRIED AND DONT FORGIVE AND JESUS IS FORGIVENESS!!!! YOU ARE SHOWING NO FAITH IN YOUR GOD AND HIS ONE AND ONLY BEGOTTEN SON AND THAT IS A SIN... IF YOU FEAR GOD YOU WILL GET ON YOUR KNEES AND ASK GOD TO CLEANSE YOU OF THE WORRY DEMONS HAUNTING YOU!!!! ASK GO TO BRING YOU A BIG FAT JOINT OF SOME POTENT MARAJUANA SO YOU CAN SIT DOWN AND THING ABOUT WTF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT AND HOW EMBARRASSED YOUR MOTHER WOULD BE FOR YOU... QUIT BEING A GUILT RIDDIN WHINO!!! STFU AND GET YOURSELF TOGETHER!!! WHY IN THE HELL WOULD YOU WANT TO ACT LIKE THAT? JUST RELAX!!! YOUR KID IS GOING TO GROW UP JUST AS CRAZY , IF NOT WORSE THAN YOU!!! DOCTORS CAN ONLY SAY YOU ARE WHAT YOU ARE BY WHAT YOU TELL THEM... MEANING , THEY DIAGNOSE WHAT YOU ARE BY WHAT THE HELL YOU PORTRAY TO BE!!! KIND OF LIKE, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT ANYTHING YOU SAY CAN AND WILL BE USED AGAINST YOU..! YOU DONT NEED ANYBODY BUT YOU AND THE ALL SEEING EYE THE CREATOR THE OWNER OF THE UNIVERSE..! DONT LET ANYBODY SAY YOU ARE CRAZY OR YOU ARE BOUND TO BE!!! ADMIT YOU ARE ACTING LIKE A COMPLETE SORE LOSER AND YOU NEED TO QUIT IT FOR THE STRENGTH OF YOUR FAMILY!! THERE IS SOMEONE OUT THERE FOR EVERYONE AND YOU WILL FIND HIM EVENTUALLY IF YOU EVER CALM, THE F DOWN...<<< SO, LOL I WISH YOU THE BEST ...DONT DO ANYTHING IRRATIONAL..YOU DIDN'T CONTROL YOURSELF COMING INTO THIS WORLD SO IT IS NOT YOUR POSITION TO CONTROL HOW YOU LEAVE IT. GET THE GDAM OPERATION IF YOU NEED IT AND BE THERE TO TAKE CARE OF THAT BABY!!!
20 :
1st and formost REBUKE the devil and he must flee! You need to rebuke that way of thinking! You don't have to think or live like that, you deserve better. Pray for yourself like never before. You beleive in Jesus so you have the right to speak over the devil, you have the right to tell him to go and he MUST flee! Beleive that! Pray and tell god what ou are feeling, open your mouth and tell Him, I am sure you have much more to live for, seeing what you experienced, you definetely have something, some reason, some purpose to be living for. Stand up and fight, don't lye down and allow satan to take over. You have power invested in you because of Jesus. pray like never before, if you go to a church with people you think are truely of God call them. NOW and let them know you need prayer and intervention. No one will be upset about you asking for help. When silly thoughts of harm come to your mind rebuke thm in Jesus name, plead the blood of Jesus over life and rebuke those thoughts of death back where they came from. You may not be able to peek into the future and see what God will do with you but guess who can. The devil can see what is to come and he doesn't want you to be better, he don't want you to get up so he's trying to attack your thoughts, do NOT let him!!! God can see all and He knows all, you are not withou Him, speak to Him. Jesus stands and knocks at the door of every heart, open yours up to Him and He will come in and give you what you need to beat this! Years later you will look at this and be reassured that the devil is a liar. God keep you! Ask god to heal you how He sees fit, speak over the cancer, plead the blood of jesus over it, ask the Lord to rid you of the cancer and have faith!
21 :
aww you poor thing dont give up yet like they say things have to get bad before they can get any better why don't you try surrounding yourself with people who support you in a positive way and i know you said your scared but you'll be okay.ussaully what i do is pray to god to be with me and to take away my sins, and to forgive me of my wrong doings.also on that note i call him dad some people find that odd but it makes me more comfortable talking to him,it sort of makes sense because some call him god the father and also he is our spiritual dad.also i ussally pray the apostles creed,the our father and the serinity prayer i know them all off by heart because they are very powerful prayers.I went through catholic schooling for my whole life and if your worried about goung to hell you should take that wall down you might have with god and ask him to take your sins away before you die becuase if you do he will and your soul will be cleansed.but you should realize that letting yourself die is the completley wrong thing to do in this situation my best friend killed herself last year.really messed me up but the thought crossed my mind to end myself but then i realized how selfish she was to leave me suffer like this and that maybe instead of taking her life so carelessly she could have talked to me.so you should think twice about taking treatment lfe is precious plus think about your daughter having to grow up without a mom? my mom right know is dying of cancer and its the scariest thing ever but i know we'll make it through this.so you should probably consider putting yourself in a positive position.and if your scared of hurting other people its okay you should know your not the only one with these urges and since i have never expirienced these feelings i can only suggest you keep yourself busy whether it is volenteering in your communtity, cleaning house baking etc.. you should know it's okay and if you surround yourself in supportive people you'll make it through this obstacle take care XOXO
22 :
This world is in turmoil and we all Christian and Sinner alike are swept up in its torrent. The news that is around us is despairing and many are giving up all hope and those that are left have given up caring. The Church has been put here for such a time as this and there has never been a time in its history that it has been needed more than now. The people that have been CHOSEN to led this fight, have been equipped to differing degrees to cope with the pressure being exerted. You have gone through more than most. You are able to help more than most. Because as you have found out when a person has gone through what you have there is no help no one to understand no one to care. Until now. Where you are now many more will follow and there will be those that don't now the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior. You can and are a beacon of courage in these times, even now as you write in despair i look at all that you have been through all you have experienced and still you survive. If God would not allow you to be destroyed through all of that. Then maybe He has a greater purpose for your life? We are in a War against principalities and powers in high places. Your fight is a testimony to those of us that feel life has nothing to offer. There is no disease, no sickness, no infirmity, no experience, That the Lord our God cannot heal. If we trust Him.
23 :
I haven't read any of the other comments here so if you have considered accepting someone else's responce that will be just fine by me, if they are truly wanting to help you that is. My focus though is on your level of double mindedness. You have thoughts of killing others while you "understand" it is wrong. Your heart tells you one thing but your mind tells you another. While your heart is good your mind is wrapped around a dilemma that is tormenting you. Rightfully so I might add, just pay attention and I'll explain why. This is happening to you really because of many factors, as you have already confessed to us, not all your fault though but some could very well be and only you have that knowledge only you must go thru that road of repentance and returning to the L-rd. Now, that being said, one reason could very well be that you are placing your trust in false messages. Believing you can not supersede a moral or ethical dilemma is completely false. If you truly have accepted the messiah as the truth as he is the truth he has the answer to all of your anxieties & problems and much much more. Are you not familiar in the way in which mankind treated him in his generation? How did he go thru his process of humiliation in nakedness, being spat upon, lashes, buffetings, crucifixion and ofcourse ultimately death? With dignity or without? Now, continue to ask yourself this question. Could he have prevented his own death if he had so chosen too? He said so himself "Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?" We all know this wasn't suicide ofcourse. Why? It sure sounds like it though, doesn't it? The decision which the messiah took, to be allowed to be put to death definately sounds as if he was commiting self anihalation because if he had the power to prevent his own death why didn't he use it when it was needed? Which brings us to this next question. We would then have to question every rational thinking about our faith in him. How could he be the messiah if he commited suicide? Now, you're asking how can we look at this picture and understand or interpret that it was not a suicide? Well, on the most basic level the messiah is telling us, {"Hey listen up you people! I want to make one thing very clear about all of this, I have within my grasp the power to prevent my own death and I am telling you so so that you will all know and understand that I speak the truth and I am allowing it so that the scriptures might be fullfilled when all is finished you will understand it clearly". } Wasn't this already spoken by him? So, for us to interpret this we would need to understand that the messiah was on a level of spirituality way much higher then ours and most importantly that all that he did was for the sake of heaven and one other important issue we should consider is that he was a prophet who had revelation of things beyond. His own death for instance, he predicted his own death but his revelation didn't just end there at his death but went further beyond to him rising again from the dead. So when we look at it from this perspective it is easy to understand why the messiah chose to go thru this horrible ordeal, this process was a mere hurdle in his purpose for ressurecting and inmortality, besides the point that scripture had to be fulfilled to as previously explained. So again, our mental faculties of reasoning all of this cannot be at all conclusive but it should always be an ongoing process of learning because who can understand in full all the wonders of heaven? No one can but in our limitations we are given glimpse into his thoughts his speeches and his actions which have been recorded for all of us by his emissaries, so that we may all believe in him. You asked the question "am I committing suicide by not taking my meds or going to kimo if the doctor so recommended in order for me to stay alive"? In my view yes because your decision of not taken them is not for the sake of heaven and it is not G-d's will for you to seek death but life or to destroy yourself "G-d forbid" but this answer should not be handled by anyone here but given to you by your personal spiritual leader. He is the one you should listen to. And no one here should just give you a simple answer because your question is very complexed. To conclude with this message, there is no hell for those who have believed in him for us hell is insignificant.
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