Hi,
My uncle killed himself after being tormented by what i think was quite a long time of mental illness, and not really getting the help he needed.

His funeral is soon and They frown apon letting a suicide victim have a church service. Some won't allow it. Apparently the belief is that you wont go to heaven if you kill yourself.

My question is;
Do you believe that you dont go to heaven if you commit suicide?
Should People be allowed church services/burials if they have committed suicide?
What religion are you and has this affected your answer?

I think that Church services should be allowed, That people do go to heaven, as long as they have not done anything terrible, like murder etc. I was Christened, and share some Christan views but I dont consider myself a Christian.

i think that is discusting they wont allow a church service...i think its a load of rubbish they wont go they heaven...tbh i dont really know what i believe in reguards to the after life...is there a heaven and such?? but i think once again religion is being used as a scare tactic and a controll method
im christend catholic btw, but i strongly disagree with some of the things they teach, i dont practice any religion, i believe what i believe, but i certenly dont think you uncle will be discriminated agains for being ill and taking his own life, its so sad he didnt see any other way out..im sorry for your loss and i really hope you have a lovley service for himxxxxxx

That's terrible. He had an illness that caused him to kill himself. Why shouldn't he be allowed a proper church service etc x

I have to say i am the most nonreligious person ever and dont believe in god, heaven etc.
I think no matter what the cause of death EVERYONE has a right to the funeral they choose. Its bloody disgusting this day and age that religion still plays a part in things like this.

What about human rights!!!!

First off hun..I want to send my condolences to you and your family on such a tragic loss. It's bad enough to lose a loved one, and have this to contend with. So giant hugs to you As for the religious part of it..I doubt anyone truly knows what happens to someone when they take their own life. From what I understand in the bible..God decides..not man...and God loves everyone. Mental illness is a disease..no different from cancer..MS..diabetes.. etc. I think it differs too from what denomination you are. Protestant churches are more accepting of things, knowing that we humans are afflicted with so many crisis's and ailments. No one knows the mind of the person who has hit so low to take their own life...and if the church is so quick to judge..where were they when he was hitting rock bottom? If anything... the church failed him. I think that's why I stopped attending..as the church has become a little clique of "members only" attitude instead of reaching out to every child of God.

My cousin committed suicide 8 years ago, he left a partner and a daughter and a 14 year old son. Two weeks ago son who was 22 also killed himself.

They both had catholic church services by a lovely preist, as k's funeral was only a week ago I remember the service well. The preist said that K decided to go before he was taken.

Obviously none of us know (because we're alive) but the preist led us to believe that k was in heaven. And for all of us there, we got comfort from that he was at peace and with his dad.

Mara - I challenge you on the most non-religious title (well organised religion anyway)

When asked my religion I always say 'self-belief' and that's what I am.
My religion say that your only idol or god is yourself and you are all the things that other religions say their god is. I see external gods as an excuse to blame someone else for what happens and not take full responsibility for your own life.

On the suicide and heaven issue. I don't believe in heaven but I do believe in souls returning to their soul groups to come back to life in the future as someone else to learn lessons they missed in previous lives. So I would say that a suicide victim would come back to deal with learnings they haven't gained.

The ultimate goal is to reach your beautiful self where you have perfected the art of being you (you the soul) and then you reach Nirvana and don't have to come back again. I suppose in many ways Nirvana is like the Christian heaven.

I would like to think that if there is a God and Heaven that he wouldn't deny someone heaven for being so troubled that they felt they had no other option, after all isn't the whole ethos of Christianity based around forgiveness? So why doesn't that apply after death. I was raised as a Christian, but I do think that so many of the beliefs and views of the Church need rethinking. Big hugs to you for your loss xxx

Sorry to hear of your loss

This really gets to me, as i lost someone special to Suicide....


Do you believe that you dont go to heaven if you commit suicide?
I believe you dont go to heaven straight away, you get nursed better first... find the reason why you felt the need to take your own life.... NO way do i believe that people who commit suicide go to HELL which a lot of religions believe in

Should People be allowed church services/burials if they have committed suicide?
Yes, why should'nt they have a proper send off..... is'nt the pain they went thru enough, let alone there families not being able to say a proper goodbye


It breaks my heart, that people who take there life, are seen as selfish.... its far from that.... if only they realised... there problem or whatever there suffering isnt a long term thing.. things improve/get better over time..... once your gone your gone, nothing can ever change that

xx