
Reasons Not to Kill Yourself or End Your Life
Dec 21, 2007 Brian Tubbs
There are hundreds of Internet searches each week on "How to Commit Suicide." Perhaps you are looking for ways to commit suicide. Please stop and read this article.
Hundreds of people each week search the Internet for information on "how to commit suicide" as well as "how to kill yourself." Search options run the gamut from "how to commit suicide with carbon monoxide" to "how to commit suicide painlessly" to "how to commit suicide and not screw up" to "101 ways to kill yourself."
If you are considering suicide, please take a few moments to breathe, read this article, sort through your situation prayerfully, and get help. If you know someone who may be at risk, perhaps this article will help you help them.
Here are some facts to help you say NO to suicide and YES to life.
1. There Is Substantial Evidence for the Existence of God
No games here. The bottom line is that the evidence for the existence of God far outweighs any evidence for atheism. If you doubt that statement, just use some common sense.
The universe began to exist. Whatever begins to exist must have a cause that brought it into existence. Moreover, the universe shows indications of fine-tuning and intricate design. That speaks to the strong likelihood of a Designer at work. And, finally, the presence of human aspiration, conscience, and spiritual awareness all point to something greater than what we simply see, touch, taste, hear, and smell.
These observations (and others) all mean that God (or at least a supernatural, cosmic intelligence of some kind) is real.
Not only that, but the overwhelming majority of people in the world accept the existence of God or a supernatural force of some kind. Those who reject the divine are in the distinct minority.
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You therefore owe it to yourself to do everything you can to communicate with God.
2. Your Value Comes from God
If God is real, then you are here because God created you or at least allowed you to come into existence. That fact determines your purpose for living as well as your worth as an individual.
The Founding Fathers of the United States of America made clear, in the opening paragaphs of the Declaration of Independence, that our "unalienable rights" (including our rights to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" - the very rights that define our value as human beings) come from the Creator.
That means your value is NOT associated with what other people think of you - even those who may be close to you. Nor does your value come from society. This, of course, doesn't mean that others won't try to diminish you or manipulate your feelings of self-worth. You can, however, rest confident in the "self-evident truth" (to steal a phrase from America's Founders) that your value comes from God. As such, your value is beyond human contestation.
3. There Is No "Restart" Button!
Once you take your life, there is no coming back. This is not like a computer you can reboot or a game that you can start over. You have only one life. End it - and you're done. Do not make that choice.
The truth is that your life will, like everyone else's, run its course in due time. No one lives forever, and death will come to you eventually. There's no need for you to rush it.
4. Don't Decide Based on Feelings
NEVER let your life be governed by (or ended by) feelings. In fact, you should NEVER make decisions solely based on feelings. Your feelings should follow your decisions - and NOT the other way around.
So, stop, take a breath, count to 1,000 if you have to, but get a firm grip on your feelings. Do that so that you can think clearly about your life and situation. If you are unable to get a handle on your feelings or to get on top of your emotions, then you may be suffering from depression. In that case, see a doctor right away. Get help. And that leads to the final step...
5. Seek Help...NOW
You need to get help...now. If you are considering something as drastic as ending your life, you need to talk to your family, a health professional, and a counselor. And you need to do these things right away. If you don't have health insurance or can't afford a counselor (and even if you can), consider contacting an area church. Obviously, if you are already in a church, get a hold of your pastor.
Read more at Suite101: Do NOT Commit Suicide: Reasons Not to Kill Yourself or End Your Life http://protestantism.suite101.com/article.cfm/do_not_commit_suicide#ixzz0s2aIRDsg