Is suicide a sin?
There can be no doubt that intentionally killing oneself is a sin. The Sixth Commandment clearly states, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13), and suicide is murdering oneself.
Yet we should not be quick to condemn a person who dies in this manner, for typically, he or she has been dealing with incredibly weighty problems. Those problems might include some form of drug addiction, including alcoholism. They might include one or more of a number of mental illnesses, which can be difficult to comprehend even for those who deal with them professionally. In addition, the person who commits suicide often has been dealing with these issues secretly, the depth of his or her struggle known only to himself or herself.
