A dream I had last night brought to light a perplexing question. I figured I'd throw it out here and see what y'all think...

If you received news from a doctor that you had a lethal condition that could be fixed with a simple surgery and you refused to have the surgery, would this be considered suicide in the eyes of man and/or God? Is it the same thing as putting a bullet in your brain or is it different?

The Jehovahs dont agree with blood transfusions, so if you are right they are contradicting themselves.

Who would have thought it. Religion contradicting itself?

Personally, suicide is one of the few choices we still have in life. If God would condemn you because of what you chose to do...I would start looking at another God, just saying.

I beleive it would be a form of suicide, but I also beleive a person has a right to commit suicide...JMHO..

I'm not exactly sure where I stand on this, which is why I asked.

When I first woke up, my reaction was it's the same thing as blowing your brains out.

But then after thinking about it, I changed my mind. People smoke and know it's killing them slowly, but it's not considered suicide just because you don't choose to quit.

This scenario is similar, I suppose, just in a shorter time frame. You're choosing not to do something that could prevent your untimely death. This, I think, would technically give you a leg to stand on if you got to the pearly gates and God was standing there saying "NO admittance for you my daughter(or son), suicide victims can't come in. You should have done the surgery!"

Of course, this assumes there's a God, there are pearly gates, and that suicide would prevent admittance, none of which I'm sure I believe. I just thought it was an interesting dilemna.

If its your time to go, its your time to go. If you have a terminal illness and elect not to have surgery, it isn't the same as committing suicide. People who commit suicide make the choice to end their life. No one chooses to have a terminal illness.

There were no doctors and no known medicines when Adam and Eve were (supposedly)about.

When the bible was written the medical practices were primitive, and often life threatening in theirselves.

Its only in fairly recent history that medical practices have become so advanced. These are a result of science, not god, just decide for yourself what is right, and let everyone else make their own mind up.

Okay, so I didn't choose to get the lesion on my intestine that's slowly filling my abdomen with blood, but the doctor says he can go in and remove the section with the lesion, thereby stopping the bleeding, and I will live a normal life. The surgery has risks, but it's fairly routine and the prognosis is good. If I don't have the surgery, I will die within two days. I tell the doctor I don't want the surgery, to just let me die. I've seen enough of this miserable world and opt not to save myself. Haven't I just committed suicide, in essence? I chose death over life.

This is the scenario from my dream. This is NOT a real life situation, thankfully. It just made me think, that's all. Not saying there's a right or wrong answer here.

aside from your point of view on God which I also disagree with.

U R connected to so many people that love u and will be in tremendous pain if you commit suicide, so I think the choice shouldn't just be yours, they should have a say in it.

taking care of ur body is ur responsibility, minor surgery can cure that person.... what he's doing is not much different than a healthy person stops drinking and eating altogerther.

I don't think it would be suicide in the eyes of God since he gave everyone the right of free choice...Suicide will be ending your life unexpectedly while having a terminal illness your body is dying on it's own

The so-called moral dilemma occurs when there is a lack of self-esteem and faith in your own abilities and competance.

Some people who believe in God feel that he answers personal questions - so if God is the source of your knowledge, then ask God and wait for some sign or responce and hope it doen't need too much interpretation. If you have so little confidence in yourself then I can only say it would be spiteful God who would answer such a solomn question with a parable or some weird sign requiring interpretation.

As for what others would think - what do you care it's your life (or death) live, or die, as you wish - that is why we have hospice, it offers a choice. Of course, quicker choices are available as well, but again you'll be dead, why would you care what anyone else thinks?

Should you ever find yourself in a life-altering dilemma and feel overwhelmed - certainly lean on your beliefs - and then educate yourself. Be responsible for your own educated choices and never forget that every action we take is only one of the options available. If you think otherwise, you have not looked for other options.

Right now, while the dream and the dilemma is on your mind - question your beliefs - find answers that will not be confusing or conflicting with such a dilemma. Perhaps that was why you had the dream - to remind you that there are many ideas and avenues you have yet to explore - education and self-reflection - its the best cure all for confusing thoughts and moral dilemmas.

Considering that dying is the one thing that we have to do in this life. If we make the choice to make the event happen sooner than later, no big deal in my eyes.

There are worse things than dying when it comes to terminal illnesses.

If it's a moral question conerning what the creator of this universe might think, or care about, then the answer should be simple.

Just look around at nature. This universe is naturally a dog-eat-dog world where animals naturally eat each other, including the babies of other animals, and their eggs as well.

The world is also full of disease, and conditions as you have described in your dream where body parts simply fail. In fact, a biological human body isn't designed to last very long in the first place. All humans die extremely quickly, in fact compared with the timescales of the universe, living things arise and die in far less than the blink of an eye.

Even nature shows no respect for life as often times volcanos, tornadoes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters will often mass murder large numbers of people.

So clearly the creator of this universe apparently doesn't value life much, if at all. Why anyone would think that God would care if someone dies or even takes their own life is beyond me. It certainly doesn't appear that the world was even created to be very hospitable toward life to begin with.

This God (if it exists as a "conscious" being), obviously doesn't have much conscience at all if he/she/it just stands by whilst thousands of people die of starvation, disease, and accidents every day.

Death is meaningless to such a God. And rightfully so. After all, if the whole idea behind a "God" is that it exists in a supernatural and spiritual world where people actually GO after they die, then what would be so important about the physical life? It would be utterly trivial.

If there is such a thing as "God" then there can be no such thing as "Death". The two concepts simply aren't co-compatible.

So whether a person wants to live or die isn't even a moral question. The only question they really need to answer is whether they prefer living, or not living. To be or not to be.

The idea that life is "Sacred" is truly an insane idea for anyone who truly believes in a spiritual existence after this physical life is over.

In what way would life be "Sacred" if after it's over you just wake up as a spirit in another dimension? If you're going to be judged by a "supposedly" genuinely wise and compassionate God, then there's nothing to fear. The only thing to fear would be if God is neither wise, nor compassionate. But in that case, it wouldn't be a "God" by definition, it would be a demon.

Truly. We're all going to die. That's a fact. So if there is a designer behind this universe his/her/its design is that people should indeed die. Let there be no doubt about that one.

I think its completely wrong (inaccurate) to say that these two choices (putting a bullet through your head, choosing not to have a surgery) are equally volitional.

For these two specific examples - there are many differences. But thats not the point. In general, choosing to do something is not the same thing as choosing to not do something. Pretending this key difference simply doesn't exist is foolishness, from my point of view.

For this particular example, though: if you put a bullet through your head, you are trying to kill yourself. That is your goal, your purpose, and you are acting to try to accomplish it. If you succeed, your death would have been unambiguously caused by your actions.

If you have a fatal condition, there is almost always a chance of recovery. Theists might call it a 'miracle', I would call it a surprising (given the circumstances) consequence of the body's inherent capacity to heal itself. As long as that possibility (however remote) exists, doing nothing is completely unlike suicide.

Well, since my views on suicide differ from most, and usually piss people off, I'd say it's up to the individual.

I do agree with previous statements that we are all going to die, and choosing to or when versus having it happen out of the blue make very little difference. Dead is dead.

However, I personally don't believe in forbidding anyone, healthy or otherwise, physically or mentally, their option to take their own life. I'd rather my death be quiet, fast and peaceful, at a time of my choosing, then in terrible agony, because someone forbid me the option because it essentially offended their sensibilities. Even those who do have mental problems should be allowed the right to kill themselves.

And all of this is based on the fact that they kill ONLY themselves. Suicide/Murders are wrong on so many levels. If you are sick of life, then put yourself down, don't selfishly take anyone out with you.

No it is not the same.Would this scenario be any different if it was a expensive and rare operation that you couldn't afford or you wasn't insured for?Doctors are wrong nearly as often as they are right.Many times especially in cancer cases getting chemotherapy will make you sick enough to kill you.

Getting surgery any surgery(including dental surgery where you go under)can result in death.I think we could argue that you are rolling the dice on your life when you decide to get surgery.On the other hand you are also taking a chance on your life when you decide to put off a fatal disease either way you are justified because either way can be fatal.

Coming for a Christian perspective there can be no right or wrong answer.Some people put off surgery and trust their faith in God and end up dying anyways.Other are cured overnight.The bible says that "God works through his people".If God works through his people then I think the right choice as a Christian when you are sick is to go see a Christian doctor.

That really depends on what religion you are basing your decision on. Some would say that's wrong and some would say it's okay. The real question is what does the person believe. I believe it is not suicide. But, then I don't believe suicide is a "sin" anyway.

It really comes down to motive. What is the reason the person doesn't want the surgery? Too much pain to go through? Depending on what lethal condition it was, it may be more painful to slowly die from it.

There's too many variables here to give a solid answer.

I disagree. It doesn't matter what the religion of the doctor is. The doctor to see is the one most qualified to treat the condition and give a realistic prognosis. A priest or spiritual leader would be the one to go to for the moral implications if you can't decide for yourself.