988 – New Hotline Aims to Curb Suicide Epidemic

Body

“The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a national hotline that provides 24/7, free, and confidential mental health support to anyone in need. Within the first year, 5 million contacts were responded to.” - Breakpoint

Discussion

Is suicide an unforgivable sin?

Body

“It is a peculiarity of Catholicism and the issue of last rites that consigns suicide to the category of the unforgivable sin…. it is surprising how deep-seated that view of suicide is among Christians.” - Ligonier

Discussion

Suicide and the Church

Body

“The prevailing idea is that the Christian faith is to be a faith of joy, making depression a sin….As a result, depressed people have been riddled with guilt, have hidden in shame, and have been afraid to surface in order to get the help they need.” - C.Leaders

Discussion

Hope Always vs Suicide

Body

“32% of Protestant church-going respondents had a family member or “close acquaintance” die by suicide. …Colson Educators has teamed with Dr. Matthew Sleeth, a former emergency room physician and chief of hospital medical staff, to offer a free online course called Hope Always” - Breakpoint

Discussion

Marijuana linked to increased risk of suicidal thoughts: study

Body

“What the researchers found was that men who used marijuana daily and suffered from depression had an increase in suicidal ideation from 14.9% (2008-2009) to 21.9% (2018-2019), and 10.3% (2008-2009) to 17% (2018-2019), among non-daily users.” - C.Post

Discussion