Suicide Essay: Is Suicide Right Or Wrong?

Suicide is defined as “the action of killing oneself intentionally.” (Oxford Dictionary, 2014).

In this essay, I will be exploring the debate about whether suicide is right or wrong by considering both ethical and religious perspectives.

The ethical considerations of suicide continue to be debated world over due to the complex factors involved and the sensitive nature of the topic. An absolutist stance on the issue is taken largely by the law and those with strong religious and moral beliefs, while relativists account for age, background and social and mental health.

Suicide has been considered homicide, a crime against God and a crime against crown in various legal systems in the past. In the current day, suicide and attempted suicide continues to be illegal in many countries. As ethical debate continues, offering psychological support is becoming the main priority over punishment however, suicide continues to be considered immoral in the eyes of ethical absolutists. An example of this strong moral standpoint’s affect on society, is The United Kingdom’s Suicide Act of 1961. This act decriminalized suicide, but was only implemented a mere 53 years ago, which shows how traditionalism continued to stunt social growth even in the 20th century. (British Legislation, 2014). An example of a country that still criminalizes suicide is Singapore, where suicide is one of the top ten causes of death. (Aware Singapore, 2014) In Singapore, attempting suicide is a crime under Section 309 of the Penal Code. (Singapore Legal Advice, 2014) In theory, the law would implement the maintaining of order, and encourage citizens to seek help rather than attempt suicide. However, the statistics show only an increase in the number of Singaporean citi...

... middle of paper ...

...olidarity helps avoid the loneliness, helplessness and alienation that often leads to suicide. (PBS, 2014)

The topic of suicide continues to be difficult to debate due to the variety of perspectives on the issue. The law and individuals with steadfast moral beliefs continue to take an absolutist approach, while relativists must take into consideration a countless number of factors. Religious perspectives vary and continue to be open for interpretation. People choose to die by suicide for a vast variety of reasons, and even the consideration can indicate that they are experiencing difficulty in their lives. Psychological and social support as well as protection should be offered to them, but the shameful stigma surrounding the issue should be eradicated in order to minimize guilt and lead to greater healthcare transparency as well as a safer environment worldwide.