Sickening...

I know of a girl, at the age of 14, who was depressed and killed herself. That is not what is sickening.

First, I take a hard stand when it comes to suicide. It’s the work of inconsiderate and self-centered cowards, whatever the reason.

The comment I linked to is sickening. People who try to kill themselves and those who do, are in a world of hurt and/or mental illness.

One summer Sunday I hopped the Metro D.C. Red Line, went to the Mall and toured the museums on the Mall. I hopped back on to the Red Line and went home. Just before the Shady Grove stop, a woman jumped in front of the subway train and killed herself. It turned out she had a mental illness.

The young girl I mentioned, at the tender age of 14, killed herself because of family issues.

LaShawn Barber has written things I've agreed with. She has written things I disagreed with. She wrote things that really leaves me shaking my head like pushing the "Black inferiority in intelligence" garbage. But it's this one that really got to me because, as I have mentioned in comments on her blog, I see little Christian light in her posts, only condemnation.

I see absolutely NOTHING that would cause me to wonder about her faith and why she holds Christ in her heart.

Nothing.

This comment, is something the pastors of the church I belong to have been preaching the past few weeks:

Having said that, most Christians, at some point, have had a crisis of faith. We question our beliefs, especially when we’re going through trials. But that’s when we turn to God, not away from him, and to other Christians, living and dead, who’ve gone through similar crises.

She is right about that point. If she had written on that point alone, I'd have no issue. But to say the hurting and/or mentally ill are "inconsiderate and self-centered"?

No.

Those are the words of a woman who is filled with hatred. Some aren't meant to evangelize via words. Some evangelize via deeds and actions that makes people wonder, "What is in that person? I want what that person has."

I can't see wanting what she has in her heart.

[ UPDATE ]

An "update":

Did she write “inconsiderate and self-centered cowards”? There I go again, being too harsh. Christians aren’t allowed, so I’ve heard. What about the mentally ill, you ask? Well, if someone isn’t in his “right mind” when he commits suicide, I suppose that’s a different story. In some cases. Generally, my opinion of suicide, which I’ve contemplated in my younger years, stands. More sympathy for those left behind, please.

in reply to the update, I think non-consideration of the mentally ill is telling. I'm sure people will say you have to be mentally ill to consider suicide anyway, but I don't think that's accurate. At times, people get despondent, and at those times, most people don't try to commit suicide. Think about it, yes. Try it? No.

And, in fact, some who attempted suicide say they think they are doing a favor FOR their family and/or friends, instead of being "selfish" as LaShawn states.

I've witnessed the turmoil the survivors of the person who committed suicide go through. The friends and families have my sympathies. My comments weren't about being "too harsh", it was about appropriateness. (Is that a word?)

Is it appropriate to scorn those who commit suicide or have a bit of sorrow for that person knowing they have ended a God given life for which God had plans or have anger at the person for wasting a life for which God has plans?

I tend towards the sorrow side. In this specific case, Jesse Kilgore could not rely on his faith to "be encouraged." After weeks of messages were we are told to "be encouraged" in the Word, God's Love and God's promise, to read the condemnation, in addition to the previous posts by her, just makes me see anger eminating from her more so than anything else. And that's not drawing people towards you and your faith.

Condemnation has a place, but mostly condemnation? Something is wrong with that picture.