In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a difficult subject that has so many nuances - suicide. And they prayed that they'd handle today's conversation delicately. The previous podcast episode - CCP183: On Counseling and Therapy - provided a segue to this subject since, along with the rise in those seeking counseling, there has also been a nationwide rise in the number of deaths caused by suicide. And the big question most often asked by those within the Christian faith is: Is suicide an unforgivable sin?
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Dr. White shared some data from the CDC which found that from 2002 to 2022, the rates of suicide increased by 30%, and that in the year 2023, suicide became the 11th leading cause of death. As Dr. White noted, suicide is considered a form of murder - it is the killing of yourself - and violates one of the Ten Commandments. Dr. White gave a series at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Ten,” which looks at what the Bible says specifically about each of these commands from God. You can find that series on Church & Culture HERE.
The conversation also explained the idea of apostasy - the act of abandoning one's faith. If you missed it, we'd encourage you to go back and listen to CCP131: On Losing Your Salvation. Another past podcast episode that is relevant for today's conversation is CCP48: On Medically Assisted Suicide.
Finally, Alexis mentioned a book written by David Biebel and Suzanne Foster called Finding Your Way after the Suicide of Someone You Love: Help and Hope for an Unexpected Journey that many of our listeners may find helpful if they've lost someone to suicide.
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