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Old 01-13-2006, 09:22 AM   #28 (permalink)
asaris
Mad Philosopher
 
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Location: Washington, DC
The argument basically runs "Well, you have to ask forgiveness in this life to be forgiven; obviously, you can't do that if you commit suicide, therefore you can't be forgiven for suicide". Historically, the church actually divided suicides into two categories; those who committed suicide from 'melancholy' and those that did so from 'despair'. Only the second category automatically went to hell (and so were not buried on consecrated ground). This has always sounded too much like a technicality, and I don't think God keeps people out of heaven on technicalities.
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"Die Deutschen meinen, daß die Kraft sich in Härte und Grausamkeit offenbaren müsse, sie unterwerfen sich dann gerne und mit Bewunderung:[...]. Daß es Kraft giebt in der Milde und Stille, das glauben sie nicht leicht."

"The Germans believe that power must reveal itself in hardness and cruelty and then submit themselves gladly and with admiration[...]. They do not believe readily that there is power in meekness and calm."

-- Friedrich Nietzsche
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