THE BIBLICAL TEACHINGS ON SUICIDE

This article refutes Professor Margaret Battin's idea that the Bible t olerates and even encourages suicide. Dr. Barry argues that the Bible only allows killing in self-defense or as punishment for serious wrong doing. To support his view Barry first describes several incidents in the Scriptures where suicide is requested from God and is refused. He next reviews incidents where self-inflicted death is tolerated as an a ct of devotion to God. He continues by discussing suicides which were condemned by God in both the Old and New Testaments, Dr, Barry conclud es that suicide is not tolerated or accepted in the Bible except as th e sacrifice of one's life as a means of serving God.