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Suicide In The Holy Bible

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The Holy Bible is found to be by far the most outsold book than any book ever written. It is the most read manuscript in the world. The Bible is comprised of sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments. It is the foundation for Christianity in that the Bible contains the words of God. This Holy Book has many and different types of passages that include laws, poetry, prophecy, parables and letters all to create vivid interpretations of how to apply God’s word to everyday life. While there are many people who question the contents of this Book, one of the most controversial subjects remains to be that of suicide. There are over sixty scriptures in the Bible regarding the subject of suicide or that speak about God’s perspective on the body (Smith…). There are also seven instances where the actual people in the Bible commit suicide (“Seven…). Emile Durkheim, a 19th century sociologist, developed a dynamic style of combining experiential research with sociological theory. He used his results to prove that the causes of suicide were to be found in social factors and not individual personalities. His four categories of suicide can be used to help identify the social issues during the Bible days that …show more content…

Originally, Judas, also known as Judas Iscariot, was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples. Ultimately, he was lured by money to join another group whose only goal was to kill Jesus. Judas’ purpose changed, and it was now to fulfill the goal of his new association. However, when he realized his disloyalty and that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. He attempted to return the money to the priest and elders, but they wouldn’t accept it. As a result, Judas went out and hung himself. Durkheim reveals this type of suicide as being Altruistic Suicide. “This type of suicide happens when a group or society has very influential power over individuals.”

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