Thursday, April 1, 2010

Wicca and Suicide

Last week I was asked, "what is the Wiccan view of suicide?". I had to pause before I responded because I had never been asked the question before, nor do I recall ever having read anything on the subject. After a bit of pondering, I told the questioner that I believed it would vary depending on tradition and personal opinion. At the very heart of Wicca is the Wiccan Rede. Those 8 word that have come to be interpreted as DO NO HARM. Seems to me, suicide is definitely harm...so Wicca does not support it. However, unlike some religions, there is nothing to imply that a person who commits suicide would suffer for it in the afterworld.

Now I'm curious. What do Wiccan's think about suicide and it's effect on the soul...?

1 comment:

  1. The concept of Harm is definitely in the eyes of the harmed. A person who is considering suicide may see living as more harmful than the act of dying.

    I would think that Wiccans would not encourage suicide as it violates the Rede, but there's definitely two perspectives at play here. Without a concept of Hell, there really isn't a concept of consequences to this act.

    However, when it comes to matter of spirit, balance, and inter-connectedness, a Wiccan may point out the affects that a suicide applies to family, friends, community, etc. and how that negative reaction can still have an impact on the spirit of the suicidal person. Out mythology has many examples of spirits who are tied to a place due to remorse or unfinished business.

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