*note: this is not a debate about if suicides go to heaven, as that’s a separate issue. For purpose of this discussion, please assume that suicides do not go there. *
A hypothetical man-we’ll call him Mr. H- takes heroin, which he does often, and he over doses. Though the paramedics make a valiant effort to revive him, Mr. H is too far gone, and they can’t get a heartbeat. Meanwhile, Mr. H finds himself at the pearly gates, waiting to find out the verdict on whether he goes to heaven or hell. Other than being a drug addict, Mr. H has lead a pretty good life, kind to others etc… What will the verdict be, heavenly rewards or everlasting damnation?
Mr. H obviously died due to his own actions, those being abusing drugs, so does that mean he suffers the fate of someone who purposely killed him or herself? Or does he go to heaven since he didn’t intend to kill himself like suicides do?
As luck has it, you’re the one at the pearly gates deciding his fate. You know that the deity in charge will not let you get away with letting him into heaven if you think he’s a suicide, so choose carefully. What do you decide and why?
I say, send him to hell. Along with everyone who had a heart attack from one too many cheeseburgers. And all the diabetics who snuck a candy bar now and then. And everyone who doesn’t exercise and those who consume a bit too much alcohol. And, of course, smokers.
SW:
I couldn’t agree more on the whole “death blame game”. I say it’s either take the whole package or leave junkies alone.
If I was 100% sure the post was in irony, as opposed to 99%, I’d say you were my #1 hero on the boards atm
People who skydive, scuba dive, and ride motorcycles will tell you that their sport is like heroin to them, they just can’t get enough. Also, since their sport is very risky, many of them die. In their cases it is considered a tragic loss and could never be considered a suicide.
Most herion users don’t intend to die, though many do. Therefore, could heroin using be considered a sport, too?
Sexy writer has a point, I guess anyone doing something habitually that leads to their death would be as good as Mr O, though they’d be less likely to be listed on a death certificate as the cause of death.
Um, I ride a motorcycle on a regular basis as a commuter vehicle, and I can tell you that it is definitely not like heroin. In fact, it’s rather boring. And furthermore, my chances of being in a fatal accident while riding a motorcycle are about on par with my chances of being in a fatal accident when driving a car, thanks to a little accident-avoidance knowledge (and it’d be a good idea for everyone who rides a motorcycle in traffic to think about going through an accident-avoidance training program) and protective clothing.
Now, if you’d said skydive, scuba dive, and race* motorcycles, that’d be different.
Yeah, what everybody else said, even if you step off a kerb without paying as much attentionas you might have and then get run down by a bus, it could be argued that your own death was your own decision (the decision not to be more careful)
Since I presume that we’re talking about salvation and damnation from the Christian point of view, the answer would depend on whether he had accepted salvation through Jesus, was sorry for his sins (including the fault of drug addiction), and was at least trying to live a better life. In that case, he would either go to heaven or, in the Catholic version, purgatory (which is not the same as hell, more like boot camp for imperfect souls). Otherwise, he would presumably be damned. However, I make no claim to certainty on the whole issue.
