# Rick Warren's son commits suicide. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 6, 2013, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-warrens-son-commits-suicide/655043 "2013-04-06T22:45:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-warrens-son-commits-suicide/655043/21 "2013-04-07T16:33:08Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > It was the first thing to come to my mind. The article says the son battled mental illness, but there’s no way of knowing if this is a complete picture. We will probably never know. > > The second thing to come to mind was whether the suicide was enabled by a gun. It doesn’t matter to me, but I just wanted to brace myself for all the arguments. Me too. I always think of Tony Dungy, the Indy Colts coach who lost a gay son to suicide. He’s a super Christian, and I assume that had something to do with it, although I have no idea if that’s the case. I can’t imagine the guilt if it is true. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2013, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-warrens-son-commits-suicide/655043/22 "2013-04-07T17:01:07Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > It was the first thing to come to my mind. The article says the son battled mental illness, but there’s no way of knowing if this is a complete picture. We will probably never know. I suppose that homosexuality could have been part of the “mental illness” that he struggled with, but I hate to jump to that conclusion; plenty of straight people suffer from crippling depression. > [@](#): > > The second thing to come to mind was whether the suicide was enabled by a gun. It doesn’t matter to me, but I just wanted to brace myself for all the arguments. I could have sworn that the article I read said he shot himself, but that bit isn’t there now. Maybe it was removed to prevent the story from turning into a gun debate? ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2013, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-warrens-son-commits-suicide/655043/23 "2013-04-07T17:15:10Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > It was the first thing to come to my mind. The article says the son battled mental illness, but there’s no way of knowing if this is a complete picture. We will probably never know. Same here. It is probably more likely that the young man was straight and suffering from severe depression or other problems, but the first thing that popped into my mind was “Poor kid was probably gay.” > [@](#): > > The second thing to come to mind was whether the suicide was enabled by a gun. It doesn’t matter to me, but I just wanted to brace myself for all the arguments. The second paragraph of the CNN article currently says “Matthew Warren, 27, died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound on Friday, said Deputy Daniel Aikin, with the Orange County Coroner’s Office.” ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2013, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-warrens-son-commits-suicide/655043/24 "2013-04-07T18:29:11Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > Is Warren on record in believing that people who commit suicide go to hell? > > If he does, that has to be the worst part of his son’s death–not merely knowing that he’ll never see him again, but knowing that he will suffer unimaginable agony for all eternity. From the news report: > [@](#): > > " “But only those closest knew that he struggled from birth with mental illness, dark holes of depression, and even suicidal thoughts. In spite of America’s best doctors, meds, counselors and prayers for healing, the torture of mental illness never subsided,” Warren wrote […] > […] > I’ll never forget how, many years ago, after another approach had failed to give relief, Matthew said, ‘Dad, I know I’m going to heaven. Why can’t I just die and end this pain?’" Warren wrote. “But he kept going for another decade.” Sounds like Warren understood that mental illness is real illness and operates independently of moral sin; if he holds to the doctrine that once you have by Faith accepted Jesus as Savior you are saved for good, and believes that an act caused while in the grip of mental illness is not culpable, he can be as much at peace as anyone can hope to be. After all, there is no way for him to know, only to trust God’s mercy which no man can limit, compel nor “earn”. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2013, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-warrens-son-commits-suicide/655043/25 "2013-04-07T19:26:49Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > I’ve fixed the link in the OP. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2013, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-warrens-son-commits-suicide/655043/26 "2013-04-07T19:35:23Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > Did it cross anyone else’s mind to wonder if the young man was gay? It was the first thing to pop into my mind as well, but I thought it might be in bad taste to say it. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2013, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-warrens-son-commits-suicide/655043/27 "2013-04-07T20:08:09Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > It was the first thing to pop into my mind as well, but I thought it might be in bad taste to say it. Yeah, I thought it was in bad taste too, but I needed to say it anyway. I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who thought about it. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2013, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-warrens-son-commits-suicide/655043/28 "2013-04-07T20:38:10Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > From the news report: Sounds like Warren understood that mental illness is real illness and operates independently of moral sin; if he holds to the doctrine that once you have by Faith accepted Jesus as Savior you are saved for good, and believes that an act caused while in the grip of mental illness is not culpable, he can be as much at peace as anyone can hope to be. After all, there is no way for him to know, only to trust God’s mercy which no man can limit, compel nor “earn”. Maybe. It’s a little hard to tell since Warren was just describing what his son said (without expounding on his personal belief), but it does seem like he wouldn’t have brought it up unless he shared the belief. Of course, now I have to wonder if his belief changed as he came to terms with his son’s condition. It’s great if he was able to change his mind, but not so great if every religious figure spouting nonsense has to go through a personal experience to have such revelations. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2013, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-warrens-son-commits-suicide/655043/29 "2013-04-07T20:42:11Z")
Warren can be condemned for the effects his ugly views have in general, but in the absence of any evidence of a connection in this case, it seems to me that it objectifies Matthew Warren to simply assume that his life and personal struggle fit within a template constructed by his father’s prejudices. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-warrens-son-commits-suicide/655043/30 "2013-04-07T21:17:14Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Warren can be condemned for the effects his ugly views have in general, but in the absence of any evidence of a connection in this case, it seems to me that it objectifies Matthew Warren to simply assume that his life and personal struggle fit within a template constructed by his father’s prejudices. Fair enough. But I didn’t know Matthew Warren. My only starting point for discussion is in the context of his father’s views. Aside from that connection, Matthew is just one of a million sad stories every year. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-warrens-son-commits-suicide/655043/31 "2013-04-08T02:17:53Z")
Jesus. That poor kid. No matter what I think of Rick Warren, I can’t imagine what he and his family are going through right now. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Tollhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e99b99/32.png) [@Tollhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tollhouse)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-warrens-son-commits-suicide/655043/32 "2013-04-08T03:54:16Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > Yeah, I thought it was in bad taste too, but I needed to say it anyway. I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who thought about it. Why did you “need” to say it? (if as you say, you felt it was in poor taste to do so) ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-warrens-son-commits-suicide/655043/33 "2013-04-12T03:14:23Z")
Here is an [article](http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/suicide-of-megapastor-rick-warrens-son-sparks-debate-about-mental-illness/2013/04/10/322e4910-a148-11e2-9c03-6952ff305f35_story.html) about how some evangelical leaders have begun to grapple with the stigma on mental illness and suicide in their church communities. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rick-warrens-son-commits-suicide/655043.md?page=1)