Robin Williams found dead at 63

[April lady]

He was sober but perhaps depressed when he made this choice to die, it is his right and his only! My friend made that choice when the cancer came back, it was hers to make! I would make that choice if that time came as well! I admired Robin before and that has not changed, I wish it could have been different but that is me being selfish. We can't live in other peoples bodies so we can't say whether it is right or wrong..
Some are not as strong as others, he made the decision perhaps at a moment of no return, you can put whatever spin on this religious or not it doesn't matter....!!!

[Woodenhead]

That blog post quoted above is extremely biased, childishly simplistic, closed-minded, anecdotal blather. Nice.

nanu nanu

If you've ever had someone close to you commit suicide, you'd be whistling a different tune.

Funny, because I have, and I don't.

[April lady]

Wow, I am crushed, NOT!

Thought this was a grown up conversation, guess I was wrong! Have you ever seen someone suffer through a long battle with a disease that can't be beat...the family suffers, you suffer...when and if that time comes, I will make the choice that is best for me!

[Fancy]

That blog post quoted above is extremely biased, childishly simplistic, closed-minded, anecdotal blather.

Matt Walsh is certainly entitled to his opinion but I don't see why you draw the conclusion it is biased. He made valid points.

[Partmanpartfish]

That blog post quoted above is extremely biased, childishly simplistic, closed-minded, anecdotal blather. Nice.

nanu nanu

It's basically a word salad. The type of tripe Sarah Palin is known for. Meh.

[logicalview]

It's basically a word salad. The type of tripe Sarah Palin is known for. Meh.

Or, if you've tried to digest any of her latest self-aggrandizing vomit-fest "Hard Choices", Hilary Clinton too. But I'd rather not politicize Robin Williams tragic suicide, or at least keep the usual "left-right" stuff out of it, if only to stay on topic and honour the man who brought so much to the world.

[Jo]

There. I've removed the off-topic personal attacks for you.

You're welcome.

[logicalview]

thanks Jo! Keep up the good work as always.

[Partmanpartfish]

It's basically a word salad. The type of tripe Sarah Palin is known for. Meh.

Or, if you've tried to digest any of her latest self-aggrandizing vomit-fest "Hard Choices", Hilary Clinton too. But I'd rather not politicize Robin Williams tragic suicide, or at least keep the usual "left-right" stuff out of it, if only to stay on topic and honour the man who brought so much to the world.

Sadly, I think you just did politicize Williams' tragic suicide. I was merely critical of a blogger's nonsensical rationalization of the event, written in a style Ms. Palin invented.

[Glacier]

Oh yes the church/bible and their view on suicide, that is interesting puzzle. What does the bible say on the subject and how does the church interpret, big question is their Interpretation the correct one... the answer is any one best guess.

The Matt Walsh write-up is his personal opinion that mostly stays in the secular realm, not the biblical. You can read his response to his critics here.

Moving on, here is a more Biblical response.

“The human spirit can endure in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?” (Proverbs 18:14).

The shocking news of the suicide death of actor Robin Williams has left millions of people all over the world with a mystery: how could someone known for a whole-face smile that caused multitudes of people to laugh to the point of tears be so distraught that he would take his own life? Many are perplexed, and there are many others who are saying to themselves: if anyone knew how desperately depressed I am, they would be surprised.

I write as someone who has seen depression across numerous generations in my own family, and as a pastor who has officiated at the funerals of those who have taken their own lives.

Many are turning to the Scriptures to understand, and if they look widely, they will find not only the hope the Scriptures offer, but also the honesty and accuracy with which the Scriptures account for one of the most common inner maladies of all time: depression.

King David despaired of life more than once. Not only do we have dozens of “psalms of lament,” but we have physiological descriptions of the effects of the broken heart, as in Psalm 38: “there is no health in my body…. my guilt has overwhelmed me, like a burden too heavy to bear…. I am bowed down and brought very low… all day long I go about mourning…. I am feeble and utterly crushed…. my heart pounds, my strength fails me…. I am like the deaf, who cannot hear, like the mute, who cannot speak…. I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me…. LORD, do not forsake me.”

This is not a description of “feeling low,” or sad, or unhappy, but rather, what can happen when sadness deepens into despair and then into a physical condition.

Even powerful and successful people can be brought low in depression. The prophet Elijah defeated the false prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. It was a stunning victory by God. And yet, fleeing the wrath of Jezebel, Elijah went into isolation and prayed, “I have had enough, LORD, take my life, I am no better than my ancestors” (1 Kings 19:4-5).

God did not condemn Elijah for being destitute and depressed. God did not say: Buck up, man. Where is your faith? Shake it off. Instead, an angel of God came, touched Elijah, and offered fresh-baked bread and a jar of water (1 Kings 19:5-6). This is the way God is. “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

At a desperate moment the prophet Jonah wanted to die: “Now, LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live” (Jonah 4:3).

And then there is Job, whose illnesses and profound losses made him despair of life—and his wife and “friends” did not help. It has often been said that God did not offer Job answers for his questions, but instead, God offered himself.

This is what God does and what we must do for each other—to be a caring presence. What makes deep depression dangerous is isolation. Often someone else needs to help the seriously depressed person get connected with the right medical and spiritual resources. We need to know when we are the right people to make those connections. None of us should be put off if our well-meaning words do nothing to help a depressed friend. That may be the time when we need to do less talking, and just be there.

As one desperate man said: “Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty” (Job 6:14).