Suicide
Doctrine and Principles

“Doctrine and Principles,” Doctrine and Principles (2018).

“Doctrine and Principles,” Doctrine and Principles.

Doctrine and Principles

The Lord invited us to treat all people with understanding and compassion when He taught, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:39). Our efforts to minister to those who are affected by suicide will be more effective when we more fully understand doctrine and teachings, such as the following:

  • Through His Atonement, Jesus Christ experienced the fulness of mortal challenges so He could know “how to succor his people according to their infirmities” (see Alma 7:11–13). President James E. Faust taught: “Since the Savior has suffered anything and everything that we could ever feel or experience, He can help the weak to become stronger” (“The Atonement: Our Greatest Hope,” Ensign, Nov. 2001, 20).

  • Mortal life is a precious gift from God—a gift that should be valued and protected (see Doctrine and Covenants 18:10; M. Russell Ballard, “Suicide: Some Things We Know, and Some We Do Not,” Ensign, Oct. 1987, 6–9).

  • When someone takes their own life, only God is able to judge their thoughts, their actions, and their level of accountability. Suicide need not be the defining characteristic of an individual’s eternal life (see 1 Samuel 16:7; Doctrine and Covenants 137:9; Dale G. Renlund, “Grieving after a Suicide” [video, suicide.ChurchofJesusChrist.org]).

Additional Resource

View full “Preventing Suicide and Responding after a Loss” resource.