master guroth,

life can be examined in many aspects, & that includes religious aspects as well. so to be more aware of what life means to people of different mindset, race, religion, level (in society, emotion, physique, spirituality etc).

but then some say, & i think it's confucius (please correct me if i'm wrong), to understand life one must understand death. one cannot go without the other. & for a person who wishes to die, he/she must first, i feel, learn of the consequences, the aspects of life & death, etc. in another words, just how sound are they in their decision. i do not mean to doubt the decision, it's more to the person him/her self if he/she is not making that decision with forethought & firm belief.

as i said it earlier, one must be firm in belief of one's decision before doing it or forever doomed in regret, in the afterlife (if one believes in that). decision that revolve around life & death should also be made responsibly.

it would be selfish for one who wishes to die but disregard those who still need him/her. for example, let's say a mother who's suffering with cancer & in constant pain. can she just wish to die without thinking of her say, 2 year-old daughter, who has no relative to go to?

so i hope u can see that life, our lives, do not belong only to us but also to those around us, those who have family links, emotional links with us. we are inter-twined with so many people that the loss of our lives WILL affect them, no matter how lonely/neglected/useless we feel about ourselves. which is why i feel we cannot make such decisions until we take into consideration everyone who has relationship with us. & that makes decisions like that very very very complicated.

just as what u said, kiya, those with emotional pain should not be so hasty in making such decision; decision on life & death. in such case, yes, sometimes law does help. malaysian law disallow suicide & the person caught doing so (& somehow still survive) will be arrested. no, i don't think they'll be jailed. rather they'll be admitted for professional help. many countries still disallow or disapprove euthanasia.

personally i hope to not come to such decision for myself as i believe that life without pain is not worth living.

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