Wendy Duffy heart breaking but understandable

[youalright]

What a brave lady i hope she's holding her son right now.

Spiritualism is not the same as organised religion. I have a faith and I live my life to a moral code which has nothing to do with any organised religion. I believe in fate. I believe people who have passed and who loved me are looking after me. I believe our soul is reincarnated, and I believe when when I die I’ll be reunited with my loved ones. None of that requires religion to be involved.

I am no expert - at all - as is obvious but I don't think it says we are all sinners. just that 'all have sinned'. Past tense. Some people sin again. I suppose AD is yet another sin in the eyes of the lord. Dear oh dear.

Well religion and organised religion aren’t the same thing in my opinion either, so I would say you are religious. Although I accept your right to call yourself spiritual instead if you prefer. It’s not the same thing as “not religious” to me though.

I wonder how many of you that are horrified by this have joined in on the pile ons on people with depression and the ‘everyone says they’re depressed these days’ brigade and are eager for support for people with mental health issues to be cut?

I think adults with capacity should be able to have full control of their body and life which also includes their death.

Yes, technically suicide, or assisted dying, is a sin. It's not so much about not angering god, but more showing trust in him. Christians are not really controlled by God, but strive to follow his teachings - and some things are sinful because it is against that. However, as someone mentioned up thread, everyone is sinful from birth - no one is perfect and everyone falls short, but that's what redemption and forgiveness is all about.

And if you believe in a deity, any deity or higher way - and you really, truly believe it - then why would you not act when you think others are putting themselves in harm's way (as you see it). Why would you not speak up to say you think it's not OK? I am the first to say a lot of religion is about controlling other people for nefarious gain but faith - that's different, and seeks to protect. People are free to disagree with them but I get why they do it.

The view of an unproven figure is more important than an individuals' own feelings / thoughts / views about themselves. Fascinating.

You can make it about that I guess but actually it's entirely internally consistent. If you believe god is real, and his message is real, then yeah, his way must be perfect and therefore of course it trumps individual people's wants. But free will is a thing, as is a compassionate and loving god so it's not all fire and brimstone as people think.

That’s fine. I consider myself agnostic as I have faith in something. I’m open to faith but I actually abhor most religions and don’t consider myself religious. I think it’s the root of evil quite honestly.

Paganism would probably be the closest to my faith.

That’s a reach. I have a mental health condition and have weekly therapy. I will be here for my children and will stay as long as my health allows but I would very much like to decide I’ve had enough once my body has failed.

Doesn’t that seem like the opposite perspective? Does promoting the idea of helping people with mental health problems instead of killing them somehow align with arguing for mental health resources to be cut?

Because God is in control and he should not be angered. They are controlled by God, and they think everyone else should be too, or else They are committing a sin. Wow. The view of an unproven figure is more important than an individuals' own feelings / thoughts / views about themselves.

God gave people free will. That is a fundamental part of Christian belief. You can choose how to live your life, but if you genuinely repent of your sins, He will always forgive you.

I have no particular religious faith, but that is what I was taught at my Catholic primary school.

I haven’t read your whole argument but this women wasn’t depressed

Thank you for saying this and expressing it to so well.

And thank you @OtterlyAstounding for your humane, reasonable and well argued posts on this thread 💜

Well if we're thanking people I'd like to nominate the op for their humane, reasonable and well argued posts without belittling or sneering at anyone on what is a very emotive subject 💜

I don't think anyone is not listening. Some people do find a way through, yes. It's undoubtedly agonising but they do and their experiences are so valuable. But others don't, or can't, or simply don't want to - but their valuable and lived experiences can't be heard because they're not here to tell their story. So it can never ever be a balanced argument.

No it’s not selfish, it’s highly arrogant and dismissive

and again, WENDY DUNN WAS NOT DEPRESSED

Exactly, everyone is listening but we are allowed to disagree.

I think many of us will have experienced great challenges in our lives and when we do our dc are often the light at the end of the tunnel, the hope and joy that keep us going and keep us sane. If we lose our dc it would take away a purpose for many people. If others find a way through, good. Neither is right or wrong.

Lots of people here who have lost dc say their other children got them through or were their saving grace and reason to live - or grandchildren with another poster

Wendy didn’t have that- she’d lost her partner and then only child

I also think the way we now live individualistic lives in the west is a major contributing factor to poor mental wellbeing - it’s very hard to suffer mentally and be living in this culture - you are not being held by society while your in emotional pain and it’s excruciating to go through alone

the antidote to depression is connection and we have moved further and further away from living that way

great article here describing how old Scandinavian societies supported people through grief “living among the ashes” until they were ready to resume their place in society

https://monasobhaniphd.substack.com/p/living-in-the-ashes-the-grief-edition

our society is just getting sicker and sicker and untamed capitalism is killing us and
killing connection (the antidote to depression)

it’s not right to just say “you must survive this” but we won’t hold you

@Eastereggschocolateisthebest agree 100 per cent.

Thank you - glad you agree

I was waiting for people to come on defending their little folds in communities (probably some in Cornwall 🥱)

great if you have it but they are not quite what I’m talking about - I’m talking about systemic embedded cultures of disconnection with rampant capitalism and individuality and promotion of the self above all else

This. Well said.

I would say it's pretty clear she was in a state of unhappiness and despondency. She was so sad that she wanted to die.

She spent years on anti-depressants, said that she can no longer feel, and is numb. She also decided on assisted suicide years ago it seems, according to this article, as apparently she was waiting until her dogs died of old age? So it seems potentially she was never exactly focused on trying to move forward, but rather just fixated on waiting until she could die.

While the clinic founder, who was motivated to enable her death, said she wasn't in a depressive state, I would say that all fits the definition of depression. I do think it's very sad that she's most likely done the opposite of what her son would want - I can only imagine that he wouldn't have wanted his death to make his mother kill herself too.

So you're in favour of people selling their blood and organs?