How should attempted ѕυιcιdє be treated in a Catholic state?

St. Augustine says that "if one kills oneself, one kills a man." That's clearly correct.

My first issue is that given that ѕυιcιdє is intrinsically more repulsive than murder, while also being more pitiable, I think that there is some distinction to be made between the two. Where does this distinction lie, and what impact, if any, should it have on positive law? My initial thought is that our repulsion and pity are evoked by our immediate understanding of such a soul's destination in the afterlife. If that is the case, then this particular distinction need have no impact on positive law. Maybe there are other distinctions though.

Extending the principle, if one attempts to kill onself, one attempts to kill a man. And this is where it appears to run into real difficulties, especially if we argue from the consequent back to the principle.

First of all, attempted murder has sometimes historically been punishable by death, and I'd be hard pressed to say there isn't justice in that. But it would be absurd to punish attempted ѕυιcιdє by death, wouldn't it? To restate the problem: the death penalty for attempted murder is arguably just, while the death penalty for attempted ѕυιcιdє is inarguably absurd. So does that reveal a flaw in the (extended) principle?

Secondly, pondering on how attempted murder and attempted ѕυιcιdє could be effectively treated in positive law leads one to suspect that the causes of each are typically different. It seems that while punishment of attempted murder can lead to expiation and repentance, many conceivable punishments for attempted ѕυιcιdє could well result in another suicidal bout. Since a man attempts to kills himself because he finds life unendurable, perhaps as the result of a pathology, then possibly making his life even more unendurable in the name of justice might be more likely to lead to further pathological attempts and possibly the loss of his soul. If this is so, then shouldn't positive law respond very differently to attempted ѕυιcιdє and attempted murder, and doesn't this point to an important difference between the two?

Finally, when faced with an attempted ѕυιcιdє, there does not seem to be an instinctive demand for justice, as with attempted murder, but only, again, a kind of sickening pity. Our emotional reaction to attempted ѕυιcιdє doesn't actively alter the nature of it, clearly, but it could indicate that the crime is really of a different nature, or at least has a different cause and therefore demands a different response.

To my mind, all of this causes some complexities for St. Augustine's argument, which, however, is still clearly correct. On the other hand, maybe I simply drank too much coffee today.

I'm looking for help in resolving these questions, and suggestions for how a Catholic state should punish attempted ѕυιcιdє.

:scratchchin:How were attempted ѕυιcιdєs dealt with in the past? Were they punishable by the state or left to the Church?

They were illegal, but the rate of prosecution seems to have been quite low. I only found information on early modern England and the USA, however, so we should be looking to more Catholic examples.

I did find an essay that claimed that in the midle ages the Church had docuмented instructions to priests for the spiritual succour of suicidal laity, but that doesn't strictly pertain to temporal or spiritual consequences for acts of attempted ѕυιcιdє.

Were they punishable by the state or left to the Church?  More often than not, especially in modern times, ѕυιcιdє attempts are more often a last desperate cry for help from a distressed soul who does not despise life, but wants the pain to end.  Most ѕυιcιdєs are long-time sufferers from mental/emotional illness, driven mad by the drugs given to relieve the illness, and attempted because of poor or no spiritual/moral formation.  It would have to be looked at case by case.

Well, I'd be wary of framing it this way too categorically, or being too sympathetic. There are other reasons for committing ѕυιcιdє. ѕυιcιdєs in the East are, and in Western antiquity were, often considered justified for reasons of honour. It's not as though this is an ideological construct built from thin air, it's built on a natural but misguided sentiment of honour, and I'd imagine that that still figures into many modern day ѕυιcιdєs in the west.

Pascal blames Montaigne for his views on ѕυιcιdє.

Some sort of penitential confinement (for the sinner's safety as much as anything) would probably be the right course of action.

It's all hypothetical, don't you say?

I think the rate of ѕυιcιdє would drop greatly in a Catholic state.

But it would be absurd to punish attempted ѕυιcιdє by death, wouldn't it?

How does one ever understand what goes on in the mind of a suicidal person? The not-knowing-why is a great source of torment to surviving family members.

Maybe the failed ѕυιcιdє would regret and repent later, but at least the death penalty, rather than a follow-up attempt, would give him a better hope of repentence.

I once attended a NO Mass for a person who ѕυιcιdєd, and he was almost made out to be a hero.

Nadir, the death penalty for attempted ѕυιcιdє sort of defeats the point!

ѕυιcιdє.  Taking ones life, the temple of the Holy Ghost.  St. Peter and Judas.  Both very much alike.  One despaired, ѕυιcιdє, the other cried and asked for forgiveness.  ѕυιcιdє can be mental/emotional that can not be cured.  Then like Judas, in mortal sin chooses to end his despair.  

When someone is suicidal, you can not overlook mortal sin, somewhere.  It must be ruled out.  The Precious Blood in all the sacraments and in this case would be Penance/confession can help to get things to the surface.  When one is suicidal in mortal sin, they are sick.  They feel empty and without Sanctifying Grace, that is understood.  These people who seek the Precious Blood and forgiveness will go through a 2nd birth.  I have seen this happen with my husband and it is a miracle when it happens.  The devil is very learned and powerful to take over souls.  WIth tempting and wearing down the soul to lukewarmness to a hatred of self and those around them.  It is very scary and they are blinded, because the devil like a snakes venom will do just that.  When they come back after a 2nd birth the joy is just overwhelming.  They are so happy to be home again and they certainly know that what they went through was of the devil.  

We have these ѕυιcιdє bomber people.  They have accepted the devil but they are not put to death for ѕυιcιdє, but murder.  How does not give a death penalty to one who wants to commit ѕυιcιdє?  That makes no sense.  You work with one that is in such misery with prayers and Precious Blood.  They are not punishable for their suicidal thoughts.  They need help.  You try.

The church believes in the death penalty, rare, but for the common good of the people.  Like the inquisition, you question the person, and in this case it was 12 canons.  then if they were not about to change their ways, then the state took them for death.  

Amazing! what an incredible feat! And how the train driver must have felt on seeing that. That man has now time to repent. We must pray for these tragic people.