Asking God to take away life....

Suzie · #1 (**permalink**) 12-29-2011, 12:31 PM

I was thinking about this yesterday as I was reading the horrible story of abuse of a little child who have been tortured for years. Is it a sin for someone to ask the Lord to take away his/her life because of extreme life conditions/challenges that make daily life totally unbearable? What about if the situation isn't as extreme but yet unbearable for the person? We can argue that God can give us the strength to cope with whatever life situations we are living but that's not the point....I am interested in knowing whether asking God to take away your life is a sin. Thoughts?

Dravin · #2 (**permalink**) 12-29-2011, 12:36 PM

I don't see anything wrong with asking for relief, the key is going to be how one might handle a "no" answer.

Suzie · #3 (**permalink**) 12-29-2011, 12:49 PM

Dravin, what about asking God the same but for other people?

james12 · #4 (**permalink**) 12-29-2011, 02:50 PM

If we are sincere and wish the best for someone I don't believe it's a sin to ask God that a suffering individual die. However, while not a sin we may err in our asking, for we are so limited in our understanding of the reasons for pain. We only see the immediate effects of suffering here in mortality.

I think back to a story about B. West Belnap and a comment from Harold B. Lee. Bro. Belnap suffered from a brain tumor which caused excruciating pain. He asked Pres. Lee if he should keep fighting it. Pres. Lee said, “West, you and I...know that life is a very precious thing,...every minute of it, even the suffering of it....How do you and I know but what the suffering you’re going through is a refining process by which [the] obedience necessary to exaltation is made up?...Live it out to the last day....Who knows but what the experience you are having now will pay dividends greater than all the rest of your life. Live it true to the end, and we’ll bless you and pray to God that pains beyond your endurance will not be permitted by a merciful God.” (Bruce C. Hafen, A Disciple’s Life, 561)Teaching Legacy - B. West Belnap | Religious Studies Center

Now, for those who offer heartfelt prayer the spirit will whisper the words to say. But I suspect he will not often guide the petitioner to ask that another die.

Dravin · #5 (**permalink**) 12-29-2011, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suzie

Dravin, what about asking God the same but for other people?

My first thought is do they even want you praying for them to keel over? I suppose as long as your heart is in the right place and you react appropriately to the answer I don't see why it'd be a sin.

threepercent · #6 (**permalink**) 12-29-2011, 05:30 PM

so, the all knowing God sent them down to those experiences and you are saying you think its all a mistake that needs correcting?

volgadon · #7 (**permalink**) 12-29-2011, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by threepercent

so, the all knowing God sent them down to those experiences and you are saying you think its all a mistake that needs correcting?

Are you saying that we should never pray for an ill person's recovery since the all knowing God sent them down to those experiences?

maiku · #8 (**permalink**) 12-29-2011, 05:47 PM

I don't know if it's wrong but here's a thought:

Heavenly Father, by keeping someone alive, seems to think that this person's earthly trial is not yet over. Who are we to question Him?

volgadon · #9 (**permalink**) 12-29-2011, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maiku

I don't know if it's wrong but here's a thought:

Heavenly Father, by keeping someone alive, seems to think that this person's earthly trial is not yet over. Who are we to question Him?

Who are we not to question him when our brethren are in distress? Why should we take the fatalistic stance of 'it is what it is'? Don't you think that we should at least ascertain God's will first rather than assuming that God wants a person to remain as they are? I am not saying that we should bitterly fight God's decisions. What we should do is to attempt to have God change a person's situation for the better. If it truly is not His will then He won't change it.

Finrock · #10 (**permalink**) 12-30-2011, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by volgadon

Who are we not to question him when our brethren are in distress? Why should we take the fatalistic stance of 'it is what it is'? Don't you think that we should at least ascertain God's will first rather than assuming that God wants a person to remain as they are? I am not saying that we should bitterly fight God's decisions. What we should do is to attempt to have God change a person's situation for the better. If it truly is not His will then He won't change it.

I like what Volgadon is saying here. The question is do we believe that we can intervene on behalf of another person via prayer? Of course, we have been commanded to pray and not only for ourselves but for others. We are "...commanded in all things to ask of God" (D&C 46:7). Trying to forestall the warned of destruction because of the wickedness of the Nephites, Nephi "...he went out and bowed himself down upon the earth, and cried mightily to his God in behalf of his people" (3 Ne. 1:12).

We don't have God's wisdom but we do have access to it. We also have a responsibility to intervene on behalf of our fellow man to help them and to bring them up. We tread woefully close to the path of apathy if we simply shrug our shoulders and say that a person has the trials they have because God wants them to have them. It's one thing to say that we can grow from our trials (which is true) but it's another thing to say that we shouldn't question or petition on behalf of another so that their burden may be lighter.

God, at any point, could simply command and all things would be set in order. However, this short circuits the purposes of God which is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Part of this process is learning to understand the nature of free will and making good choices. The making choice part is easy. We do that all day long, all of the time. It's understanding the nature of free will that is more difficult because it requires understanding that we simply cannot make a descision and it not have some ethical or moral implications on others. We cannot know how our choices can affect others but if we ensure that we are always doing what is right then the message of a Sunday hymn applies and we can just "let the consequence follow". We don't have to worry about the consequences of our choices when we good. So, all of these situations we face in life are all opportunities for us to be refined and we do this as we act out in righteous ways, slowly becoming a true disciple. But, we must act. We must choose. We must decide to help others or not. We should "succor those that stand in need of your succor" (Mosiah 4). We can't assume God's justice is in play in another's life because in condemning others we then condemn ourselves. King Benjamin said, "Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery...for his punishments are just. But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent" (Mosiah 4).

Now, when it comes to praying for people to die...I guess such a specific prayer assumes that "death" is the only relief or solution. I think this is problematic because in the specific case of an abused child aren't we ultimately just wanting to remove a child from the miserable and wicked situation. Death certainly will do that but is it the only option and should we be assuming that it is? I don't think so. I think our prayers should be to help end the suffering by whatever means God seems fit and to pray to know what you can do to make the suffering end and then, once we know God's will or we have satisfied our responsibility, we accept it.

Regards,
Finrock