Heavenly Incentives: Afterlife Beliefs and the Moral Stand Against Suicide

In the modern world, ideas of heavenly reward and eternal punishment play a key role in shaping beliefs regarding suicide and the preservation of life. Christian teaching, emphasizing the immortality of the soul, creates a powerful incentive not only for confronting earthly suffering but also for actively striving for spiritual development and moral activity. The notion that life holds eternal significance inspires one to persist in one’s endeavors rather than to give up, by fighting for the opportunity to attain a state of true bliss in the afterlife. Thus, suicide is perceived not as a means of escaping pain but as a deprivation of the gift of eternal communion with the Divine—a place where every good deed and every effort towards self-improvement is rewarded. This perspective transforms life’s trials into a journey filled with meaning and responsibility, urging individuals to cherish every moment and strive for a higher way of life.

How does the question of the existence of heaven and hell influence the perception of suicide and religious worldviews?

The response shows that the belief in eternal life (heavenly bliss) and, correspondingly, in eternal punishment (hell) plays a decisive role in forming a religious worldview regarding suicide. On one hand, Christian teaching, relying on the idea of the immortality of every person and the promise of eternal heavenly life, creates a powerful moral incentive to preserve life and seek spiritual perfection. According to this logic, suicide is seen not merely as an end to earthly suffering but also as a renunciation of the chance to receive an eternal reward, thereby constituting an act of sin and spiritual loss.

For example, one passage states:
"But in addition, Christian teaching is founded on the idea of the immortality of every person and the concept of eternal heavenly life, where the true Kingdom of God will arise and where, for the righteous, all illnesses and sorrows will be replaced by heavenly bliss. The idea of this heavenly life, in which everyone will be rewarded according to their earthly merits, indeed gives a new and greatest incentive for moral activity for the benefit of others and for one’s own development. [...] The concept of the immortality of every person, coupled with a living faith in a personal God—which provides a strong impetus for continuous active endeavor—serves as the best moral countermeasure against suicide. Every attempt at suicide should be eradicated in light of the belief that it destroys not only the human body but also the immortal, individual spirit."