The Church's Position on Suicide
by Marcus H. Martins, Ph.D.

We have been talking about suicide in one of my psychology classes and I wondered what does the Church think about suicide, and does it say anywhere in LDS doctrine what will happen to that person?  I heard once that they will not have the chance to go to the Celestial Kingdom because it's the same as a murder, but I don't know if that is true.

The best source on the subject still is Elder M. Russell Ballard's article "Suicide: Some Things We Know, and Some We Do Not," published in the Ensign, October 1987, pp.6-9

In a nutshell, the position of the Church on the matter is the following: "... Latter-day Saints do not embrace death willingly, nor do they seek it ... Suicide is condemned but judgment of it is left with the Lord ..." (Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol.1, DEATH AND DYING).


This essay is published as a support for and an extension of classroom discussion and in no way represents an official statement from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or its General Authorities. Dr. Marcus H. Martins assumes full responsibility for the opinions, views, and interpretations contained herein.  For more information contact me at: MartinsM@byuh.edu