The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-08
SUICIDE AND RELIGION.
In Reply to Rev. Mr.. 10y, of the Bat
terry Street Church.

terry Street Church.
SLAUGHTER. June so
To THE EDITOR: 1t is not q very frequent
occurrence in this portion Of the country for
the agnostic, nfdel, to solicit the courtesy of
the press in aiding such thinkers to remedy
any real or supposed false accusation that may
be brought against them. Ordinarily the press
has somewhat of bias, or prejudice. against the
principle OF sguosticism, position which
they undoubtedly have right to occupy If they
are conscientiously impeiled to do So Trust
ing. however. TO the inherent spirit of fairness
that we earnestly hope inspires the directorate
Of the PosT-lNTELLIGENcER. solicit the courtesy
OF your valuable columns, not for the purpose
OF fomenting strife or controversy, but simply
with the object of correcting statement made
last Sunday, and reported in your issue of Mon
day morning, by the Rev. 10y OF the Battery
street Methodist chureh, in which, during his
treatment Of his subject The Cause Of Sui
cides." he admonishes the congregation that
one of the leading causes of suicide was atheism
and unbelief generally Now, this is serious
accusation, and If IL can be maintained as
truth, then the position OF the agnostic, or ii
Mr. 10y prefers 1t, the atheist, morally consid-
cred, is not very enviable one. He says,
amongst other things, that there is no
sin 20 dark, so dire, as unbelief.
how the reverend gentleman discovered that
there was any sin committed in honestly and
conscientiously believing that possibly the en-.
tire Christian system OF religion might be based
upon illusion and legend. The Christian be-
lever has not the smallest particle of faith that
Buddhism possesses any legitimate claim to be-
ing recognized a. divine institution. The same
ruling applies to Mohammedanism and The relig-
ions Of Confucius, Pyfhagoras or Zoroaster, and
yet those systems far outnumbered, numerically
considered, the comparatively small member
ship OF the Christian faith, and antedates ortho-
doxy hundreds Of years. So the reverend gen.
tleman must excuse the agnostic If he takes the
position with reference to Christianity that the
Christian adherents occupy in relation to those
older systems of theology to which have made
reference. "'Tis poor rule that won't work
both ways"
But to come back to the question, is 1t fact
that the greater portion of suicides are found
amongst unbelievers? We respectfully chal-
ienge the gentleman to prove the assertion. On
the other hand, Is it not fact that the larger
portion OF both suicides and murderers are be.
levers in the Christian scheme of salvation,
ano SO express themselves when the priests or
clergyman's services are called into reQuisition
to safely pilot them across the river OF death?
The testimony of the daily press brings incon-
testible evidence to this effect Why should
the honest unbeliever, in his right senses, seek
to hasten his departure from this world under
standing that possib y this may be tie alpha
and omega Of everything terrestrial? Naturally
and logically, If clothed In his right mind, he
would court the prolongation of life in order to
eliminate all the goodness that this fair
earth contaiDs and seek the enjoyment of low
ing companionship from which he may be for
ever separated. This is only a resona-
Bile superstition, and we challenge inoui-
~ upon the subject Now, on the
other side of the question, is il NOT an estsb-
lished truth that hundreds OF simple minded
people have been driven crazy over the subject
OF religion. aud have committed all manner of
atrocities, even to murder? We are brought
face to face almost weekly with instances of
men aud women under the hallu cination of
religious frenzy destroying not only themselves.
but offering up their children as sacrifices to
appease, as they in their madness suppose.
the vengence of an angry God. OF course they
are demented and know not what they do. but
nevertheless 1t does not alter the fact that re-
igious zeal has more 70 do in adding to the
suicidal column than any other known cause.
Certainly morbid con iition of mind superin-
duced by causes OF well-defned character.
whether 1t be Christian or otherwise, is calcu.
lated to engender disordering OF the mental
faculties, and q consequent liability to shuttle
OF this mortal coil in suicidal fashion, and if
the reverend gentleman had been possessed of
sufficient philosophical poise, he would have
recognized this fact aud treated the subject in
accordance with it. A rehash Of glittering gen
eralities win not pass as legitimate argument.
We must have the truth, the whole truth and
nothing else bat the truth. Nothing short will
suffice Yours, j. MARTIN.