Suicide
Mennonites believe that we are created in the image of God and therefore life is precious. Because we believe that the faithful will be rewarded with eternal life with our Lord after our passing, death is not something to be feared. But we also believe that the time of our death is not of our choosing. Therefore, suicide or assisted suicide is considered unacceptable but forgivable, particularly when an individual is suffering from mental illness (about 90 percent of all suicides are the result of one of several mental illnesses).
In terms of end of life situations, individuals and families may choose to forego lifesaving/life-prolonging measures in certain situations, and the church supports a person’s right to die a natural, intervention-free death.
For more on suicide, see http://store.mennomedia.org/Fierce-Goodbye-P100.aspx.
