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Suicide Ideation - time to change the subject line
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<div>I think the subject line of this email is misleading. I couldn't find anything on the website about suicide or suicide ideation. I also found nothing about encouraging children to end their time on planet earth. Personally I don't believe in the Rapture, but I also don't believe folks should be misrepresenting the religious beliefs of others, and somehow connecting visions of heaven with child maltreatment.</div> <div> </div> <div>Todd McDonald</div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div><BR><BR><B><I>Sheri McMahon <dfmcmahon1@msn.com></I></B> wrote:</div> <BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid"> <STYLE type=text/css>BLOCKQUOTE { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } DL { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } UL { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } OL { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } LI { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px
} </STYLE> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16640" name=GENERATOR> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Once again, I think these things have to be viewed in context. There have been folks believing in the Rapture forever, and a heck of a lot more since the Tim LaHaye series ("Left Behind") was published. Incidentally, more than a few are "called" to be foster parents, ok? Rapture theology, however, says God decides when it is time to be lifted up. Helps having the link, I thought there might be something really strange afoot. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I'd focus more on, hm, making sure mental health needs of parents and children are met. People with acute mental illness <EM>may</EM> incorporate religious beliefs into their actions, and how many parents really do believe--in the throes of such illnesses and/or under extreme stress--that they are doing their children a favor by sending them back to
God (not to mention those with notions that killing their children prevents them from enduring the suffering of the parent's suicide, ever having to be with the estranged partner again, coping with the looming bankruptcy or prison). Focusing on the religious beliefs per se is simply going to drive those whose religious beliefs are regarded as marginal further into the fringes (Hello, Eldorado). </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Notions about heaven being more desirable than earth have been around as long as notions of heaven and earth have been, and there is probably no way to teach about an afterlife with God without raising at least the theological possibility that one should hurry it up, (questions asks by precocious children and brooding teenagers) but I honestly do not see general relevance to child protection. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>I was thinking this has no general relevance to child protection--but it does. Cultural competence is not just about coping with Roma refugees from eastern Europe or Sioux religions or African-American child-rearing practices, it is about recogizing how deeply culture (including religious beliefs) are woven into everyone's lives, including one's own. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sheri McMahon</FONT></DIV> <DIV> Original Message ----- </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=tph3@cornell.edu href="mailto:tph3@cornell.edu";>Tom Hanna</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=child-maltreatment-research-l@list.cornell.edu
href="mailto:child-maltreatment-research-l@list.cornell.edu";>Child Maltreatment Researchers</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, April 19, 2008 6:16 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Suicide Ideation: "Going home to god" - Part 2</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>My original correspondent gave me this link. I would emphasize, however, that this is not a phenomenon limited only to one faith, and I am hoping to hear more discussion on the *general* concern.</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Lucida Grande" color=#000000 size=+1><A href="http://rr-bb.com/";>http://rr-bb.com/</A></FONT></DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>I quote from my correspondent with her permission. The original post she found said this:</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>"And I know there has to be something to this. My daughter is almost five, and even at her tender age, she is already 'world-weary'. Of course, she's five, so she loves her toys and her
bike. But she loves Jesus more than anything, and she asked me the same thing..."Are we going to Heaven to be with Jesus soon because this life is really hard and it's taking too long. (smiley face)<IMG src="http://rr-bb.com/images/smilies/smile.gif";> Out of the mouths of babes..."</DIV> <DIV><BR>I looked a little further into this member, and it appears as though this person is a teacher. <BR><BR>Found at this link:<BR><A href="http://rr-bb.com/showthread.php?t=37576&page=2";>http://rr-bb.com/showthread.php?t=37576&page=2</A><BR><BR>Going to any thread in this website is enough to make me worry about all of these people, but I'm less inclined to be concerned about the adults, who have a choice in their religion.<BR></DIV> <DIV>Thanks again for your help."</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>End of quoted text from private communication.</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>--Tom</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>Original post by Tom Hanna:</DIV> <DIV>--</DIV> <DIV>I have
recently been contacted by someone deeply concerned about an Internet Forum where parents seem to be training their children to reject this life in order to go home to their Maker.<BR><BR>The concern expressed is that the parents are encouraging suicidal ideation, and that this will play itself out in action. Parents brag to each other when their 5-yo children say they are tired of living and want their Maker to come and take them away (In the case involved, I have provided the concerned person with links to http://ncmec.org and http://childhelp.org 1-800-4-A-CHILD so they can get some direct feedback.)<BR><BR>Since such "loathing of earthly life" is a part of several belief systems, does anyone on this list have input -- historical or contemporary -- that casts any light on the "risk" attached to the belief? How do CPS systems respond to reports of this kind?<BR><BR>There is an additional dimension to this phenomenon. The "Discussion Forum" is "anonymous" so
the concern is that anonymity is a dangerous cloak for possible harm. Any experience on this aspect?<BR><BR>Is there a National Suicide Prevention hotline that might have already had to deal with this concern?<BR><BR>--TIA<BR>--Tom<BR><BR><BR>--<BR>--<BR>Tom Hanna, Director<BR>Child Abuse Prevention Network<BR>www.child-abuse.com<BR>tom@child-abuse.com<BR>tph3@cornell.edu<BR>off 607.275.9360<BR>cel 607.227.4524<BR>fax: 415.962.0510<BR>--</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><p> 
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