Many readers of this blog are familiar with the name – and the several guest-posts he has contributed – of Doctor Peter Evans, a former Australian Franciscan priest like myself, who became an articulate atheist and a practising psychiatrist, well-known in Melbourne and renowned throughout the country for his professional testimony in the Royal Commission on the crimes of pedophile priests and members of religious orders. He was kind enough to send me a long e-mail concerning my post on Suicide, which he has allowed me to share with you.
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“Needless to say, Frank, I agree with everything you said. In Australia we have long held the view that suicide is not an offense, and we now have ‘assisted dying’ well established by law. Suicide is clearly an option for some people, although from a psychiatric point of view I have seen many who were suicidal because of a treatable psychiatric illness. With regard to those who choose suicide rationally and the social response to it, I’ll give you a couple of examples.”
Peter then spells out at length the story of an 80 year-old woman, a former Catholic become an atheist, interviewed on TV some ten years ago :
“She gave rational explanations as to why, at the end of life, any decision as to its future was entirely hers. She did not believe in God and her life was her own. It was one of the most enlightening interviews that I have heard on TV. Needless to say, it received no comment from anyone. My experience is that people are very reluctant to speak out publicly on this matter. And this is so even though they completely agree (80%) with our ‘assisted dying’ laws which, incidentally, are gradually extended State by State. The reason is difficult to understand but I think it is related to an inborn horror at the end of life and the inability to have the courage to face the fact that we are all here by chance alone, and that one day we will cease to exist and that the memory of us will, after a further period of time, also cease to exist. It takes courage and clear thinking to do that. Anyway, whatever the reason, suicide is shrouded in silence. There was a brief report about twelve months later. When friends tried to telephone her, they heard the message : ‘I’m sorry I can’t take your call; I have departed on a journey from which I will never return’. That was the suicide of a rational mind at the end of a fruitful life.
“Here’s another more recent story. One morning I read the brief obituary of a vascular surgeon (I’ll call him James Anon) whom I had met at a regular luncheon of medical professionals. He came along twice, and on both occasions I was seated next to him. We ended up talking at great length about the end of professional life and the end of life generally. He reminded me very much of the lady that I mentioned earlier. He was certainly not depressed and was thinking quite clearly. I thought to myself at the time that he was someone who could very rationally end his own life and had both the knowledge and the capability to do so.
“Six months after our last luncheon, his obituary simply stated : ‘James Anon wishes to announce to all his friends and interested colleagues that he has passed away at the weekend. There will be a private funeral.’ An hour and a half later, when I tried to have another look at the obituary, it had been removed – presumably by family members. It seems very likely that no colleagues saw James’ own obituary notice.
“It seems to me, Frank, that society is not able to tolerate suicide being published. Subsequently, there was a large memorial service for James, attended by at least three or four hundred colleagues. About fifteen colleagues spoke about his life (there was even an interval halfway through !). But there was not one word about his death. Many must have eventually known about it. I have heard no mention of it since that time. Even sophisticated societies and well-educated people are uncomfortable with suicide. That’s just the reality at the present time.
“Anyway, Frank, well said on your part. You can edit, publish or trash anything I write.”
P.S. In the name of the many, many readers, now and in years to come, who will consider themselves privileged to read Peter’s post – and in my own name : Thank you, Doctor Evans !
RIDENDA RELIGIO