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1 "Thou shalt not kill." The sixth commandment orders us to respect our life and the life of other people as one of the greatest and most marvelous gifts of God. Only the Author and the Giver of life can determine man's span of life. In light of this commandment, it should be obvious that suicide is a grave sin. Being one form of ***, it includes in itself the sins of despair, lack of faith and a rebellion against God's providence. The most frightening aspect of suicide is that by forcefully terminating his own life one forfeits the very possibility of repentance of this sin, since after death repentance is not accepted. In order not to be overcome by despair, one must remember that temporary sufferings are allowed by God to make us better Christians. No righteous person was able to avoid sufferings. The path to Heaven is a narrow and thorny one. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus clearly illustrates the meaning of earthly sufferings. Abraham said to the rich man tormented in hell, "Son remember that in your lifetime you received many good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted and you are tormented" (Luke 16:19-31). While enduring suffering, one must remember that God is exceedingly merciful. He will never allow one to suffer beyond his strength, and during the most difficult moments, He invariably strengthens and consoles the person who believes in Him. There exist several forms of *** - direct, indirect, spiritual, etc. A person is guilty of *** even when he does not commit the *** himself but promotes the *** or allows someone else to do it. For example: a judge condemning an accused to death when his innocence is known; anyone who does not save a neighbor from death when he is fully capable of doing it; anyone who helps another commit *** by his decree, advice, collaboration, or rationalization, or who condones and justifies a death and by that gives opportunity for more killing; anyone who by hard labor or cruel punishment exhausts victims into a weakened state and thus hastens their death. Abortion is also a form of ***. Several Church laws impose severe penance on women who kill babies in their womb and on those who assist them in this. (Check the 2nd and 8th rule of St. Basil the Great, 21st rule of the Council of Ankir, and the 91st rule of the 6th Ecumenical council). In accordance with Evangelical teaching, "Whosoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him" (1 John 3:15). Therefore, anyone who harbors feelings of hatred or anger, anyone who wishes evil to another person, slanders, quarrels, or by some other means displays his enmity towards others, violates the sixth commandment. To prevent us from harming each other, the Lord Jesus Christ commands us to root out from our hearts all feelings of anger and vengeance which are the ultimate cause of all violent actions against others. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ said: "You have heard that it was said to those of old, you shall not ***, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment. But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother is in danger of the judgment ... You have heard that it was said, `An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also ... You have heard that it was said, `You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:21-40). Besides physical, there exists a spiritual form of *** which is an even more horrible sin because of its eternal consequences: tempting someone. Anyone who lures a person away from his faith in God or seduces to sin, kills him spiritually. The Savior thus said about the severity of the sin of tempting others, "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck ... Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to the man by whom the offense comes" (Matthew 18:6-7)!