community as a means of death
If this went away I would not have given it attention. But here it is again. BBC is shedding light on how young Japanese people are finding community a source of strength to end it all. See the article called Japan's internet 'suicide clubs'

Sometimes we speak of "community" as if we in the church created the word, or as if it is a "Biblical" word that comes from scripture...and yet in this case community is a tool of death. Is it anything more than a social system that gives people permission to do what they cannot do on their own (be it good or bad)? That serves the church well when it means that we follow Christ better and young Japanese men and women well when it means thay can follow through on plans for suicide.

The whole thing is troubling to me. Some might argue "But Jacob, suicide is part of the Japanese culture...this makes it not necessarily a bad thing." But that just sits strangely to me...I mean are people valuable...is one life of any less value than another...should a culture continue to label suicide as honorable...and in fact in one sense "give permission" to people to act it out - to end there life early and at their own hand?

Somehow...I grieve for this kind of thing...their is no beauty in it. Why? Is life that empty, that painful, that heavy...? To some these young Japanese folks it must be...and community of a few others helps them end it...this is the world we live in.

What would the incarnate Christ do, pray, live out among these hopeless people? Who will live Christ in such a place? Who wouuld love the Japanese people this way?

- posted by Jacob B. @ 10:31 AM