Topics that ruffle your feathers?

Frankly, you don't know what you're talking about when it comes to mental illness

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No one does that. No one. Comforting someone doesn't encourage suicide, we do our best to pull people away from that. I don't think anyone is saying /committing/ suicide isn't a sin, either. But heaping guilt on someone for even being in that much hurt is despicable frankly.
I've talked to suicidal people, talked them out of it. I had someone basically beg me for permission to go through with it, multiple times. I held firm that it was not and never is the answer.

If you really want me to go toe to toe with you over your scripture use, I can do that. I'd rather not have this conversation, but as a mental health advocate it is extremely important to me.

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I will go through your scripture references, bring up my own, and tell you why you are wrong. Though I'm not trying to convince you so much as subvert any harm you may cause to anyone who has suicidal ideation or severe depression who may read your posts.

Also, it's not so much "true Christians will never suicide" that I'm contesting, though I do disagree with that as well, as your idea that we will never face anything absolutely overwhelming, or that Christians never lose hope, or that being in such pain that you wish you would die (even if you never give in) is itself a sin. That is very harmful teaching.

It takes me time to gather my thoughts in a way that is coherent and thorough, so you will forgive me if it takes me a bit.

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So I just learned today that I have diabetes, so it may take me longer than I planned as I am also trying to learn how to manage my condition and it's a lot of information to take in. (My Dr wants me on meds, my mom and nutritionist Aunt want me on natural supplements instead. This in addition to the lifestyle changes I need to make.) But I will get around to it, this topic is too important to me to back down from.

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So let's unpack this.

First off, I assume you realize that just because a verse talks about hope, does not mean it's in context for the argument you're making. Acts 24:15, Romans 8:24, fall under this. Luke 9:23-25, Colossians 1:29, I would also argue are out of context for this argument.

Romans 5:2-5 & Romans 8:28, I don't feel are contradictory to my position. In fact, it matches my own experience with suffering quite well. I believe that the depression, addiction, I went through happened so that I could encourage and help others in similar positions, as well as be a voice for people who deal with those things.

I would actually point you to verse 8 of 2 Cor. 1:
8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters,[a] about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

Despairing of life sounds to me, a lot like losing hope. Even if only for a time, it sounds like hope was at the very least extremely difficult to hold onto. Which brings us straight into the next point.

My experience is the opposite, that God allows us to come to the end of ourselves, the end of our own strength, where we are sometimes completely and thoroughly in over our heads, until we are forced to rely on Him. Seems like every time God has brought me back, it's been from the edge. When I was under addiction, I was at rock bottom for at least a month before God intervened in any way that I could tell. (Long story short, He finally gave me the strength to resist my withdrawal symptoms long enough to escape the hold addiction had on me. Withdrawal was still hell on Earth, but I was able to power through it.)
But anyways. That's anecdote. Still, anecdotes aren't completely useless.....our testimonies are basically anecdotes, are they not?

Onto your scripture references.
I would suggest that 1 Cor. 1:8, Phil. 1:6 refers to salvation....not mental health, or suicide.

1 Peter....not much to comment on either way. It's only saying that God will offer us help, which He does.
The Psalm references might support your primary point, though I would argue that just because someone doesn't rely on God "enough" or whatever....doesn't mean they aren't saved. I tend to believe that salvation deals with all our sins, past, present, and future....and so even if we are unable to repent after killing ourselves, because we're already dead obviously, doesn't mean salvation is lost.

Even believers go through periods where they find hope to be lacking....and depression is literally a disease that makes your brain depleted of serotonin, the chemical that makes the happy feelings.
Let me say this: I was closest to God when I lived with chronic depression. It made me have to rely on Him just to get by, because my own strength wasn't enough.

I would put forth, again, that being suicidal is a state of mind, and it's not one you can just snap out of. It's the wish for the pain to end, and your mind thinks the only solution, the easiest solution, is death. I wouldn't say that's sin. I wouldn't say it's cowardly....if anything, it's bravery, persisting despite your brain telling you you have no other option but death.
I'd yield that planning to carry out suicide is sin, and actually attempting, sure. But not simply being in the state of mind where you're in so much pain you want to die.

See, I have difficulty with this verse in general. Because....who doesn't have some ongoing sin of some sort in their life? We sin daily.
Perhaps what this verse is saying is....one will continue to fight their sinful urges, and never stop trying. Which may support your primary position. But it also could just mean that one who is saved will continually have the new man fighting the old man....not that the old man won't get us sometimes, and not that that can't result in un-dobable consequences. YMMV.

If someone committs suicide, the only conclusion we can come to is that they were suffering tremendously. As I have demonstrated, being Christian does not make one immune to being overwhelmed. And in suicide, there is always a choice....one can choose to keep going, despite their suffering, and one can choose to give in. The feelings that lead to suicide aren't sinful, but choosing suicide is. They could have kept going. I know free will is controversial, but I am a believer in it, and I don't believe God forces us to make the correct decisions all the time.

You're saying people who are suicidal are weak and cowardly, I say they are weak, yet also strong, and brave....
For your reasoning involving the verses' use of the word "coward" and concluding that those who do commit suicide are prime examples of such cowardice....here is what Bible commentary has to say on it:
Revelation 21:8 Commentaries: "But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
"The reverse side of the picture (cf. Revelation 20:12-15 and below on Revelation 21:27): a black list of those who have not conquered. δειλοῖς = “cowards” or apostates, who deny Christ in the persecution and worship Caesar (Introd. § 6) through fear of suffering; “δειλία does not of course itself allow that it is timorous, but would shelter its timidity under the more honourable title of εὐλάβεια” (Trench, Synonyms, § x.). It embraces further all those who draw back under the general strain of ridicule and social pressure (Hebrews 6:4-8; 2 Timothy 4:16, etc.), like Bunyan’s Pliable, but unlike his Mr. Fearing (cf. 1Ma 3:16).—"

For our brothers and sisters who deal with suicidal depression, they need words of comfort and encouragement, rather than condemnation.....believe me, depressed people beat themselves up enough already, and are already likely to think themselves guilty of something, whether they are or not.. And yes, encouragment should include reminding them that their hope, their comfort is in God.

 

Hey, I got work in the morning and even though I want to stay awake a while longer, these responses take effort, so I'll wait until a more convenient time and more intellectually available time for me to respond (like, tomorrow evening, probably). If there's even a pressing need to anymore.