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Suicide

46. Once Saul had departed, Jmmanuel called together his disciples and said to them, "You know that Passover comes after two days, when I shall be turned over to the courts to be crucified, as it is destined, so that I will continue to learn.

47. "My betrayer will be Juda Ihariot, the son of Simeon, the Pharisee, because he is interested only in gold, silver, goods and chattels.

48. "He will betray me for thirty pieces of silver, because he has been misled by his father's greed.

49. "But his joy over the pieces of silver will not last long because his mind is fickle and unstable, and he will soon feel the guilt.

50. "Since Juda Ihariot is without courage and has little knowledge, he will put his waistband around his neck and hang himself from a branch.

51. "Truly, truly, I say to you, although Juda Ihariot's suicide appears just, it is nonetheless unjust.

52. "Although humans have free will to exercise authority over themselves, they do not have the right to decide over life or death.

53. "The intent of the laws is for humans to live their lives to their final decline, so that in this way they may perfect their spirits.

54. "But those who judge themselves through suicide, deviate from the law and violate the plan and the laws of Creation.

55. "Realize from this that humans do not possess the right to sit in judgment over their own lives and deaths.

56. "They possess the right only to exercise their authority over the conduct of their lives, not to decide over life itself and, therefore, over death.

57. "The laws say that no event or situation justifies suicide, and this includes suicide carried out by another person such as a hired murderer or mercy killer.

58. "Regardless of how much guilt a person may incur, or how heavy their load or burden is, they nonetheless have no right to determine their own death.

59. "Although Juda Ihariot incurs great guilt, he has no right to take justice into his own hands and decide over his life and his death.

60. "Every guilt and every mistake is a pathway to understanding by which the consciousness and the spirit are perfected.

61. But if a person escapes from guilt or a mistake by committing suicide, he flees from cognizance and responsibility and must learn to be cognizant and accountable in another life.

62. "Thereby the process of perfection of the consciousness and of the spirit is delayed, which is not the will of Creation.

63. "Either way, suicide is to be considered an act of deplorable cowardice and callous irreverence toward the laws and directives of Creation."