I don’t usually ask questions like this…

and I left the fold a long time ago. But since 9/11 just passed, a friend who’s devout was wondering if the "jumpers" (those who leapt from the Towers to avoid being burnt alive) were pardoned by the Pope because of the circumstances, or were they viewed as actual suicides ? I have no idea, but I agreed to ask.

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sciguy18 · M

I’ve never read any official position on this. Normally, killing anyone (including yourself) is considered a major sin (violation of the Ten Commandments). I’ve read that people in such situations are not thinking clearly and are acting out of desperation. As such, various religious “experts” have speculated that such people would therefore be forgiven.