Matthew Warren - Pastor Rick Warren's son - suicide

[oceansunshine]

Suicide - loss of a young life:

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/06/son-of-pastor-rick-warren-commits-suicide/comment-page-2/

 

 

The media has reported that Rick Warren's son, Matthew has taken his own life.

 

My 1st thought about reading the statement made thru his father's church is was the mental illness really a lack of acceptance of who Warren was by his father and church?

 

I say this because I know how hard I "tried to change" and depression it caused before I accepted to myself that being gay was a OK/normal thing, and just imagine the pressure of a father like Pastor Warren, if much of Pastor Warren's gay thoughts are anywhere near what is said here, with then IMHO not much real support to anyone close to him that would be gay):

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/blogs/the-human-condition/2009/11/29/pastor-rick-warren-responds-to-proposed-antigay-ugandan-legislation.html

 

If I was Rick Warren's son, would he be proud of me, or if any of us here were, would he support any of us and our partner?

 

Doug

[spunky]

uhm... i might not be fully up to date on this one but we don't really know whether Matthew was gay or not... do we? just being curious.

[rvwnsd]

Never heard any rumors about his son being gay.

[oceansunshine]

Agree. Have no idea if Matthew was gay. Just saying, if he was, the internal pressure to try and change, I can relate to. I sure tried (without success of course). But I too sure could have liked to have parents that could support their son and sent signals of support while that son was trying to "figure things out". Anita Bryant days are still a scary part of my youth:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anita_Bryant

 

Many years later came PFLAG, etc and today's movement (positives from public figures, "It gets better", knowing others being open). Such public and family/community support must be saving lives for youth today I'd think.....

 

I guess I'm saying, if orientation was an issue for Matthew, it would be very sad that he was having to fight that........and no matter what his loss is for sure sad and painful for many.

[Michael Wayne]

so sad....yet so common. Having been a former minister I have dealt with these type situations and they are impossible

[+ AceBanner]

Very sad news. Rick Warren has been good inspiration. His views on gays have softened over the years and he now takes a very "political" stance when discussing us. All that being said, I wonder how his Purpose Driven message will change with this suicide. It will make a deep impact and let's hope it's for a more compassionate and merciful message.

[Becket]

Evangelicals like Pastor Warren are always focused more on the "build the church" part and less on the "care for the hurting" model. It will indeed be interesting to see how his ministry develops after such a loss. Like the politicians who change their stance on gay marriage only after someone close to them comes out as gay, sometimes a terrible event like this is the only thing that gets some preachers off counting how many souls they have saved, and onto the real work of feeding the hungry and comforting the suffering, etc.

 

The death of a child is a terrible thing for anyone to go through.

[Guest Wetnwildbear]

Very sad news. Rick Warren has been good inspiration. His views on gays have softened over the years and he now takes a very "political" stance when discussing us. All that being said, I wonder how his Purpose Driven message will change with this suicide. It will make a deep impact and let's hope it's for a more compassionate and merciful message.

 

Really - Softened his homo-hating ignorant non-missionary position. . . .

 

"Megachurch pastor Rick Warren remains as ill-informed on gay identity as ever. Unfazed by the notion that there may be a biological cause for homosexuality, Warren told Piers Morgan on CNN this week that acting on same-sex attractions is no different from “punching a guy in the nose” or consuming arsenic:

 

WARREN: Here’s what we know about life. I have all kinds of natural feelings in my life and it doesn’t necessarily mean that I should act on every feeling. Sometimes I get angry and I feel like punching a guy in the nose. It doesn’t mean I act on it. Sometimes I feel attracted to women who are not my wife. I don’t act on it. Just because I have a feeling doesn’t make it right. Not everything natural is good for me. Arsenic is natural."

 

Watch it:

 

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/11/28/1248081/rick-warren-being-gay-is-like-punching-a-guy-in-the-nose-or-consuming-arsenic/?mobile=nc

 

Sorry when ANY parent loses a child - But what was the biblical admonishment - "Judge not lest yeah be jugded"

 

Rick is still a anti-gay prick.

 

The nice thing about any organized religion - there is always some way to justify hatred.

[Lohengrin1979]

So very, very sad. Tragedies like this occur all the time to many families. This one is just newsworthy because it's Rick Warren. Mental health is so far down the rung of priorities in this country and it shouldn't be.

 

Lohengrin

[+ Gar1eth]

Let's not jump the gun. While I guess it's possible that his son could have been gay, people with depression commit suicide for lots of different reasons. I actually hadn't thought about the fact that he might be gay until I heard a radio talk show host mention that some people were righting hurtful things to the family on blogs and such.

 

Whatever the reason whether the guy is a prick or not- I'm sorry for their loss. I'm even more sorry for the son.

 

Gman

[Toulouse]

I feel terrible for Matthew Warren. As much as we might try, it is impossible to know and understand the pain and depths of despair this young man had been living with for so long.

 

As for his know-it-all dad, what goes around comes around...Rick Warren is famously known as one of the leaders of the anti-gay movement. It is unknown if that had anything to do with his son’s deep depression. Rick Warren came under fire last year over his support of legislators in Uganda that were promoting a law calling for the execution of all homosexuals in the country. Saddleback and other US-based evangelical churches provided financial backing for the evil movement.

[GoodFella69]

Putting religion and politics aside, these are parents that have just lost their child to suicide. I can't fathom the depths of sorrow and anguish I would feel if I ever lost one of my sons...and I can't help but feel sadness and sympathy for the Warren family. They are living out my worst nightmare. My prayers are with them tonight. R.I.P Matthew.

 

Goodfella

[Businessguy]

The Dilema

 

I'm very sorry for Mathew and his family. My sympathies go out to them. I hope Mathew is at peace. I have no idea if the depression had anything to do with Mathew being gay. However, whether or not this was the case for Mathew, many others have succumbed to suicide because of their inability to reconcile certain elements of standard evangelical teachings.

Here is a summary of the logic. God is good. Homosexuality is bad. God has an abundantly good plan for your life. God has the power to heal and bring about changes in willing people. The person in question sincerely wants to change but the feelings and same sex attractions don't go away. So what's wrong? If God has the great plan for me, it surely would not be to be this tortured and unhappy. Why won't God change me? The answer from the pastors is pray harder, be more dedicated ect. But that doesn't help. Depression and doubt set it. The person tries again and fails again. The depression and doubt in oneself becomes a downward spiral and the failure is something they can't share with anyone. The only conclusion is that the person is not good enough. At some point all hope is lost and suicide seems to be to only way to get relief. The pressure is much worse in high profile religious families. Failure is not an option so suicide or self denial are the only two options available.

One other solution, the right solution, is God made you this way. He doesn't have any plans to change you. He accepts you as you are. Find a mate with the same values and build the abundant life that He promised. You are no more of a sinner than anyone else so go make the world a better pace through love, generosity and acceptance.

Enough of my soapbox or pulpit preaching for the day. Just reach out to those who are confused and hurting. Let them know they are OK and acceptable just as they are. You may save someone's life and prevent more heartache.

[JackTwist]

Businessguy: Well said. Bravo for that excellent summation.

[Diverdan]

Well said, Business Guy... I can only hope that some of this tragedy will help the good Pastor re-examine a lot of his positions on a lot of issues. RIP Matthew Warren...had folks dealt with you differently, this might have been avoided. Early in my life, my principal work involved dealing with suicidal teenagers, both on an inpatient basis as well as an outpatient basis. As far as I know, none of my patients ever went through with their plans, although several attempted this as a way of getting others to recognize their plea for help. It is one of the most challenging areas of psychotherapy, but there has to be a minimal support system too.

[bcohen7719]

Agree. Have no idea if Matthew was gay. Just saying, if he was, the internal pressure to try and change, I can relate to. I sure tried (without success of course). But I too sure could have liked to have parents that could support their son and sent signals of support while that son was trying to "figure things out". Anita Bryant days are still a scary part of my youth:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anita_Bryant

 

Many years later came PFLAG, etc and today's movement (positives from public figures, "It gets better", knowing others being open). Such public and family/community support must be saving lives for youth today I'd think.....

 

I guess I'm saying, if orientation was an issue for Matthew, it would be very sad that he was having to fight that........and no matter what his loss is for sure sad and painful for many.

 

Absolutely, Oceansunshine!

 

BC

 

[video=youtube;UX6i5Y6t1nI]

[seeker630]

I feel terrible for Matthew Warren. As much as we might try, it is impossible to know and understand the pain and depths of despair this young man had been living with for so long.

 

As for his know-it-all dad, what goes around comes around...Rick Warren is famously known as one of the leaders of the anti-gay movement. It is unknown if that had anything to do with his son’s deep depression. Rick Warren came under fire last year over his support of legislators in Uganda that were promoting a law calling for the execution of all homosexuals in the country. Saddleback and other US-based evangelical churches provided financial backing for the evil movement.

 

The sounds like you're saying the death of his son was some sort of cosmic/karmic payback.

[Guy Fawkes]

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http://snowbroader.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/R.I.P.-620x396.jpg