The Bible and the Headlines: News You Can Use
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By David Bachelor, PhD
Pastor, Pearsall 1st Methodist Church
A pair of stories from two weeks ago, which appeared so disparate at first glance, are back in the headlines because of new information. On April 30, the day before she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Naomi Judd died. Her death was ruled a suicide within days of the event. Last Thursday, on Good Morning America, the nation learned the unusual details about Naomi Judd’s suicide. The revelation (picked up by all the wire services) was “Naomi Judd Died of Self-inflicted Wound, Family Says.” This is news-speak to say that Judd used a gun to end her life. Her method was noteworthy because, except for women veterans, most females choose a less violent means of suicide. According to her daughter, Ashley Judd, “[O]ur mother, couldn’t hang on until she was inducted into the Hall of Fame by her peers. I mean, that is the level of catastrophe of what was going on inside of her.”
The second story from a fortnight ago that returned to page one has some striking similarities to Naomi Judd’s narrative. These were not apparent during the initial reporting. The day before Naomi Judd’s death, Alabama correctional officer Vicki White helped a convicted murderer to escape. Though Vicki White was not about to receive a prestigious award, according to the BBC, “It was Ms White’s last day at work before retirement.” Her story jumped back into prominence when the escapade of the correctional officer and the convict ended. Newsweek’s headline was “Vicky White Dead of Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound, Autopsy Scheduled.” The article reports, “Law enforcement officials had received information that a vehicle matching the description of one believed to be used by Vicky White and Casey White was in the area.” An arrest was attempted, and a high-speed chase ensued. When Vicki White realized it was impossible to evade capture, she shot herself and died a short time later.
There is a Bible narrative where the protagonist responds to the pressure of his world by a self-inflicted injury. It is found in 1 Samuel 31. It is the account of how Israel’s king, Saul, was defeated by the Philistines. Saul’s sons had already fallen in battle, and Saul was wounded in many places. Saul thought he was about to be captured, so Saul said to his aide, ‘Draw your sword and kill me, so that these godless Philistines won’t gloat over me and kill me.’ But the young man was too terrified to do it. So, Saul took his own sword and threw himself on it” (1Sam 31:4). Seeing his king dead, Saul’s aide also committed suicide.
A king, a celebrity and a person who had finally reached retirement. These are not the types of people we expect to be desperate and considering self-harm. But it happened. So, if you know someone who is in desperate straits, please ask them the question, “Are you thinking of hurting yourself?” If the answer is “Yes,” get this person some help. If you cannot think of anything else to do, head for the emergency room of the closest hospital. Then maybe, there will be fewer headlines like last week’s. The Bible tells us, “For every man’s life and every man’s death has a relation to others as well as to himself” (Rom. 14:7).