February 28, 2005

I recently saw the movie Constantine featuring Keanu as a chain-smoking Neo
who dances with the Devil in a way that reminded me of Devil's Advocate.

I would like to make a comment concerning the issue of suicide that is
prevalent in the film. Both Constantine and the twin sister of his co-star
committed suicide and based on the Catholic system were therefore damned to
hell because of their mortal sin.

However, both characters were psychologically disturbed and in Jewish law there
are special considerations when people are not in their right mind when they
take their own life. Constantine had been hospitalized and given shock treatment
because of his parent's misunderstanding of the nature of their son's visions
while the cop lady's sister jumped off the roof of the psychological hospital
she was committed to.

It is my conclusion therefore, that neither of these characters would actually
be punished with damnation. Perhaps they would need to be reincarnated or born
again for another lease on life but no eternal hellfire for the biochemically
imbalanced or the psychologically disturbed, especially those mistreated or mis-
understood by a messed up system of the cold world.

The Jews do consider suicide to be a sin because there is the commandment against
murder and in suicide one is in a sense murdering oneself. But the Rabbis will go
to great lengths to discover whether or not the suicidal was sane at the time of
the act and in most cases the conclusion is that they were not. For who in their
right mind would divorce themself from family and friends in this wonderful world
of sacred love filled with signs and wonders of Jah?

That said, there are cases such as with the euthenasia featured in Clint Eastwood's
Million Dollar Baby where I believe it is right to assist someone in their passage
to the other side especially if they have lived fully yet have no chance of returning
to a happy healthy life in a natural way. It is my belief that souls such as Hillary
Swank's character will enjoy a peaceful afterlife and that Clint Eastwood's character
is not guilty of murder but actually has done the right thing considering the tragic
circumstances.

B'Shalom,

Avniel

P.S. I am planning to release a new cd of my Sabbath Songs for sale this Purim!
Please let me know via email if you are interested in purchasing a copy:
salzman@dirtroad.org