Woman and Children Jumping Off a Mountain Cliff

Woman and Children Jumping Off a Mountain Cliff:

Understanding Grace in Our Darkest Moments I Bill Vassilopoulos

Back in the 1980s, when I was in Greek school, I remember flipping through the pages of my history book until I saw an image that stopped me in my tracks.

It was a picture of a frightened woman holding her children’s hands, jumping off the edge of a mountain cliff. In the background, soldiers with long, thick beards and raised swords were chasing them. I wasn’t even a teenager yet, but that imagery of a terrified mother looking straight ahead—determined not to be captured—has stayed with me to this day.

The text explained how the Ottoman Empire persecuted and enslaved Greek citizens in their own country for 400 years. Confused, I remember asking my parents why this woman chose to jump, and why her children had to die with her.

"There is nothing worse in this world, son, than war and poverty. Pray that you will never have to experience them," my father replied, his voice soft and his expression heavy with sadness.

The Moral Dilemma of Suicide and Faith

Years later, while working as a program manager for a non-profit organization, I met an older gentleman who struck up a conversation with me about salvation. He knew that I trained people in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST).

Like him, many Christians struggle with confusion and worry regarding believers who take their own lives. It introduces a profound moral dilemma and remains a highly sensitive topic within the church.

Historically, the stigma surrounding suicide was severe. Some traditional churches used to bury individuals who died by suicide upside down, facing away from the sun, to signal the community's shame. These individuals were excluded from traditional churchyards, and their families were deeply shunned.

Even in the Bible, the most infamous person to take his own life was Judas Iscariot, following his betrayal of Jesus. Yet, even on this point, theologians diverge. There are pastors and scholars today who believe that Judas is in heaven, arguing that true salvation is a gift from God that cannot be taken away by human actions.

Shedding Light on the Stigma

I want to be very careful here: I am not endorsing suicide in any way. Instead, I want to shed light on a subject that has been shrouded in silence and shame for centuries.

My personal story of surviving a suicide attempt—and later realizing what I almost lost, alongside the deep pain I would have caused the people I love—is something that can only truly be explained in a larger narrative. So, I put it into words.

In my book, Eyes Above the Water, I try to tackle these difficult questions, blending history, theology, and lived experience to offer hope to those walking through the darkest valleys.

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Friends, Please Remember:

• You are irreversible.

• You are unrepeatable.

• You are highly valued. (John 3:16)

• You are not a burden. (Matthew 11:28-29)

Warmly, your friend,

Bill Vassilopoulos