14 year old girl hangs herself to avoid the May 21st Rapture. Why do atheists care what others believe?

Yes. This is why I'm equally opposed to acne and teen break-ups.

But I think in this case, religion isn't arguably the main culprit. Stupidity is. Sure religion was the source of the prediction, but how many people actually believed this was going to happen? Also, I have a hard time believing that this girl had a wonderful, fulfilling life before hearing this and suddenly decided suicide was the best solution. After all, it's not as if suicide would become impossible after this supposed rapture. But honestly, why is a girl in Russia even hearing about this? If you want to blame somebody, blame the media for sensationalizing this ridiculous, and now we know untrue, story.

I am not a psychologist or other professional so the advice I'm giving here is only from my own experience.Check out what I have said here with your own police department or help line before you do anything. Threats of suicide in these situations are generally manipulative not for real. You can probably: Tell her that her life is her responsibility, not yours. That if she is serous about committing suicide, she needs to get help, but you can not help her. Tell her for reasons already stated, it is best for the two of you not to be in contact. You both need to move on and stop contacting each other.Then hang up and don't respond to her in any way. If you have a technical way of blocking her, do so immediately..If you can e-mail the police where she lives, do so. If you can, email social services in the US county where she lives, but if you can't it is OK. This girl is not committing suicide over you. You have never met. If she does harm herself in any way (and she might cut herself superficially but not dangerously), she does have problems that have nothing to do with you.

i read byron katie who is a self taught self help author. She teaches to ask yourself 4 questions. Is it true? How do i know it is absolutely true. Is there a stress free reason to believe my thought and what is the turn around, The opposite of what you are thinking and is it as true or truer than your original disturbing thought. Byron Katie, is a marvolous woman who has helped many confused people, see that it is the stories in our heads that cause us so much pain and problems. Without believing the story of a Rapture the 14 yr old girl would be happily alive.

Can you submit a link? I've never heard of that State before...

I'm sure there are similar cases throughout the world...(she's prob not the only one) I read some guy re-mortgaged his house to help advertise the "crapture" and is now in serious debt, but I'm saddened that a houng life has ended needlessly.

Media organisations shouldn't have given this man so much coverage without at least highlighting the quackery of it all

People his last 2 sentences are sarcasm! You really can't figure that out? There needs to be a sarcasm font for those who are less...well I don't want to be rude.

Also he isn't saying suicide is only caused by religion he is just indicating that religion can have a negative effect on society. This being an example.

Am I the only one who has basic reading and comprehension skills???

I'm going to feel like a tool if I am wrong about all of this...lol.

All religion is a pox on the earth, as an irrational belief it is always going to attract the unscrupulous and mentally challenged like camping and the westbros, most of the misery and mistreatment in the world today can be directly attributed to it. It matters not which country it exists in it is intrinsically wrong.

Don't forget about the mother in the USA who slit her 2 daughter's throats and then her own to avoid the rapture.

In their case they got lucky though, and someone came to the house and called 9/11.

I think I heard a guy in Taiwan committed suicide over Camping's predictions too. If not Taiwan, than somewhere like that.

A chicken little incident... RIP for the girl.. God said he would return when HE says its time to come back. No one knows the day or hour when he returns. A man that says he knows when God is returning is a Liar.. And thats what Harold Camping is. a false prophet and liar.. Something the devil brings to decieve people..

Seriously? I hope her family is dealing with this ok... This may be just my opinion, but Camping oughtta be arrested for this

You wrote, "It's not as if religion ever caused any harm."

Surely, you can't be serious. Have you never heard of the Crusades, the Inquisitions, the witch-hunts, the heretic burnings, the Thirty Years War, etc.? Believe me, more harm has been done is the name of religion than in the name of Atheism.

And, don't try citing the evils of the Soviet Union. That was not about religion, it was about politics and an economic system.