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All around the world a heart-cry of desperation and despair is going up to God – mingling in his ears with the cries of our prayers. Perhaps the ultimate example is the terrifying increase in suicide amongst young men…

’The Complete Manual of Suicide’ is a Japanese cult best seller advising young people on how to kill themselves. It has sold 1.3 million copies since 1993. It’s author – Wataru Tsurumi – wrote it after working 12 hours a day copying product numbers into account ledgers.

On 5th April 1994 Kurt Cobain gave up on life. It didn’t make sense. The rock star had everything you might desire – millions of dollars, incredible talent, world fame, musical integrity, a beautiful wife and a new child. Nirvana was probably THE band of the 90’s. But as one journalist wrote, ”His suicide asserted that all these sources of pleasure and pride were outweighed by pain.”

In his suicide note Kurt confessed to feeling: “guilty beyond words.” The working title for their latest album had been simply, ’I hate myself and I want to die.’ No-one took that seriously until it was too late. The first copy-cat suicide took place in Maple Leaf, Seattle 6 days later.

On 1st February 1995 another Rock star ‘checked out’ on life. Richie Edwards – lead singer of Welsh band ’The Manic Street Preachers’ simply walked out of a London hotel never to be seen again. He had previously cut the words “4 Real” in his arm, to prove to interviewer Steve Lamacq, that his pain was not some shallow stage act – it was a desperate cry.

Der Spiegel magazine estimates that in Germany alone there are at least 30 internet death forums where suicidal teenagers can discuss the best ways to kill themselves. In the last 3 months more than a dozen German teenagers have committed suicide after posting their intentions on the net.

A kid called 'Rizzo writes on one: 'Hi people! I've bought a 7 meter long piece of cord. Can someone tell me the height of drop to hang myself properly?'

A forum master called Markus 'B' left his final message on November 11th:"When you have a 12-calibre shotgun in your hand, you think differently about death. If you think there's something heroic about shooting yourself, hold a gun in your hand."

3 days later Markus' parents found him dead with the Beatle's track 'Let it Be' playing on repeat.

Our prayer – night and day – is that the tide would turn in youth culture. Please don’t write that dream off as a nice religious plan for bigger churches. The 75% increase in suicides amongst young men and the similar increase in self-harm by young women demonstrate that this is – literally – a matter of life and death.

- ’Isn’t it risky taking young people to such extreme places as Ibiza, St Petersburg and Delhi?’

Yes it can be risky going to some of these places. But then – so is getting born right now.

And no – we can’t water down the passion because we are surrounded by too much pain.

That’s why we are praying night and day. That’s why we are seeking to live sacrificially. That’s why we can never be comfortable with things the way they are – in ourselves, our churches and our world.

Our role model is not a Kurt Cobain suicidal celebrity. Our role model was far more extreme. He laid down his life not as a way of escape, but as a way of hope for others. There wasn’t an EXIT sign over that cross.

If you’ve got nothing worth dying for, you’ve probably got nothing worth living for either. But when you meet Jesus, you enter into maximum living. And that always looks extreme to those who are sleeping and those who are dying.


	John's Town \| home Archives Archives 2 DIE 4? Story from 24-7 Prayer All around the world a heart-cry of desperation and despair is going up to God – mingling in his ears with the cries of our prayers. Perhaps the ultimate example is the terrifying increase in suicide amongst young men… Japan 1993 ’The Complete Manual of Suicide’ is a Japanese cult best seller advising young people on how to kill themselves. It has sold 1.3 million copies since 1993. It’s author – Wataru Tsurumi – wrote it after working 12 hours a day copying product numbers into account ledgers. USA 1994 On 5th April 1994 Kurt Cobain gave up on life. It didn’t make sense. The rock star had everything you might desire – millions of dollars, incredible talent, world fame, musical integrity, a beautiful wife and a new child. Nirvana was probably THE band of the 90’s. But as one journalist wrote, ”His suicide asserted that all these sources of pleasure and pride were outweighed by pain.” In his suicide note Kurt confessed to feeling: “guilty beyond words.” The working title for their latest album had been simply, ’I hate myself and I want to die.’ No-one took that seriously until it was too late. The first copy-cat suicide took place in Maple Leaf, Seattle 6 days later. UK 1995 On 1st February 1995 another Rock star ‘checked out’ on life. Richie Edwards – lead singer of Welsh band ’The Manic Street Preachers’ simply walked out of a London hotel never to be seen again. He had previously cut the words “4 Real” in his arm, to prove to interviewer Steve Lamacq, that his pain was not some shallow stage act – it was a desperate cry. Germany Der Spiegel magazine estimates that in Germany alone there are at least 30 internet death forums where suicidal teenagers can discuss the best ways to kill themselves. In the last 3 months more than a dozen German teenagers have committed suicide after posting their intentions on the net. A kid called 'Rizzo writes on one: 'Hi people! I've bought a 7 meter long piece of cord. Can someone tell me the height of drop to hang myself properly?' A forum master called Markus 'B' left his final message on November 11th:"When you have a 12-calibre shotgun in your hand, you think differently about death. If you think there's something heroic about shooting yourself, hold a gun in your hand." 3 days later Markus' parents found him dead with the Beatle's track 'Let it Be' playing on repeat. 24-7 Our prayer – night and day – is that the tide would turn in youth culture. Please don’t write that dream off as a nice religious plan for bigger churches. The 75% increase in suicides amongst young men and the similar increase in self-harm by young women demonstrate that this is – literally – a matter of life and death. It’s urgent. Extreme People accuse 24-7prayer of being too extreme. - ‘Can’t you water it down a bit?’ they say. - ’Why do you have to pray so hard?’ - ‘Don’t people get tired?’ - ’Isn’t it risky taking young people to such extreme places as Ibiza, St Petersburg and Delhi?’ ‘Yes’ we tell these people. We do get tired. But so did Jesus. Yes it can be risky going to some of these places. But then – so is getting born right now. And no – we can’t water down the passion because we are surrounded by too much pain. No Exit That’s why we are praying night and day. That’s why we are seeking to live sacrificially. That’s why we can never be comfortable with things the way they are – in ourselves, our churches and our world. Our role model is not a Kurt Cobain suicidal celebrity. Our role model was far more extreme. He laid down his life not as a way of escape, but as a way of hope for others. There wasn’t an EXIT sign over that cross. If you’ve got nothing worth dying for, you’ve probably got nothing worth living for either. But when you meet Jesus, you enter into maximum living. And that always looks extreme to those who are sleeping and those who are dying. back to Bible Study