Reader comments
Some say LDS culture is a factor in suicides

My son dated a Mormon girl when he was in high school and from what she said the Mormon Church raises their flock to be "clones" of sorts. There is pressure to be perfect, which of course is unachievable, outside of heaven itself. I believe the Mormon Church is out of touch with reality in dealing with any kind of behavior or condition that is outside of their idealistic vision of themselves. Suicide can never be prevented unless the causes of it are thoroughly discussed and dealt with. Their unwillingness to deal with touchy matters will eventually lead to the church's demise over time. Essentially, these people do not even feel the freedom to be themselves, and this in itself could be the crux of of what leads to depression and suicide. The Mormon Church from what I know of it is certainly not a Christian one. As I read your comment above about this being monitored, I instantly felt how your members must feel. Suffocated. Let your people be!

You are commenting on something you have no idea about. What you call suffocating, I call my faith. To live a life without the use of drugs, alcohol, and pre-marital sex is not wrong. It's called morality. People of the church are human and have frailities as any other people of any other religion. They commit suicide, they break the law. Does this mean the church will fail? No, it does not. Just as any other church will not fail due to the actions of a small portion of their congregation. You do not know the workings of the church, you do not realize the professional help that is available, you do not know just because your son 'dated a mormon'. You are ignorant of how and what this church believes. Since I know nothing about your church, I would not comment about it. Perhaps you should consider the same

The Mormon church stigmatizes mental illness and those who suffer from it. As a former convert, one who is ex-mormon and has suffered from mental illness, the LDS church was not supportive but very exclusionary. There are other churches that have more knowledge and less stigma about mental illness than the Mornons. Thank-you Carol for your comment.

It was your ward that did that it has nothing to do with the Church as a whole. Seek help from an actual therapist not just a Bishop or Stake President.