Our prayers are with Rick Warren's family. I googled and found there are those on the left who are unsympathetic --because of Rick Warren's evangelical stand against homosexual marriage. They erroneously believe that the Christian stand against homosexual relations is a primary cause of suicide among homosexuals --and they muse that Rick's son was probably gay.
In fact, the activities in the gay life are such that self-loathing and depression can result --without any doctrinal causes. Nevertheless, in this case, the LEFT is proving itself to be like the misguided Westboro Church showing up at military funerals to say that America's homosexuality is causing our military deaths. That church's view lacks any Biblical support concerning individual soldiers who die in war. And likewise, it is just as cruel a point of view to speculate that Matthew Warren's suicide is for any other reason than depression.
I was just ONCE what you would call "clinically depressed;" and this was 8 years or so after a wonderfully affirming spiritual experience --so I didn't lack assurance of salvation per se. I was almost Matthew Warren's age at 26. I was pregnant for the first time and the chemicals of the condition knocked me for a loop for several months so that I just never felt good. Like post-partum depression, it has no rational cause. You can't explain why the world looks grey, cold, impersonal and bleak and you feel overcome with dark thoughts--I had no complaint. I just was overwhelmed with despair --and it wasn't because I didn't want my baby --or that I felt unloved --or anything I could put my finger on. Chronic tiredness and nausea was part of it and is part of pregnancy sometimes. (I'm still easily "so tired.") I would force myself to go to my aunt's or an acquaintance's house --to just not be alone in that mental state. (When Jon was at school.)
I am so glad that my condition didn't seem to affect my wonderful first baby. And I never had the condition to that extent again. I heard that my grandfather and an uncle had bouts of such depression when in THEIR 20's.
Depression is often alleviated today with medicines affecting our brain chemistry.
I know some people recommend strongly that young adults live on their own to experience rent and bills, etc. In Matthew's case, being single, perhaps he should've lived with his parents. Did he have a career? It would be hard to be the son of such a successful man --in today's economic market --when careers are hard to establish --and jobs hard to find --and you are going nowhere financially and don't have a girlfriend. None was mentioned.
Our single son lives at home --and he stays busy and cheerful --and is an immense help to us and his grandmothers --and his church. He is an extension of his father in the care of his home, wife, mother, property --so that his father doesn't have to worry about those things. With 2 college degrees, he works for his father at something he says will never be a career for him. I don't appreciate those who advise that living alone would be a panacea to mature a person and jump start him into relationships, marriage, and career direction for need of money. I do think a girlfriend/ wife can help to focus the future --but living alone after college and without a career is an expensive option fraught with many time-wasting, ungodly temptations these days. And no panacea against depression either. I think Matt Warren went home to an empty house/apartment.
But I also want to believe He went home to a merciful Heavenly Father with His sins covered by the atoning blood of Christ --who would have great compassion for the desperation of the depressed son of his servants, Pastor & Mrs. Rick Warren. Depression leading to suicide is not usually the sin of arrogance and rebellion --but of despair. I believe Christ was there to pick him up as he descended into the abyss that is death. I imagine he asked God's forgiveness as he went --and received it.
."God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible