What is self-righteous suicide?

Answer 1

Self-righteous suicide is killing your self for protection or benefit of another person.

Other reasons for self-righteous suicide may be to protect one's honor, or to prove oneself or ones ideals.

Examples:

• Jumping in-front of a bullet so your friend won't die but you will.
• In the biblical story of Jesus Christ, Jesus refuses to perform meaningless miracles for Herod, and thus does not save his own life. He instead saves the souls of mankind through his 'suicide' which is his sacrifice. This is also referenced in the System of a Down song "Chop Suey", where the narrator is slowly committing suicide through drug use.
• This theme is also repeated in the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, where John Proctor chooses to be hung as a witch as opposed to confess to crimes he did not commit and sully his name.
• In Gran Torino, the main character commits suicide by provoking gang members to shoot him in front of many witnesses, thus ensuring the safety of the neighbourhood at the cost of his own life.