Adultery Is Killing the American Family

Illinois Leader ^ | 9/22/05 | Nathan Tabor

[brushcop]

I agree. And as for a betrayal not having the social stigma as it once did, ask a wife that's been betrayed and tell me that. Ask a man who's wife betrayed him while he was in Iraq and had a bastard child and tell me that. Suddenly, it gets very serious and sometimes deadly. I often wonder why the betrayers are still alive.

[paix]

"It's selective and self reflexive, I think."

I think you're right.

[ConservativeMind]

No, you are still married before God to your spouse.

Divorce does not mean you are freed from your vow to God. You are still culpable for your actions to keep your word even if your spouse broke theirs.

I'm sorry. It is adultery for one to marry someone who was married. Shall I give the verses?

[ConservativeMind]

But your vow to God is only broken by what you choose to do to hurt it.

[HitmanLV]

I've seen it 1,000 times. It may not be all that serious, nor an endorsement of adultery, but the sexes to a large extent tend to circle the wagons if one of their members falters a bit.

[marajade]

"Divorce does not mean you are freed from your vow to God."

What?

[Jaysun]

No doubt about that! I endorse that strategy, too!

I've never been divorced, but I have informed my wife that I intend to trade her in for two thirties when she turns sixty.

[HitmanLV]

You're a better man than I! ;-)

[Asfarastheeastisfromthewest...]

Unfortunately, the Illinois Leader article (like so many adultery-is-very-wrong articles in a similar vein) misses one very important point. That adultery causes terrible damage and is a scourge to all society is absolutely true - but it is just the manifestation of a bigger problem. The bigger problem is that mankind has gotten away from God and in so doing, has to a large extent trashed the basic rules and ideals about how man should live - in this case marriage. People forget that marriage was an institution designed by God for mature people to have sex in a way that was approved by him - outside of marriage, no sex of any type was allowed or approved of while inside of marriage, unlimited sex was approved of. Thus one could define marriage as 'a God approved license to have sex', nothing more and nothing less (how many people think of it in those terms today). Marriage was therefore treated much more seriously in the past and it was expected that both the husband and the wife going to the alter for the first time were virgins who had protected and saved themselves for their one and only partner (until death parted them). Our society has gotten away from the seriousness of this license and it all started when people decided that it wasn't important whether or not they engaged in premarital sex - and so we have people going to the alter that simply do not have the capacity to make and keep the commitment they need to because their previous entanglements have left their emotional loyalties weakened and fractured. The other aspect to treating the marriage vows seriously is that absolute fidelity was to be observed. Of course this meant no sex with anyone outside of the marriage but it also meant something else that is often overlooked. It was also just as important for the spouses to observe 'fidelity inside the marriage' - essentially this means that each was to make sure the other was so well satisfied sexually that he or she would never have the need to be tempted by anyone else. While adultery should be condemned and can't be justified under any conditions, in many (probably most) cases it is a byproduct of fidelity not being observed INSIDE the marriage. If people observed this level of seriousness and understanding of what their marriage vows were or should be all about, adultery would be far far less.

1 Corinthians 7:3 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. 5 Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

[marajade]

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=divorce

[HitmanLV]

I agree but it's not that relevant to the question. The decision to cheat, more often than not, seems like a real good idea at the time. A person's relationship with God is the last thing on a person's mind when a very attractive and willing person is offering fairly uncommitted sex.

I'm not pleased about that, but it's true.

[PGalt]

The lie is the weapon of choice in the criminals arsenal. It destroys its victims.

[Time4Atlas2Shrug]

What if your vows didn't say "Until Death"?

Whew, so many rules....

That is why there are so many passive Christians. The attempts to lead a decent life and live happily are always hammered by the zealous faithful trying to "one-up" with their moral superiority.

Marriages end due to a diverse array of circumstances, including adultery, abuse, neglect, diverging philosophies, etc. and to suggest that remarriage cannot occur and that one must remain alone and unhappy after a lonely and unhappy marriage seems torturous. God would never be so cruel.

[John Robertson]

You are so very right.

[ConservativeMind]

The definition of divorce given by Dictonary.com does not state that one's own vow to God is affected. It just states that it is a legal dissolution of a marriage, which it certainly is.

This is where things are different for those who believe in God. One's vow to Him goes beyond that of simple law. He is The Law.

[Carry_Okie]

Cultural Marxism has done its work, thanks to its point man, Alfred Kinsey.

[Melas]

Well, since I'm divorced and remarried, I guess I might as well start take on a couple of mistresses, since obviously I'm in a perpetual state of adultery. /sarcasm

Why is that whenever I see someone slurping at the trough of legalism, it's invariably robbed them of almost all logical capability?

[Alkhin]

I have to say too, that I might punch someone who ever called my child anything than an amazing creation of God. I'm so grateful for the Grace of God, and that when He looks at me, he doesn't see the yucky sin, or a lifestyle choice, he sees me redeemed.

As an adopted child who was born out of wedlock - I THANK YOU!! Pisses me off when people bitch about unwed mothers and call the children bastards, and then wonders why the world is so rife with abortions.

[claptrap]

Hate to break this to you but adultery isnt new this
article is pure conjecture, moral decay isnt new either.
Since when has CNN ever done an accurate poll?
Bill Clinton doesnt really matter anymore.
The Government is spiraling into a giant cess pool of
spending,throwing money they dont have at every problem.
We are spending billions on Iraq, for what, so they too
can have a bloated government with no sense of economy?
Adultery is trivial compared to citizens with no home no job in a job market where illegal immigrants are taking
a huge percentage of what jobs there are.
The betrayal of our country is much worse!

[paix]

People have a flippant attitude toward many things, marriage included.