March 28, 2024

How Serious is Adultery?

In a society that is seeking to justify more deviant sexual behavior as tolerable– or even to glorify it– one of the “final frontiers” is that of adultery.  It fits right in with the whole concept of it’s ok as long as it’s between consenting adults.

However, there is still a general feeling that I sense, that it is still taboo for some people, and there is some sense of shame.  In my Christian college, you wouldn’t dare ask out a girl with a ring.  In the outside world, it at least makes you think twice.

A recent ruling in Michigan shows just how far we have come:

In a ruling sure to make philandering spouses squirm, Michigan’s second-highest court says that anyone involved in an extramarital fling can be prosecuted for first-degree criminal sexual conduct, a felony punishable by up to life in prison.

How is this possible?  Well, a new law was just passed states that “a person is guilty of first-degree criminal sexual conduct whenever ‘sexual penetration occurs under circumstances involving the commission of any other felony.'”  And since Michigan has, on its books a law that states adultery is a felony offense, you could get life in prison for committing adultery.

The article goes on to state that the Attorney General that pushed for clarification of this rule (as part of a different case) had himself confessed to adultery during the trial– no doubt trying to prove that that wasn’t the issue; however, he unwittingly set himself up and illustrated how far we have come.

You see, at one point in time, the state valued oaths taken in front of it.  It enforced them.  It put teeth to them.  Now, we have all sorts of ways to get out of life long vows (like California’s no fault divorce) and we (thanks to a philandering President) devalue the sexual aspect of marriage.  It’s now fine to have have extramarital activities or lie about them because “everyone does it.”

Funny.  Surveys show that everyone’s not doing it.  It’s just like the teens that think that all of their peers are doing it so they have to do– only the opposite.  Everyone does it, says the adult, so I shouldn’t have any kind of repercussions from my activities either.  And we wonder why our teens have trouble owning up to responsibility!

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4 thoughts on “How Serious is Adultery?

  1. I would never have known that about Michigan! That does make me feel better…that not all of our country has totally lost it yet! :happy:

  2. Hmmm….I wouldn’t be so happy Deborah. It is not that the judges and law system believe what they decreed(in fact it is just the opposite), it is the fact that how the current laws in Michigan are written they have no other choice but to rule this way. I would not be suprised if the laws that caused this ruling are either taken off the books or edited. At the very least it will be like the anti-tatoo establishment law in Oklahoma, were everyone just ignores it including the police.

    On a side note, can you answer this question for me. Since when has Christianty gone from leading by example as Christ did, to forcing our morals and beliefs upon others. I though we had mostly gotten over this mentality after the Spanish Inquistion and the Dark Ages(were they would torture you into saying you believed in Christ). If we try to force Christ upon others we will only drive them farther away.

  3. I don’t think anyone would disagree, Christian or non-Christian, that our government in the United States has many problems. We are not running under a perfect world system. And yes, Loc, I do agree with what you wrote in your first paragraph.

    But, whenever there is still the slightest inkling of government frowning on something, wether it be by mistake on their part, etc. I AM pleased. It is a good thing that a state like Texas has capital punishment and actually uses it. I’m sure at some point that will change too. But for now, I’m pleased about it.

    I personally have never tried to ‘force Christ’ on anyone. I believe very firmly that God gives us free volition to accept or reject Him. We are always to lead by example and to be a light in the world. But, there are certain guidelines and rules in life that put us above animals. God has given us a brain, wether a person believes in Him or not…and we should use it. I firmly believe that most people know right from wrong…have a sense of it at least. Over time, you can harden your heart until you don’t have any convictions anymore. “Anything goes”, type of an attitude.

  4. There are sites out there totally devoted to archaic laws on the books of some places. Rules about what side of the cart you need to put a light on it so that other horse drawn carriage will see them. The whole Lawrence vs. Texas case was based on a law that was not being enforced (the sodomy law).

    What I’m attempting to show here is that there were moral standards, but as our societal taboos are taken away we are left with something less desirable.

    What is the solution? Not to legislate morality, per se. What needs to happen is a change of heart. Ultimately I would believe that this comes from God. What we need to be doing is highlighting the slippery slope, showing how far we’ve come, and calling others to go back to a higher standard.

    Things like this will only go back to morality from the inside, not the outside.

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