There are a lot of concerns regarding legislation of morality. What immoral practices should be prohibited by law? The issue of adultery is one of great discussion. If it is indeed immoral, then we have to decide if the government has a right to pass legislation prohibiting it. The practice of adultery is immoral because Jesus says it is. In light of that fact, the effects of legislation against adultery on both society and the marital practice must be considered.
Regardless of the applicability of the Mosaic Law, Jesus supported that adultery is immoral. Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matt. 5.27.28). Through this statement, he is saying that not only is the practice of adultery immoral as stated by the law, but that lusting with the mind is just as immoral. This is proof that adultery is still immoral even though we are no longer bound to the Mosaic Law.
Marital infidelity should be illegal for the same reason murder is illegal. If the society were allowed to commit murder without penalty, we would live in a chaotic society and live in fear of everyone. Similarly, with adultery being a legal practice, families no longer have any strength. To make adultery a completely legal practice would be to remove the social benefit of the family. We could no longer have tax breaks for marriage because it would no longer say anything about the status of that family. The social impact would be such a burden on that there is no way that adultery can exist free of any legislation.
Not enforcing a law against marital infidelity results in social degeneration of the inviolability of marriage. The state would have to redefine or even refuse to recognize marriage in order to allow adultery to become a completely legal and acceptable practice. In addition, children would have to be assigned to single individuals, instead of to couples because the violability of marriage would cause the divorce rate as well as the unwed mothers’ rate to increase. To refuse legislation for adultery would be to completely deny the sanctity of marriage to the point that it would exist, at best, as a cultural practice, devoid of any legal or ethical implication.
It is interesting that so many of the immoral practices which are determined according to the Bible to be immoral cause such a negative impact on individuals and society. Jesus defined marital infidelity as being immoral. Because of social and political consequences, it is necessary to pass legislation against adultery in order to refrain from further social degradation.
Image Credits: mzacha, sxc.hu
The Need for Legislating Against Adultery
