To Cheat or Not to Cheat

I just read a really disturbing quote about monogamy in a CNN article.

No wonder many people believe monogamy is completely on its way out. French author Jacques Attali in recent years wrote, "Monogamy, which is really no more than a useful social convention, will not survive. It has rarely been honored in practice; soon, it will vanish even as an ideal."

The article mentions that there are more than half a million "polyamorous families" living in the United States. Polyamorous couples are married but get involved with other people outside of the marriage. These are not just affairs, but long-term relationships. There are also the people that just have affairs or people that go from one long-term relationship to the next. The article states that the United States sees monogamy as more serious than much of the rest of the world where affairs are more tolerated.

CNN sums up the benefits of monogamy as follows:

"Because whether it's raising children or avoiding emotional chaos and drama, like what David Letterman is facing, or whether it's building an estate and avoiding conflict about estate planning, there are lots of reasons that two people who cooperate are better off than one person alone or one person who is a cheat."

I am so grateful to belong to a religion that stresses monogamy. I'm grateful to live in a community where monogamy is the norm. I prefer my religion's definition of fidelity and family.

Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. "Children are an heritage of the Lord." Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.

The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. (Read the complete statement here.)

I'm grateful to be the daughter of parents who have honored their marital vows for 43 years and counting. I'm grateful to be married to a man who believes in monogamy and never causes me to doubt his fidelity. True happiness and true love is found in these types of relationships.