The Adultery Svithe

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This week in most Mormon adult Sunday Schools worldwide the topic is David and Bathsheba. Which, as a story, I am so over. It's kinda been done to death, imho, so I'm not anxious to dig back in to it.

But it comes at a time when I am becoming increasingly aware that in America generally, probably the world generally, probably history generally, adultery has been constant and common. Given the data I've seen lately, I would suspect that the majority of marriages throughout history have been tainted by adultery at least once.

Now, I'm not saying this to give you permission to find a David or a Bathsheba of your very own, but simply as an observation of likely fact.

I suppose it's not that surprising. Humans are mostly animals after all, and like all animals our ultimate priority is propagation by any means necessary. And so all sorts of seed gets sown in all sorts of fields. C'est la vie.

But what's the lesson to be drawn if you (as, I suspect, is true of the vast majority of married couples both now and historically) desire to remain true?

Here's an obvious one: Don't assume your own unassailable morality. (That's pretty much good advice in any situation.)

Here's another: Don't suppose that the world at large is anxious to help you meet your goals (another generalizable notion).

Or, to state them both positively, With Work You May Be Good and Find Your Resources For Good Within.

And that's without bringing the divine explicitly into the equation.

Any way, have a good week. Don't screw around on your spouse.

Love, Theric.

last week's svithe