becomes “second nature” for them to give sex this meaning. This will happen, however, only if their wider personal relationship stays alive and grows. Adultery goes against the habits of faithful spouses. They spontaneously experience it as a violation of their marriage. 3. adultery Obviously, adultery lacks the positive meaning of spousal sexual fidelity. Even worse, it contradicts and erodes the very possibility of spousal sexual fidelity. The erosion takes place on two levels. (i)
personal level
A symbol gets its meaning from its context. A medal for bravery has meaning because real bravery was exercised. Such medals given when there is no real exercise of courage are fraudulent and erode the power of the medal to symbolize the honour due to bravery. A tyrant with a chest full of medals awarded by himself debases the meaning of the medals. Adultery erodes the ability of sexual intercourse to embody and symbolize spousal love. One fraudulent award of a medal erodes the meaning the award. Multiple fraudulent awards will destroy the ability of the medal to symbolize bravery. One act of adultery erodes the power of sexual intercourse to symbolize spousal love. Multiple acts of adultery destroy the ability of sexual intercourse to symbolize spousal love. The power of habit is at work here.
Continued adultery producers a habit in one’s character,
predisposing one to commit adultery again, and making one the kind of person for whom sexual intercourse has no spousal meaning. Occasionally, in movies and novels at least, a husband whose adultery has been discovered protests to his wife that the other woman means nothing to him, that he loves only his wife. This protestation is meant to reassure his wife. After all, if he doesn’t love
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