God Hates Adultery

ADULTERY The foremost of sinful actions is adultery or fornication. Noother sin has such a baneful effect on the spiritual life. Because it iscommitted in secret, by mutual consent, and often without fear of the law,adultery is especially a sin against God and against the goal of life.Modern secular societies can do little to inhibit adultery and sexualpromiscuity. Only the norms of morality which are founded on religion caneffectively curb this sin. Most of the passages collected here condemn adultery, fornication,and sexual promiscuity in general. A number of passages seek to demarcatelimits of behavior that verge on fornication. At the conclusion arepassages on related behaviors: divorce and homosexuality.Approach not adultery: for it is a shameful deed and an evil, opening theroad to other evils. Islam. Qur'an 17.32Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed beundefiled; for God will judge the immoral and the adulterous. Christianity. Hebrews 13.4We find that to every sin God is long-suffering, except to the sin ofunchastity. Rabbi Azariah said, "All things can God overlook savelewdness." Judaism. Midrash, Leviticus Rabbah 23.9Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure man... has any inheritancein the kingdom of Christ and of God. Christianity. Bible, Ephesians 5.5Neither fornicate, for whosoever does that shall meet the price ofsin--doubled shall be the chastisement for him on the Resurrection Day. Islam. Qur'an 25.68-69Violating and misusing love is the gravest of all crimes. Abusing love isa greater crime than cutting the universal root of life [murder]. Unification Church. Sun Myung Moon, 3-20-77Both learning and the practice of the Teaching are lost to him who isgiven to sexual intercourse. He employs himself wrongly. That is what isignoble in him. Buddhism. Sutta Nipata 815A wise man has nothing to do with lust. Lust is nothing but death, andlack of it is serenity. How can one who perceives this indulge in wantonbehavior? Jainism. Acarangasutra 2.61Four misfortunes befall a careless man who commits adultery: acquisitionof demerit, disturbed sleep, third, blame; and fourth, a state of woe.There is acquisition of demerit as well as evil destiny. Brief is the joyof the frightened man and woman. The king imposes a heavy punishment.Hence no man should frequent another man's wife. Buddhism. Dhammapada 309-10When a family declines, ancient traditions are destroyed. With them arelost the spiritual foundations for life, and the family loses its sense ofunity. Where there is no sense of unity, the women of the family becomecorrupt; and with the corruption of its women, society is plunged intochaos. Social chaos is hell for the family and for those who havedestroyed the family as well. Hinduism. Bhagavad Gita 1.40-42Immorality in the house is like a worm in the vegetables. Judaism. Talmud, Sota 3bDo not approach thy neighbor's wife or maids. Taoism. Tract of the Quiet WayLet those who cannot find a match keep chaste till God give themindependence by His grace. Islam. Qur'an 24.33Whoever has illicit affairs with the wives of his relatives or friends,either by force or through mutual consent, he is to be known as anoutcast. Buddhism. Sutta Nipata 123The philanderer lusting after numerous womendoes not give up seeking in others' homes.What he does daily only brings regrets--In sorrow and greed he is shrivelled up. Sikhism. Adi Granth, Dhanasari, M.5, p. 672- - - - - - - - - - - -Sutta Nipata 815: Cf. Sutra of Forty-two Sections 25, p. 929.- - - - - - - - - - - -A man should not think incontinently of another's wife, much less addressher to that end; for such a man will be reborn in a future life as acreeping insect. He who commits adultery is punished both here andhereafter; for his days in this world are cut short, and when dead hefalls into hell. Hinduism. Vishnu Purana 3.11The lips of a loose woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil;but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol;she does not take heed to the path of life; her ways wander, and she does not know it....Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well.Should your springs be scattered abroad, streams of water in the streets?Let them be for yourself alone, and not for strangers with you.Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely hind, a graceful doe.Let her affection fill you at all times with delight, be infatuated always by her love.Why should you be infatuated, my son, with a loose woman and embrace the bosom of an adventuress?For a man's ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and he watches all his paths.The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is caught in the toils of his sin.He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is lost. Judaism and Christianity. Proverbs 5.3-23If you are handsome, do not go astray after lewdness, but honor yourCreator, and fear Him, and praise Him with the beauty which He has givenyou. Judaism. Pesikta Rabbati 127aThe body is not meant for immorality, but for the Lord... Do you not knowthat your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take themembers of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do younot know that he who joins himself a prostitute becomes one body with her?For, as it is written, "The two shall become one flesh." But he who isunited to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun immorality. Everyother sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral mansins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple ofthe Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? Christianity. 1 Corinthians 6.13-19Offering presents to a woman, romping with her, touching her ornaments anddress, sitting with her on a bed, all these are considered adulterousacts. Hinduism. Laws of Manu 8.357A monk who, with sexual desire and a perverse intention, contacts a woman,holding her hand or holding a braid of her hair or rubbing against anypart of her body, commits an offense, requiring formal meetings of theOrder for its exoneration. Buddhism. Vinaya PitakaBecause the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks, glancing wantonly with their eyes,mincing along as they go, tinkling with their feet;the Lord will smite with a scab the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will lay bare their secret parts. Judaism and Christianity. Isaiah 3.16-17Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and be modest. That is purerfor them. Lo! God is Aware of what they do.And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and todisplay of their adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw theirveils over their bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment save to theirown husbands or fathers... or children who know naught of women'snakedness. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what theyhide of their adornment. And turn unto God together, O believers, inorder that ye may succeed. Islam. Qur'an 24.30-32- - - - - - - - - - - -1 Corinthians 6.13-19: Cf. 1 Corinthians 3.16-17, p. 211, on thesacredness of the human body as God's temple. Paul is quoting Genesis2.24, p. 252. Vinaya Pitaka: The Vinaya Pitaka is the standard text ofmonastic discipline for Theravada monks. Qur'an 24.30-32: Wearing theveil by Muslim women was instituted in the Qur'an as a practicalprotection against the temptation to adultery.- - - - - - - - - - - -A master has said, "He who beholds a beautiful woman should say, 'Blessedbe He who hath created such in His universe.'" But is even mere lookingpermitted? The following can surely be raised as an objection: "Thou shaltkeep from every evil thing" [Deuteronomy 23.10] implies that one shouldnot look intently at a beautiful woman, even if she be unmarried, nor at amarried woman, even if she be ugly, nor at a woman's gaudy garments, norat male and female asses or at a pig and a sow or at fowls when they aremating. Judaism. Talmud, Aboda Zara 20abThe lawful thing which God hates most is divorce. Islam. Hadith of Abu DawudThe Lord was witness to the covenant between you and the wife of youryouth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion andyour wife by covenant.... "For I hate divorce," says the Lord. Judaism and Christianity. Malachi 2.14-16The husband receives his wife from the gods; he does not wed her accordingto his own will; doing what is agreeable to the gods, he must alwayssupport her while she is faithful."Let mutual fidelity continue until death;" this may be considered as asummary of the highest law for husband and wife. Hinduism. Laws of Manu 9.95, 101 And Pharisees came up and in order to test him [Jesus] asked, "Isit lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" He answered them, "What didMoses command you?" They said, "Moses allowed a man to write acertificate of divorce, and to put her away." But Jesus said to them,"For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. But from thebeginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' 'For this reasona man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and thetwo shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two but one flesh.What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder." And in the house the disciples asked him about this matter. And hesaid to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commitsadultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another,she commits adultery." Christianity. Mark 10.2-12- - - - - - - -Aboda Zarah 20ab: Cf. Treatise on Response and Retribution, p. 932. Hadithof Abu Dawud: The Islamic law on divorce is found in Qur'an 2.226-32.There a waiting period of four months is prescribed, to allow the decisionto be reconsidered. Malachi 2.14-16: Christian and Jewish marriage is notlike a secular contract which can be anulled at will; it is a covenant towhich God is witness and third partner. Laws of Manu 9.95, 101: Divorceis permitted, but it is not done by virtuous people. According to NaradaDharma Sutra 12.92-100 and Laws of Manu 9.76-81, a man may divorce hiswife on the grounds of adultery, profligacy, procuring an abortion,drunkenness, malicious speech, or failure to produce a male heir. A womanmay divorce her husband if he becomes a religious ascetic, is impotent, isexpelled from his caste, or is long absent. A waiting period of one toeight years is normally required. - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - -You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. Judaism and Christianity. Leviticus 18.22The bodhisattva does not approach the five kinds of unmanly men in orderto be friendly with or close to them. Buddhism. Lotus Sutra 14And Lot said to his people, "You commit lewdness, such as no people increation ever committed before you. Do you indeed come in unto males?" Islam. Qur'an 29.28-29God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged naturalrelations for unnatural, and the men likewise gave up natural relationswith women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committingshameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penaltyfor their error. Christianity. Romans 1.26-27- - - - - - - - - - - -Mark 10.2-12: In the parallel attestation in Matthew 19.3-9, there is anexception for 'unchastity.' Current biblical scholarship does not seethis exception as sanctioning divorce on the grounds of maritalinfidelity. 'Unchastity' is not the same word as adultery; it is thoughtto refer to the incestuous relations practiced by some pagans before theirconversion to Christianity. Jesus is quoting Genesis 1.27, p. 282 andGenesis 2.24, p. 252. Lotus Sutra 14: The 'five kinds of unmanly men'includes homosexuals, hermaphrodites, eunuchs, and those suffering fromvarious kinds of impotence. The Sangha did not want anyone to join theorder as an escape; it likewise barred from membership debtors who wantedto renege on their debts and young novices who did not have their parents'permission. Qur'an 29.28-29: This passage refers to the story of Sodomand Gomorrah. According to the Bible (Genesis 19.4-11), when two angelscame to Lot's home to warn him of the city's impending destruction, themob demanded that Lot give the men over to them, that they might rape andsodomize them. Lot defended them and offered his daughters instead; atwhich point the mob sought to lay hands on Lot, but the angels rescuedhim. Romans 1.26-27: The 'due penalty' probably refers to venerealdisease. In addition, there is the spiritual damage to the personality ofone who engages in such behavior.- - - - - - - - - - - -

H.R. 2679, The "Christian Supremacy Act", To Hit House Floor

Our job is to reclaim America for Christ, whatever the cost. As the vice
regents of God, we are to exercise godly dominion and influence over our
neighborhoods, our schools, our government, our literature and arts, our
sports arenas, our entertainment media, our news media, our scientific
endeavors -- in short, over every aspect and institution of human society. -
D. James Kennedy

[ UPDATE, and a cautionary note --

First: is this bill just about religious displays in literal
"public squares" ? No, it is vastly farther reaching. H.R. 2679
is sponsored by John Hostettler (Rep Indiana 8th District) currently in a
tight race with Dem challenger Brad Ellsworth (see this
dKos story re Ellsworth vs. Hostettler**) and is designed to gut the
Establishment Clause, to render it largely meaningless. See text of bill,
below.]

• Troutfishing's diary ::
  ::
  

Second: a word of caution: It is very important to recognize
that H.R. 2679 is only one of a number of bills, proposed by by the Christian
right and somewhere in the legislative process or which - if not succesfully
passed in any given year - will simply be resubmitted the following year, and
which have been crafted to advance Christian nationalist, theocratic, theonomic,
or reconstructionist agendas ( or any combination of those .

In other words, please don't come away from this post with the impression
that if H.R. 2679 is not turned into law that all will be hunky-dory. Far from
it. Freedom takes constant vigilance.]

H.R. 2679 has
emerged from the House Judiciary Committee and is ready to hit the floor.
What is H.R. 2679 designed to do ? Well, it's designed to defund plaintiffs in
Establishment Clause cases by eliminating awards for attorney's fees. What will
that mean ? Well, let's take a case that's not hypothetical at all, a real
incident.

So - to take a real example [ link directly below to "Jews On
First" who have the best coverage of the case in question ] - if you're a
Jewish family living in Southern Delaware and you complain about the rather
blatant and exclusionary promotion of Christianity in the local public school
and you and your family are
subsequently harassed and your children called "Christ killers",
subject to death threats, and eventually hounded out of town ( and along the
way you have to sell your house of 18 years under duress ), the point of the law
is to make it harder for you to seek some sort of legal redress.

So, if H.R. 2679 ( ironically titled "the Public Expression of Religion
Act" ) passes the US House and Senate, that family hounded out of its home
in Southern Delaware would be hard pressed to scratch up the money to take the
school board - that was defending (and even condoning) the
"Christianizing" of local schools - to court. It would be financially
prohibitive. Now, somebody might start a petition "Regarding Religious
Intolerance In Public Schools" ( in
fact, someone did and you can even sign it - please do* and if your org.
wants to join the coalition let me know ) but that would be unlikely to help
your family out directly.

Or - to bring up another recent and notorious case ( see below, "the 2%
Solution" ) you might be told by the speaker of the Indiana House, Brian
Bosma, to buzz off because you only represent about 2% of the Indiana
population.

So, in the words of one excited
rightwing blogger :

Hostettler's proposal would amend the Civil Rights Attorney's
Fees Act of 1976, 42 U.S.C. Section 1988, to prohibit prevailing parties from
being awarded attorney's fee in religious establishment cases, but not in
other civil rights filings. This would prevent local governments from having
to use taxpayer funds to pay the ACLU or similar organization when a case is
lost, and also would protect elected officials from having to pay fees from
their own pockets.

So, in other words, local officials could stomp on minority religious beliefs
and get away with it. Charming.

It sounds like dhimmitude to me : religious second class citizenship, with
vague guarantees of protection as long as the dhimmi class keeps quiet and out
of the way.

Not that Hostettler and his fellows seem to care. This bill is - purely and
simply - about the advancement of Christian
Nationalism and Christian supremacy.

It's about tearing down the wall between church and state, it's about Jews-
the 2% Solution, and it's about disregard for the rights of minorties in
American society. Let's see what it looks like : Dhonig, Daily Kos member (
click on picture for more of dhonig's cartoons ), summed it up brilliantly in
this cartoon - concerning the behavior of the speaker of the Indiana House,
Brian Bosma. This is what H.R. 2679 is really about :

Text
of H.R. 2679



A BILL To amend the Revised Statutes of the United States to eliminate the
chilling effect on the constitutionally pro- tected expression of religion by
State and local officials that results from the threat that potential litigants
may seek damages and attorney's fees. 1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representa- 2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 3
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 4 This Act may be cited as the ``Public Expression of 5
Religion Act of 2005''. 2 1 SEC. 2. LIMITATIONS ON CERTAIN LAWSUITS AGAINST 2
STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS. 3 (a) CIVIL ACTION DEPRIVATION RIGHTS.-- FOR OF 4
Section 1979 of the Revised Statutes of the United States 5 (42 U.S.C. 1983) is
amended-- 6 (1) by inserting ``(a)'' before the first sentence; 7 and 8 (2) by
adding at the end the following: 9 ``(b) The remedies with respect to a claim
under this 10 section where the deprivation consists of a violation of a 11
prohibition in the Constitution against the establishment 12 of religion shall
be limited to injunctive relief.''. 13 (b) ATTORNEYS FEES.--Section 722(b) of
the Re- 14 vised Statutes of the United States (42 U.S.C. 1988(b)) 15 is amended
by adding at the end the following: ``However, 16 no fees shall be awarded under
this subsection with re- 17 spect to a claim described in subsection (b) of
section nine- 18 teen hundred and seventy nine.''.

Here's the
ACLU's take. Needless to say, the House Judiciary Committee didn't much care
about the ACLU's opinion. :

WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today urged the House
Judiciary Committee to reject H.R. 2679, the "Public Expression of
Religion Act of 2005" (PERA). The panel is expected to vote on the
legislation today. The bill would bar the recovery of attorneys' fees to
citizens who win lawsuits asserting their fundamental constitutional and civil
rights in cases brought under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
"If this bill were to become law, Congress would, for the first time,
single out one area protected by the Bill of Rights and prevent its full
enforcement," said Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the ACLU Washington
Legislative Office. "Proponents of the measure claim that the bill is
needed to protect religious freedom, when in fact, the bill would undermine
it. We hope that the committee will stand for the Constitution and reject this
unwise proposal." The ability to recover attorneys' fees in civil rights
and constitutional cases, including Establishment Clause cases, is necessary
to help protect the religious freedom of all Americans and to keep religion
government-free. People who successfully prove the government has violated
their constitutional rights would, under the bill, be required to pay their
own legal fees -- often totaling tens, if not hundreds of thousands of
dollars.