God Arises
Religion and Society
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there has to be some sound cause for criminalizing
an action, human law has defined such actions as
anything which disturbs the peace, or interferes
with administration of the realm. Any action,
therefore, which does not fall into this category
cannot be made illegal by society. In what light then
are we to consider adultery? It cannot be defined as
illegal in terms of conventional law. Yet adultery
causes massive corruption in society. Other major
problems are the ensuing illegitimacy of the
children of such unions, and the weakening of the
bonds of marriage. Unchecked, it fosters a frivolous,
sensual attitude to life, which inclines people to go
to any lengths to achieve what they desire. The
permissiveness of society opens up all kinds of
avenues to such evils as theft, deceit, kidnapping—
even murder. Yet even the degeneration of public
standards which results from open fornication
cannot lead to its being illegalized. For as long as
force is not used, and these acts take place between
consenting adults, society has no grounds on which
to frame laws prohibiting them. It is not, in fact,
adultery, which is frowned upon, but the use of
force, or other compulsions. It is felt that, just as it is
a crime to take someone’s property by force, so it is
