Men, One Woman is Enough

Over the past several decades, our civilization has experimented with several alternatives to faithful marriage. Yet the evidence is abundant that from a personal as well as a public perspective, we are most likely to flourish when faithful, monogamous, natural-law marriages are plentiful and the norm.

In contemporary language, the concept of marital fidelity often boils down to refraining from engaging in sexual relations with anyone other than one's spouse. However, this narrow perspective not only oversimplifies the matter but also fixates excessively on the sexual dimension of marriage. If we align with the teachings of natural law, which define marriage as the sacred bond between a man and a woman who: 1) wholeheartedly give themselves to each other in mind, will, heart, and body; 2) embrace the potential for procreation; 3) commit to a lifelong partnership; and 4) remain exclusive (without any involvement of third parties), then the essence of fidelity extends beyond mere physical boundaries. It fundamentally revolves around remaining true to the profound exchange of selves that takes place within the institution of marriage. Over the years all of this has been eroded not just by people being polygamous but with them being polyamorous.

Hence, we can categorize various forms of betrayal that infringe upon distinct aspects of the marital union. A breach of fidelity in terms of intellect and will encompasses desiring or longing for emotional intimacy with someone outside the marital bond, which can even encompass neglecting one's spouse's needs without external involvement. Emotional infidelity, conversely, entails diverting one's emotional affections towards another person and neglecting the emotional requirements of one's spouse. And, naturally, physical infidelity involves the body and encompasses yielding to external physical, including sexual, interactions and/or disregarding the physical and sexual needs of one's spouse.

Essentially, the transgression of marital trust can manifest not only through sexual acts but also through various other means, such as forming intellectual or emotional connections with a friend of the opposite sex other than one's spouse. In fact, intellectual and emotional unfaithfulness often serve as the steppingstones that pave the way for descending into sexual infidelity. Our existence is an intertwined harmony of body and soul, and the communion of our souls (through our thoughts and emotions) organically progresses to the unity of our physical forms. Consequently, safeguarding the sanctity of marital love entails channelling our most intimate treasures exclusively towards our spouse and repelling any alternative allurements.