I hate to drag this post back up but I have been thinking about it and I would like to post my opinion.
I haven't read all of the post's but I read quite a few. I think one major point is being missed.
What is "cheating"? I think it means different things to different people. Most people see it as committing adultery. I don't, I see it as breaking any vow of marriage.
When you are married you take certain vows. Here's a generic example.
[b said:
Quote[/b] ] "I, (Name),
Take you, (Name),
To be my (wife/husband);
To have and to hold,
From this day forward,
For better, for worse,
For richer, for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
To love and to cherish,
'Till death do us part." (or, "As long as we both shall live.")
When you're married you agree to certain things. If you break you're agreement then I believe that's cheating.
"For richer, for poorer,
In sickness and in health,"
If you love your spouse less, treat them different or leave them because they become poor or less healthy, that's cheating.
"To love and to cherish,
'Till death do us part." (or, "As long as we both shall live.")"
I think this is the vow that is broken more often than any other. By "love and cherish" I think it means that you still feel the same about your spouse as you did the day you were married. When you no longer love and cherish your spouse, you no longer care how they feel, you no longer want to hear their thoughts or concerns, you no longer care if you are meeting their emotional or physical needs. When this happens, the relationship starts breaking down, and one member of the marriage starts looking for what's missing from their marriage elsewhere. Is that right? I don't think so, but it's human nature.
If you have a puppy and you make it stay outside, you never feed, pet, love or give attention to it, it'll soon look for his needs to be met somewhere else. That puppy will go to the house next door or down the street and try to get all that it's owner refuse to give it. Is it the puppies fault?