Religion and swinging?

Question

Are there any scriptures that specifically talk about whether or not it is a sin for a married couple to either bring in a third party or swap with another couple? Is it still considered adultry if both parties are doing this together?

Answer 1

Yes it is adultery.

Answer 2

Modern day 'swinging' was not known during Biblical times (nor was the modern day constructon of homosexuality) so, the Bible says nothing specifically about it. There are those who will argue that pologamy was the ancient model for swinging and so it is OK, and others who will say that the NT teaches to cling to only one other, and swinging is not OK. I would ask if the relationship is honest, mutual, and if such a thing builds on the relationship or is really an exploration in ending it (which happens more often than not, at least that's my observation... it is rare (not impossible) for two people to truly both agree to this, usually one gives in, resents it, and thus begins the end...).

Answer 3

Interesting point, multiple wives are allowed by the bible, so it would be ok if the husband married the woman, however if they did not marry Ii think it would be adultery.

I have read over that section a few times and nothing seems to indicate swinging directly but it doesn't seem to follow the tone of the what the other laws imply. For example the Bible does not forbid hunting for pleasure but in general forbid maltreatment of animals and does not typically depict hunters as noble characters so you can tease out that hunting for sport is not condoned.

Answer 4

Religion a la carte? Tell ya what...I'd rather have my "spirituality" make sense to me than have to pick combo #1, 2 or 3 (want fries with that??). I prefer to be an independant thinker, knowing who I am, what I believe and most importantly WHY I believe it. Anytime someone starts thinking outside the box, suddenly - Oh! well they can't be "true" Christians, because "true" Christians follow this strict set of rules.

Well let me assert: I am a Christian, and I do not believe that swinging is equal to adultery. At least not in MY marriage it's not. In others' marriages, maybe yes. If it feels like you're doing something wrong, if it's damaging your relationship, if it's harming other people, then you can bet it's a sin. However these are not true in our marriage. If you can't or don't want to believe this, it's nothing to me. People get so fired up about things that just aren't their business in the first place, and what goes on in people's marriages and hearts are just such things.

As far as I know, swinging as it is known now isn't mentioned in the bible. What I've noticed throughout the bible, however, is whenever "adultery" is mentioned, it is always accompanied by deceit, cowardice, dishonour, and "theft". One spouse is dishonoured and robbed by the other. A person owes his or her spouse unconditional love, respect, devotion, and above all, honesty. When you deny your spouse these things - things that you have promised he or she is safe to expect from you (like...during your vows?) - you essentially rape your spouse of their dignity. You make a fool of him or her, and you tear out their heart. When you tell your husband or wife that it is safe for them to trust you, and then you throw their trust in garbage by sneaking around behind their back, you're telling your partner exactly how much they mean to you. Which is to say, they mean nothing. There is NO excuse for this. I feel that it is not sex, but this terrible harm that we inflict on one another that is what so offends God. It offends God because we offend not only our spouse, but we offend ourselves, too. What does this say about the kind of person we are, who is capable of such a heinous act?

Anyway. I came to these conclusions because I chose to question the commonly held definition of adultery. If you can't offer me any better explanation than "just because", I'll just roll my eyes at you. I don't take others' word for something that they have no direct knowledge of or experience in if they can't give me a straight answer. That's just foolish. So I asked myself what made adultery a sin. What with all the references to polygamous marriages, I could only assume it wasn't sex. I seriously doubt that Solomon had deep, intimate, meaningful relationships with all 700 of the wives/consorts in his household, yet he was not prohibited from having sex with any of them. Why is that? And how about this?

"I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more." - 2 Samuel 12:8 Read the whole chapter for a little enlightenment about what God's priorities are. He says that all he had to do was ask, but instead, David murdered Uriah so that he could have Bathsheba for his own.

And a good one for those who wish to judge swingers for their beliefs and actions, read Romans 14.

Bottom line (finally, eh?): swinging has been a positive experience for my husband and I, and I can't deny the increase in intimacy between us and the peace I have found spiritually.

Answer 5

Yes, Adultry is a sin.

Matthew 5:27-32 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society



Adultery
27"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.'[a] 28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Divorce
31"It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.'[b] 32But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.

Footnotes:

Matthew 5:27 Exodus 20:14
Matthew 5:31 Deut. 24:1

Answer 6

...and the waters get even murkier...

If you take scriptures at face value, you may not be committing adultery against each other, but you still are against a higher power.

Thing that religions tend to ignore is the "no one gets hurt" theory. That being said, most religions do tend toward not wanting their flock to enjoy themselves too much, either and like to make such pleasures be seen as sinful.

Answer 7

Who cares what the bible says, the bible stories speak of so many illegal things. In the bible, respected biblical heros had multiple wives and slaves. Why would you take moral lessons from stories that are OK with those things. If everybody is consenting adults and you are willing to risk it possibly effecting your current relationship in a negative way, go for it.

Answer 8

I knew a "good catholic" woman, head of the legion of mary who didn't think swinging was adultery--when she got pregnant from another man and her husband had been vasectomized for years, her preist had a differing opinion

Answer 9

Lets think about this,,wouldn't that be adultry...when God puts together man and women let not anyone put asunder..

Answer 10

Why would you care? Religion a le cart? That is typical of Americans. Believe or don't. Live your life as you want to live it.

Answer 11

Doesn't the whole thing about coveting your neighbor's wife about cover that?