RELIGION AND SOCIETY

Religion and Society ~ 422 ~ 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