Really why is cheating treated like it was a crime??

[amerikajin]

People forget that cheating used to be a crime...

People used to get stoned to death for it....

I think some countries still stone cheaters.....

I think some jail time should be issued like a week in jail just to get you to think about what you have done.....

I put cheating above stealing

 

Lawmakers love to criminalize just about everything they can think of -- except cheating. There's no way in hell you'll get them to criminalize cheating...probably because they know they'd all go to jail if they did.

[rudeaims]

Cheating is not really a crime, but it does shade ones character. If all you have in life is your word and reputation, it would not be a good idea to do something that would diminish it.

 

Let's put it this way, if you cheat your way through all your homework and tests and then you are given your SAT/ACT, you will probably have a challenging time passing.

 

Cheating is much like that in a relationship, if you lie here and there as well as cheat on your lover, chances are you will have a challenging time growing in your relationship which is built on trust and honesty.

[Mz. Pixie]

With cheating, however, there's no consequence.

 

But there are consequences- sometimes the betrayed person doesn't get to see them- but there are.

[reservoirdog1]

But there are consequences- sometimes the betrayed person doesn't get to see them- but there are.

I realize there are consequences. But my point is that they're not of the legal variety. Like I said, it's basically the worst thing you can do to somebody (plus its possible attendant consequences, like STD spreading and paternity fraud) that doesn't carry a legal consequence. It's definitely more emotionally damaging to somebody than stealing from them. It's definitely more emotionally damaging than hurting them accidentally. And it's potentially far more damaging than, say, slapping somebody across the face -- which may cause no real damage of any kind but can still attract criminal and civil penalties.

 

So no, infidelity is not a crime. It's just interesting to remember that there are things that are a lot less serious and a lot less far-reaching in their damage that are nonetheless illegal.