hertz
Posts: 1315
Joined: 8/7/2010 Status: offline
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For what it's worth, I think there may be occasions when what some of you are describing as 'cheating' is anything but that. I'm going to put the BDSM element to one side for a moment. Imagine if you will this scenario: One of a couple in a long term committed relationship becomes unwell, altering the relationship in a number of ways, one of which is that she or he becomes unable to contemplate sex. The other party in the relationship has a number of options: 1. Wait it out. Maybe the partner who is unwell will get better. Learn how to masturbate. 2. If things don't change, leave the relationship, and look for someone else. 3. Pay for sex. 4. Discuss the possibility of having a second partner as well as the first (unwell) partner. 5. Take a second partner and don't tell the first partner in order to protect the first relationship. 6. Take a second partner and tell the first partner, risking hurting her and wrecking the relationship. 7. Take numerous short term partners. 8. Become a Monk or a Nun. Get used to masturbation. I'm sure there are loads of options I haven't considered. If you are in this sort of position, I imagine you might try Option 1 first, and try and wait it out. If things don't get better after a sensible period (say 5 years) you might consider Option 2, leaving. But if you really love that person and don't want to leave her/him because you have made a commitment, then you might consider Options 8, 7, 3 and 5. Before doing any of this, you might try to discuss the possibility of having another relationship (Option 4), and you probably should have that discussion. But the partner who is unwell might struggle with even discussing it. He/She might even say something like 'Let's not discuss this ever again. If you do it, I don't want to know.' If in the end you go for Option 5 (looking for another partner and keeping two relationships going), then it has to be about honesty with the new person, as the only option. No-one deserves to get drawn into this sort of situation without knowing what is going on. And there may be all sorts of ways in which something like this could work for some time, and if it ever ends, then it could easily end happily. We're all grown-ups, right? Truth is, it's a fucking horrible situation to be in, and until you've been there I really think making hard judgements is not on. Bottom line? Sometimes things may be way, way more complicated than they seem. On saying that, quite often it's just cheating, and I guess I can be as judgemental as anyone else when it comes to that. But I know I have no right. Back to the OP - What should you do if the other partner finds out? I'll be damned if I know. Should you do it at all? I dunno. One thing I do know though, is that relationships are complicated and unique. Just because the Bible talks about marriage and monogamy and 'forever and ever' doesn't mean it has to be so. That's what I think.
< Message edited by hertz -- 8/22/2010 2:57:58 PM >
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