Dear Catholic clergy and any other people who prepare couples for marriage
Much marriage preparation does not take into account the relatively recent phenomena of social media and the array of messaging platforms, which lend themselves to emotional and physical affairs. Relate the marriage guidance charity says there has been a huge surge of online affairs since the smartphones came into use, along with the array of messaging apps on offer.
We all know that breaking the 6th commandment is about adultery and the 9th commandment is about adultery of the heart.
Never has it been so easy in the history of mankind to have an emotional affair - whether it’s via WhatsApp or any of the 100s of messaging apps. Some even make it easy for the adulterers, as the messages disappear once read and therefore the poor unsuspecting spouse has NO idea what’s going on behind his or her back.
When 2 people message others and would not like their husband or wife to see those messages, according to Relate, it’s an affair - EVEN if no physical activity has taken place. Adultery of the heart is possibly worse than physical adultery as it involves hearts, and hearts are stronger than the flesh.
Many more divorce cases site emotional affairs as the reason for the break up of the marriage.
It’s just so easy at the click of a button to send a heart emoji which beats and all the other emojis, not to mention all the writing that accompanies these love messages. These messaging apps can be addictive and the adulterous couple get excitement at the next message. Before they know it, they are now hooked on the messaging partner and ignoring their husband or wife.
So please update the marriage preparation course to include this real danger.
First loves are especially susceptible to these apps. Look how friends reunited destroyed many marriages.
Thank you clergy and others
