# Questions about adultry

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-adultry/126531>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 1, 2002, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-adultry/126531 "2002-09-01T05:58:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Chekmate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@Chekmate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chekmate)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2002, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-adultry/126531/1 "2002-09-01T05:58:07Z")

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What exactly is the definition of adultry? Rape? Is it Fingers? Touching? Kissing? Full Blown intercourse? Where is the line drawn?

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**Author:** ![Savaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/858c86/32.png) [@Savaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savaka)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2002, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-adultry/126531/2 "2002-09-01T06:09:52Z")

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[http://www.dictionary.com](http://www.dictionary.com)

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**Author:** ![Savaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/858c86/32.png) [@Savaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savaka)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2002, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-adultry/126531/3 "2002-09-01T07:06:25Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Chekmate \*  
> **What exactly is the definition of adultry?**

Whoops! Didn’t notice this the first time. You’ll need to spell it “adult **e** ry” to get any results on [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com).

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**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2002, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-adultry/126531/4 "2002-09-01T18:25:18Z")

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So, you wanna know how far you can go, eh, Chekmate? 😃😃  
Courtesy of the [Bible Gateway:](http://bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible?passage=MATT+5&language=english&version=NIV&showfn=on&showxref=on)

> [@](#):
>
> Matthew 5
> 
> 27 "You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

And just to keep things interesting…

> [@](#):
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> 31 "It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But 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.

Heh. 😃

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**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2002, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-adultry/126531/5 "2002-09-01T22:05:51Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Chekmate \*  
> What exactly is the definition of adultry? Rape? …

I’m pretty sure that if you commit rape, being accused of being an adulterer would be the least of your worries.

As for the victim, I don’t think anyone would consider her an adulteress.