Good points Oatmeal and Indianabob. I especially liked the part about being called to also suffer for Christ. Easier said than done, of course, especially when an infidelity has occurred. You can't possibly have an idea what it is like unless you have lived it yourself.
I do think that the vows need to be revised. They are not biblical IMO. Or maybe I missed the chapter and verse that teach "till death do us part". I'll look again.
I heard Ray mentioned marriage to be a "contract". I agree. And following this definition, contracts have clauses that the parties involved must uphold or abide by. If any party violates one or more clauses, the contract is broken. But no contract is for life. We are human. By definition, we are flawed; therefore, sooner or later someone is gonna mess up. The contract gets broken.
But wasn't God's will that brought them together? And isn't God's will that brought them apart too? The couple became one flesh at marriage. But what happens when either spouse cheats? or BOTH cheat? Is the one flesh still one flesh? It is my opinion that it is not so. The cheating spouse has joined another physically and spiritually. Not only something gets broken on the outside; something on the inside of each person is broken. I can't put it in words. I lack the language to do so.
I understand that believers are polarized on this subject. It's too close to the heart. I cannot nor do I attempt to convince anyone about my opinion/belief. I cannot be convinced to the opposite either. I can only voice my belief and respectfully listen to the belief of others.
On this note, I thank you again for your points, Oatmeal and IndianaBob. God bless. Ciao!