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for better or worse... until death do we part

21K views 102 replies 39 participants last post by  VFW 
#1 ·
Twelve months ago my wife of 12 years informed me that while she was employed as a flight attendant, she would have "relations" with pilots. With her job, she would fly to Hong Kong, and stay three nights at the crew hotel. During these layovers she would have sex with pilots that were also staying at the hotel. She confessed that over a two year period, she had "relations" with 7 different men, dozens of times. It has been a year now since I was told the news. I went through many stages, rage, hate, hurt, humiliation. She told me about it because she had gone through a "true conversion" and hoped that I would/could love her for who she truly is. I have almost forgiven her as Christ instructed us to forgive, but the memories still linger, the pain is still present. I have read many threads here, and none of them refer to the vows we all took. "For better or worse... until death do we part". I did not vow to stay together as long as she did nothing that hurt me, but it is very very difficult.
 
#2 · (Edited)
1). Clarify. She was married to you at this time?
2). She had 7 men? 7 men at once? Dozens of men 7 at a time?
Retreading 7 boyfriends besides you?
If I am reading this right you are far more tolerant than me. I would be out at one. I am a Christian but once I am betrayed my trust is zero. I can forgive but a marriage with no trust will inevitably crash.

I will share a lot of things. My woman ain't one of them.
 
#3 ·
Sorry I have never posted before...
yes were were married at the time, years 7-9 with two children.
7 different men, only one at a time. she had two "favorites" one man for 7 months, the other man for 2 years. Yes the men overlapped. These were sexual relationships, not emotional affairs.
 
#6 ·
Isn't adultery one of the biblical outs? I could forgive the adultery as in I will no longer hate after a time but I would be long gone.

Serial cheater. I won't stand for it once.

Did she quit her job? I rather doubt the long term viability. Seen too many threads that read like. She cheated on me once. Then stopped. The banged some other dude(s). Now I am 45 and my dating value is much lower.

How old are you two?
 
#7 ·
So what else has she done besides just up and tell you all this?? Has she gone to counseling? Been STD tested? Proven she's stopped? Been severely apologetic? Become completely transparent to you?

Please read the newbie link in my signature. This is serious stuff to get over. I know.
 
#9 ·
Here are a couple of random thoughts that might help you sort this out.

1. "Love her for who she is?" What does that mean? Love an adulterer? Does she intend for you to love her "as is" or is she truly repentant and does she vow to change her ways?

2. Forgiving doesn't mean condoning. Forgiving doesn't mean that there are no consequences. You can forgive a criminal, but there still is a penalty that must be paid. You know this.

3. She broke her vows to you. You are not required to stay with an adulterer. Or an abuser. What I'm trying to tell you is that not all marriages are forever. It's okay to walk away from this as she broke her vows to you first. Speak to a religious counselor, someone you trust. They will tell you.

4. As to your wedding vows themselves, did you both not vow to "forsake all others"? Did she not break that vow? More than once? You have very right to feel betrayed. You were. You have every right to feel hurt. She hurt you.

5. And in your heart of heart, do you really believe she had a true conversion?
 
#41 ·
1. I think to love her even though she has been a grave sinner.

2. Yes, she knows that, she knew that I might have killed her when she told me.

3. If it was just she and I, I would have been gone, but we have two of the best children in the world. They deserve a loving home with both mom and dad.

I found out 13 months ago, and the sting/pain/hurt is beginning to subside.
 
#10 ·
If I am correct this happened 3-5 years ago?

Married twelve years, affair during years 7,8 and 9.

This is bad, but there are cases here that are worse, even much worse where the marriage has worked out.

So she has had a religous conversion and is coming clean? That's powerful stuff. How is she as a wife and mom?
Still working as a flight attendant? How has your sex life been then and now?
 
#50 ·
conversion and clean? yes!

She has always been a wonderful mom, and is turning into a very good wife.

No she quick (her choice completely) December 2009.

Our sex life years 1-3 pretty hot.
years 4-7 just OK.
while she was flying and cheating, pretty good.
the last year, sometimes hot and angry, then I stopped having sex with her.
 
#14 ·
So in January 2011 she told you she was cheating on you in 2007, 2008, and 2009? Just because she was bored in Hong Kong, having sex with pilots was kind of a recreational activity, sort of like playing tennis? She had two favorites she liked to play with, but she played with seven guys altogether?

No emotion, just sex? No "I love yous"?

Did they communicate with each other or see each other when they were not in Hong Kong? My guess is that these guys would seek it out at home as well.

Did she say what she was thinking of while she was doing it? How did she rationalize it? Did she try to justify it based on anything you did or weren't doing to/for her?

Did she deny you sex during that period of time?

Did she do stuff with them that she didn't do with you?

How many other people know?

Why did it stop in 2009?

What are your triggers?
 
#51 ·
All the boys (10 to 15 years younger than her) are stationed in Hong Kong we live in California. So the fun was limited to HK.

Yes she reports no emotions, just recreational sex.

I asked her about what she was thinking while "doing it". she reports concentrating on her having an orgasm.

Nope no justification, beyond just wanting to have sex.

We would have sex everytime she would return from her trips.

Infrequently, but yes. I am too humiliated to offer details.

How many other people know, besides priests/counselors... at least 12, and then anyone they talked to.
 
#15 ·
First, I do not believe you have gotten all the truth as bad as it is. People tend to limit the facts to put them in the best light possible even if it is terrible, Trickle Truth.

Need her to write down her time line so you can see it and ask the questions on it, if you really want to know.

Second, so she has had a conversion, what caused this at this time? Is it because she is hiding something else, or was someone else going to reveal it to you and she wanted to do damage control as well as she could?

Third, what stopped her from continuing these activites over the past 3 years? Since she just revealed it to you something must have happened?

I believe you have just seen the Tip of the Iceberg.
 
#17 ·
Before I can give any particularly concrete advice, and I assume you attend the Latin rite, on which part of the Catholic spectrum do you fall? Liberal Novus Ordo, Conservative Novus Ordo, FSSP, SSPX, independent, or sedevacantist?

In so far as the dogma of the Church is concerned, the Council of Trent infallibly pronounced that the Church did not error in permitting the separation of dwelling and marital bed for a definite or even indefinite period. Moreover, the discipline of the Church permits, without prejudice or pain of sin, for the innocent party of a marriage wounded by infidelity to enact the complete and immediate cessation of common household and conjugal affection if:

1.) The adultery be proven.
2.) The non-offending spouse is not an accomplice (voluntary cuckoldry)
3.) The non-offending spouse did not give prior consent (open marriage)
4.) The infidelity has not be matched by non-offending spouse

It goes without being said that, as a Catholic, should you divorce at any future time you would not be free to take another wife or engage in sexual congress while your wife remains alive.

Best of luck.

-JM
 
#19 ·
When my husband of 13 years starting having affairs, the biggest hurtle I personally faced was struggling with the vows I took. Although I wasn't especially happy within the marriage, I took the vows seriously and had never considered divorce.

I researched and spoke to my pastor, and kept getting the same answer: if your spouse commits adultery, that is a biblically stated reason to divorce in the eyes of God.

Of course, what you do is up to you. I realize that the Catholic Church has some expectations that are hard for most to think about. The idea that you can never marry again if you divorce is really quite unfair in my opinion; but I'm not a fan of any organized religion.

If your wife is truly sorry, I can certainly understand why you would be compelled to stay; but I hope you insist that she looks within herself to determine why she engaged in such behavior. It is a personality trait that needs to be explored so that she doesn't hurt you again.
 
#20 ·
Of course, what you do is up to you. I realize that the Catholic Church has some expectations that are hard for most to think about. The idea that you can never marry again if you divorce is really quite unfair in my opinion; but I'm not a fan of any organized religion.
It's not a matter of fairness. When a Catholic marries, the commitment is that two are made indissolubly one. Circumstances, such as adultery or heresy, permit the legal dissolution of the common life, especially where the continuance is a danger to the non-offending spouse's temperance or charity, or the proper formation of children in the faith. It's difficult, but choices have consequences.
 
#21 ·
Twelve months ago my wife of 12 years informed me that while she was employed as a flight attendant, she would have "relations" with pilots. With her job, she would fly to Hong Kong, and stay three nights at the crew hotel. During these layovers she would have sex with pilots that were also staying at the hotel. She confessed that over a two year period, she had "relations" with 7 different men, dozens of times. It has been a year now since I was told the news. I went through many stages, rage, hate, hurt, humiliation. She told me about it because she had gone through a "true conversion" and hoped that I would/could love her for who she truly is. I have almost forgiven her as Christ instructed us to forgive, but the memories still linger, the pain is still present. I have read many threads here, and none of them refer to the vows we all took. "For better or worse... until death do we part". I did not vow to stay together as long as she did nothing that hurt me, but it is very very difficult.
This sound like a $lut becoming a born again virgin. I find it hard to believe, sorry
 
#25 ·
That one of her coworkers, or a BW, threatened to reveal her playtime activities to you never crssed your mind?

It's almost a given that her activities were well known by dozens.
 
#26 ·
What did she say herself to start towards that path.
What did she say herself to keep doing it for 2-3 years.
What happened to her for stopping it?

Did she confess, hoped forgiveness and that's all? Is it all forgiven and forgotten?
How is she helping you throught this? Can you express your pain freely? Is she defensive? Is she empathetic to your pain? Do you have the sense she's for the long time of healing you need? Any visible effort to compensate somehow?
 
#27 ·
Read Cletus, Hicks and Walkon 's above statements you are being played because of your beliefs.

You need to deal with this and get the facts, all the facts, only then can you make a decsion using your moral values.

Do not let your moral values be used as a prison that does not allow you to find out what did occur.
 
#29 ·
Two of my sisters and a brothers went through "divorce" as a civil matter and "annulment" as a catholic matter. All are remarried in the church. One of the sisters is a volunteer minister at a state prison.

Don't let the issue of divorce in the catholic church cloud your judgement.
I'm not saying reconcilliation and forgiveness should be off the table. But they are not the only options for devout catholics.
 
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