MORALITY FROM MALAYSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Tittle :

ADULTERY ISSUES
Student Name :
TUTI LELAH - 1420010
KALAIVANI - 1410229

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Contains
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Contain
Introduction
Objective of Study
Study Background
Method of Study
Result of Study and Discussion
Conclusion
References

Page
3
8
8
12
17
18
20

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MORALITY
ADULTERY ISSUES

1.0 INTRODUCTION
Adultery is generally defined as consensual sexual intercourse by a married person with
someone other than his or her lawful spouse. Thus, adultery is a special case of fornication,
which refers to consensual sexual intercourse between two people not married to each other. In
some cultures, adultery was defined as a crime only when a wife had sexual relations with a man
who was not her husband; a husband could be unfaithful to his wife without it being considered
adultery.
Among the world religions, adultery and fornication are generally considered major sins. No
other sin has such a baneful effect on the spiritual life. Because it is committed in secret, by
mutual consent, and often without fear of the law, adultery is especially a sin against God and
against the goal of life. Modern secular societies can do little to inhibit adultery and sexual
promiscuity. Only the norms of morality which are founded on religion can effectively curb this
sin. There are a lot of opinions of each religious views which consider to Islam views,
Christianity views, Buddhism views and Hinduism views.

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1.1 RELIGION VIEW

Islam Views
In the Qur'an, sexual activity before marriage is strictly prohibited. Islam stresses
that sexual relations should be restricted to the institution of marriage in order for the
creation of the family; and secondly, as a means to protect the family, certain relations
should be considered prohibited outside of marriage.
Premarital and extramarital sex (adultery) are both included in the Arabic word
Zina. Belonging primarily to the same category of crimes, entailing the same social
implications, and having the same effects on the spiritual personality of a human being,
both, in principle, have been given the same status by the Qur'an. Zina is considered a
great sin in Islam, whether it is before marriage or after marriage. In addition to the
punishments rendered before death, sinners can expect to be punished severely after
death, unless purged of their sins by a punishment according to Shari'a law.

Christianity Views
Throughout the Old Testament, adultery is forbidden in the Ten Commandments,
and punishable by death. In the New Testament, Jesus preached that adultery was a sin
but did not enforce the punishment, reminding the people that they had all sinned. In
John 8:1-11, some Pharisees brought Jesus a woman accused of committing adultery.
After reminding Jesus that her punishment should be stoning, the Pharisees asked Jesus
what should be done. Jesus responded, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the
first to throw a stone at her." Jesus then forgave the woman and told her not to commit
adultery.
Saint Paul put men and women on the same footing with regard to marital rights.
This contradicted the traditional notion that relations of a married man with an
unmarried woman were not adultery. This parity between husband and wife was insisted
on by early Christian writers such as Lactantius, who declared: For he is equally an
adulterer in the sight of God and impure, who, having thrown off the yoke, wantons in
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strange pleasure either with a free woman or a slave. But as a woman is bound by the
bonds of chastity not to desire any other man, so let the husband be bound by the same
law, since God has joined together the husband and the wife in the union of one body. In
the sixteenth century, the Catechism of the Council of Trent defined adultery as follows:
To begin with the prohibitory part (of the Commandment), adultery is the defilement of
the marriage bed, whether it be one's own or another's. If a married man have intercourse
with an unmarried woman, he violates the integrity of his marriage bed; and if an
unmarried man have intercourse with a married woman, he defiles the sanctity of the
marriage bed of another.

Buddhism Views
In the Buddhist tradition, under the Five Precepts and the Eightfold Path, one
should neither be attached to nor crave sensual pleasure. The third of the Five Precepts is
"To refrain from sexual misconduct." For most Buddhist laypeople, sex outside of
marriage is not "sexual misconduct," especially when compared to, say, adultery or any
sexual activity which can bring suffering to another human being. Each may need to
consider whether, for them, sexual contact is a distraction or means of avoidance of their
own spiritual practice or development. To provide a complete focus onto spiritual
practice, fully ordained Buddhist monks may, depending on the tradition, be bound by
hundreds of further detailed rules or vows that may include a ban on sexual relations.
Vajrayana or Tantric Buddhism, on the other hand, teaches that sexual intercourse can be
actively used to approach higher spiritual development.

Hinduism Views
Hinduism, by the holy book, the Bhagavad Gita, forbids acts of fornication. It is
considered offensive in Hindu society as well, and it is still forbidden by Hindu law.
Alternative Hindu schools of thought such as the Tantric branches of Hinduism, the
Hindu practices native to India that predates centuries of conservative Islamic influence,
is markedly less reserved, teaching that enlightenment can be approached through divine
sex. Divine sex is one path whereby one can approach Moksha, a oneness with a higher
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spiritual level. As such, the Tantric practices seek not to repress sexuality, but to perfect
it. By perfecting the act of divine sex, one clears the mind of earthly desires, leaving the
soul on a higher level devoid of such worries, filled with bliss, and relaxed.
1.2 HOW MALAYSIAN STAND ON ADULTERY ISSUES IN GENERAL
When talk about adultery issue, Malaysia people justified it as an unethical issue in
morality. Nowadays some of the people might think that it does not mean adultery issue makes
people involved will be worse off. As well, if the adulterer does not hurt anyone in the process, it
may says that adultery issue is ecthical. Thus, we will look through on how the Malaysian think
about this issue.
Based on our research, it shows that some of the respondents agree to give punishment
towards adultery, because they agree that having sex with third person will affect the relationship
between couple and it is unforgivable, one side will be hurt because of been cheated by their
companion. Most of the victim are women, because there are less married women will betray
their husband but for most of the man are opposite. In the end, women who are victim may
experienced extreme depression and may have suicidal thought.
Other than that, adultery may lead the breakdown of marriage to be happen (Law, 2008), if
the couples have their own children, once it happen in the end the kids will be the most injured
victim. In Malaysia, these cases happen before, which are the kids have abandoned by their
irresponsible parents due to the divorce. We may say that to prevent the adultery may also reduce
the percentage of divorce to happen.
In conclude, eventhough adultery as an act itself is not a criminal offence in Malaysia
under the law. But most of Malaysian think that it is unethical because of the resulting in many
cases occur.
1.3 THE IMPORTANCE OF ADULTERY RESEARCH
Adultery is one symptom of a failing marriage. In nearly every culture, adultery has
been considered a "wrong," sometimes only morally and ethically, but often even criminally. We
know that adultery is one of the most hurtful sins in any marriage. This brings a big challenge to
a marriage since it can break up family and cause many harsh implications. It is hard for family
which destroyed because of adultery to start over because humans heart is frail to be hurt. It is
terrible to the spouse who has been faithful accept adultery.
The number of divorces in Malaysia has more than doubled in just eight years from 2004.
In 2012, a whopping 56,760 divorces were recorded, which is equivalent to a marriage breaking
down every 10 minutes. (Su-Lyn, 2014) In this study, we want to find out what actually causes
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adultery happened, what is the effect of adultery, what is the point of view from people towards
adultery by gender, age, races, study background and marital status. We hope our research may
let people know more about adultery and reduce divorce rate that caused by it.
1.4 SUMMARY
Adultery is one of moral issues that has appeared and become the talk of people who
have different views , there are pros and cons. Each religious also has several view of adultery
issues which it will be considered by Islam views, Christianity views, Buddhism views and
Hinduism views. Besides assessed from the view of each religion, Malaysia people justified it as
an unethical issue in morality, becausethe adulterer would hurt anyone in the process of it that
make people think that it means adultery issue makes people involved will be worse off. Gives
punishment towards adultery will be agreed and also will be disagreed, it depends on the view of
each people and each religion, even the law of government policy of adultery issues and moral
issues. Every culture has judged that adultery has been considered a "wrong," sometimes only
morally and ethically, but often even criminally. In this study, we will consider to the point of
view from people towards adultery by gender, age, races, study background and marital status to
find out the causes and consequences of adultery happened and find out the solution of it.

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2.0 OBJECTIVE OF STUDY

The objective of this study are :

To identify adultery issues with its causes and effects.

To establish morality behavior to prevent adultery such as having free sex.
To describe the definition of adultery in general sense.
To determine or measure percentages of peoples views of the adultery survey.
To estimate impact of adultery issues.
To develop social behavior, morality behavior and law of each religions.
To compare religion's views of adultery issues.
To analyze the ways to solve the adultery problems.
To collect a lot of information of adultery issues by survey form.

3.0 STUDY BACKGROUND

3.1 TYPES OF ADULTERY
There are several types of adultery within different religion.

Adultery within Christianity has 4 types involve:

1) Physical Adultery
In simple word, physical adultery is someone going to bed with someone other than
him or her spouse.
2) Mental Adultery
Mental adultery is when our mind think about to having sex with other people spouse.
3) Emotional Adultery
When someone starts to look to someone else to meet his or her emotional needs, then
he or she is actually committing emotional adultery with that person, even though the
physical (or even mental act) has not taken place.

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4) Spiritual Adultery
In another words, spiritual adultery is idolatry and apostasy.

Adultery within Islam has 2 types involve:

1) Premarital sex
Premarital sex is having sex before marriage.
2) Extramarital sex
Extramarital sex is having sex with someone that is not your spouse.
3.2 CAUSES OF ADULTERY
There are many reasons that make people to commits adultery in their life. Time Magazine
reports that 47% of men and 35% of women are involved with someone other than their spouse,
making adultery very common. Of course these are the people who have been caught so the real
number of people should be more than this. The causes that influent people to do adultery is:

A poor sexual relationship

Some people might loss interest on their partner so they will have a poor sexual

relationship with their spouse. When they never had that it might influence another
partner to have sexual relation with other person.

Boredom
Boredom means a static, familiar relationship can lead a man or woman to cheat on

their spouse or partner. This can be happen when one partner spend most of their time
away from home. A bored partner might meet someone new and experience the longedfor rush of adrenaline.

Ego issues

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Boosting a bruised or shaky ego inspires people to cheat. If someone displays

interests in a married man or women, it might make the married person feel better about
their self and trigger a desire for more attention and ego stroking.

Communication barrier
A poor communication among partners also can people to do adultery in their life. An

unresolved problem will easily compound when partners unwilling to discuss these each
other.

Lack of love and affection

Love and affection are essential ingredients in any marriage or relationship. People

will look to others when love does not being met by their spouse or partner.
3.3 CONSEQUENCES OF ADULTERY
In general, adultery has painful consequences, affecting the adulterers physically,
emotionally and spiritually. Possible physical outcomes involve not only the adulterer, but
those damaged by the act. A few negative results include illegitimate births and abortions.
Other physical damage from adultery includes life-threatening sexually transmitted diseases
like Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and the Human Immunodeficiency
Virus (HIV)
The emotional scars of guilt, fear and anxiety can devastate everyone affected by
adultery. Participants suffer, losing their self-esteem as personalities are shattered and
depression sets in. If not treated, the emotional effects can lead to an early death.
Adultery usually leads to divorce, hurting everyone connected to the offenders, including
grown children.

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Adultery issues have a lot of consequences in which will be divided into two (two) kinds
where there are consequences of adultery in married people and another one is in single
people (in relationship and without in relationship). We decide to divide into two kinds of
consequences of adultery for married people and single because married people and single
people have different problem and causes, thus, both of its kinds have also different
consequences of it.
Consequences of Adultery in Married People
1. One of husband or wifes recovery would be long and painful.
2. Her or his pain would grieve me deeply and compound their own suffering and
shame.
3. Their relationship would suffer a break in trust, fellowship, and intimacy.
4. They would be together, yet feel great loneliness.
5. The reputation of their family would suffer loss.
6. Their sons or daughter would be deeply disappointed and bewildered.
7. Their friends would be disappointed and would question their integrity.
8. His wife or her husband might divorce her or him.
9. Their children might never speak to them.
10. An unwanted child could be produced and their part in conception might trigger an
abortion, the killing of an innocent child.
Consequences of Adultery in Single People (In or without in Relationship)
1. An unwanted child could be produced and their part in conception might
trigger an abortion, the killing of an innocent child.
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2. Disease might result.

3. Man would bring emotional pain to the woman.
4. Man would bring reproach upon the woman.
5. Women would be the most disadvantaged on the condition in which she had
to determine whether she need to perform an abortion or not because woman
would face big problem with their family.
6. It could result a conflicts of both of them and man took the decision to
commit murder where his couple decided not to have an abortion.
7. It will cause a sense of regret that will not be forgotten .
8. Women will lose confidence in the man.
9. Women will hard to find another man to become her couple.
10. Resulting in two couples split up because one of them do adultery.

4.0 METHOD OF STUDY

Method of this study was using survey in which our survey aim is to collect a lot of
information of adultery issues and determine or measure percentages of peoples view of
adultery issues.
A. Respondent Biodata

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2. Age

Under 20

9 21%

20-29

29 67%

30-39

2 5%

30-39 2 20-29 40-49

28

3 7%

Under 20 9
40-49 3

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B.Questions

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5.0

RESULT OF STUDY AND DISSCUSSION

STRONGLY

No. QUESTION

1.

Do

you

AGREE
sex

17

15

14

13

11

13

without marriage

10

10

should be abort.
Cheating
and
having sex with
someone
else
will
affect
relationship
between couple.
(i.e. if someone

29

10

18

10

marriage?
Having

sex

is normal.
Does
your

your
affect

view

to

adultery?
Should it be a
punishment
towards

6.

IDEA

religion

5.

NO

before marriage

4.

DISAGREE

DISAGREE

without

3.

STRONGLY

agree

having

2.

AGREE

adultery?
Pregnancy

is unfaithful to
their lover or the
person they are

7.

married to.)
Watching
pornography can

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occur

8.

curiosity to try.
I believe that sex
is

9.

the

private

to

14

17

18

14

105

121

52

81

61

25%

28.81%

12.38%

19.29%

14.52%

discuss in open.
Having sex can
happen

accidentally.
10. Adultery is the
most

issues

which will bring

a big effect in
moral behaviour.
TOTAL
TOTAL
PERCENTAGE

6.0 CONCLUSION
In conclusion, in adultery issues among the world religions, it is generally considered
major sins which will appear a baneful effect on the spiritual life. Because it is committed in
secret, by mutual consent, and often without fear of the law, adultery is especially a sin against
God and against the goal of life. Malaysia people justified it as an unethical issue in morality.
Based on our research, it shows that most of the respondents agree to give punishment towards
adultery. Other than that, adultery may lead the breakdown of marriage to be happen (Law,
2008). Eventhough adultery as an act itself is not a criminal offence in Malaysia under the law,
but most of Malaysian think that it is unethical because of the resulting in many cases occur.
Adultery could be possibly justified in the eyes of Mill would be through act utilitarianism.
The situation would be viewed individually to determine how much happiness the adulterer
would experience and if there was any possibility of them being caught, or how extreme the
consequences would be. In a case where the adulterers spouse has gone frigid and they are
desperate to get some, then I think Mill may argue that adultery would be morally backed.

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However, dealing with his theory of rule utilitarianism, I think Mill would probably make a
general rule that all adultery is immoral. In this case, Mill would not advocate adultery at all.
Based on our research, most of our respondents disagreed in having sex without marriage
where people think that adultery is the most issues which will bring a big effect in moral
behavior. A punishment towards adultery will be considered by each religion views and the law
of government policy where in this case several people agree to give a punishment while another
people disagree to give a punishment to the adulterer. Through our survey, we know that most of
the respondents strongly agree that cheating and having sex with someone else will affect
relationship between couple and watching pornography can occur the curiosity to try. One of
consequences that become a debate is pregnancy without marriage should be abort or not, then
we found out that several of our respondents disagree and also no idea, it might be caused
because people will consider to the problem and situation where each of adulterer will face
different situation of it.
Therefore, we agree that adultery is immoral issues that will bring a lot of problems and
consequences. But, a punishment of the adulterer should consider to policies that exist because
adulterer has the right to take responsibility of his actions and bear the risk. Besides that, we
agree that pregnancy without marriage should not be abort because the act of abortion is the act
of killing in which people will never agree in the act of killing, no matter killing a human even
animals. Thus, we should keep our religion education and religion law because the religion
affects our view to adultery.

REFERENCES
Su-Lyn, B. (2014). One divorce in Malaysia every 10 minutes.[Online]Themalaymailonline.com.
Available at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/one-divorce-in-malaysiaevery-10-minutes#sthash.WWuiBIfR.dpuf [Accessed 08 November 2014]

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Law,
E.(2008).
LawEddie.
[Online]
Available
at:
http://www.laweddie.com/wordpress/adultery-legal-or-illegal-in-malaysia/
[Accessed 08 November 2014].

Loh, M.(2010). 4 Types of Adultery.[Online]

Available at : http://progressive-revelations.blogspot.com/2010/10/4-types-of-adultery.html
[Accessed 07 November 2014]

Engel, H.(2014). What Causes People to Commit Adultery.[Online]eHow.com

Available at : http://www.ehow.com/info_8465545_causes-people-commit-adultery.html
[Accessed 07 November 2014]

Boehi, D. (2010). 40 Consequences of Adultery.[Online]FAMILYLIFE.com

Available at : http://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/marriage/troubled-marriage/infidelity/40consequences-of-adultery#.VGAUgkCDHFx [Accessed 04 November 2014]

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