New Study Reveals . . . Cheating Makes Your Marriage Stronger

By MATT BETT

TURIN, Italy -- Thou shalt not commit adultery . . . unless you want a stronger marriage! According to a new study, husbands and wives who cheat on each other are more likely to stay together.

Dr. Lucielle Ostertag from the Italian Institute of Social Sciences conducted the controversial research.

"I started the analysis project to discover how damaging infidelity was to marriages," says Dr. Ostertag. "I was as surprised as everyone when the numbers proved that cheating on your spouse is actually good for your marriage."

According to the scientific survey, the more extramarital flings a couple enjoys, the more likely they are to remain together and the happier they will be.

"Some of the strongest unions I studied included spouses who each were involved in repeated extramarital affairs throughout the relationship," explains Dr. Ostertag. "My findings have turned our preconceived notion of the strength of monogamy on its head."

Christian psychologist and family values researcher Rob Hallidoy finds the study troubling. "This study is irresponsible and unsound," exclaims Hallidoy. "I don't care what her research shows, adultery simply is not good for families."

"Not every extramarital affair is good," admits Dr. Ostertag.

"Long-term relationships outside of marriage were found to be quite damaging. Also, test subjects who had flings with local townsfolk did not enjoy the marital benefits that were realized by those who had flings with people who lived far away."

Dr. Ostertag has developed a set of guidelines for those who want to try cheating as a way of making their marriage stronger.

The Long Distance Rule: Any time you are out of your own area code, it doesn't count as cheating. Even better is to be out of state. Dr. Ostertag notes the further you are away from home, the better off you are, as it increases the likelihood of not getting caught.

Don't Ask/Don't Tell: Never ask your spouse about their infidelities, and never say a word about yours. The less you both know, the better. Live guilt-free: As long as you and your spouse have an understanding that you can both cheat equally, neither of you ever has to feel any guilt about what you have done. Don't keep in touch with the people you cheat with: A one-night stand is supposed to be just that: One night of passion. Any time you try to extend it beyond that, you run the risk of hurt feelings and jealousy.

Dr. Ostertag notes that after many years of marriage, partners can grow tired of each other. "It's inevitable for some familiarity to set in. But by bringing a little variety in, with new short-term partners, you can help keep a relationship healthy and strong for many years to come."

Friday November 29, 2002


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