Mark Sanford and Steve Mcnair: Two Case Studies in Adultery

    “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”  Exodus 20:14.  God made it pretty simple when He gave us this as one of the Ten Commandments.  God did not provide a lengthy explanation on this one, like He did on the first commandment.  He thought everyone would figure it out.  I am not going to pass judgment or preach on religious grounds.    However, the stupid example of Mark Sanford, governor of South Carolina, and the tragic example Steve McNair, NFL quarterback show for secular reasons why adultery is evil, dangerous and stupid. 

            Mark Sanford had everything going for him; he had a loving wife and four boys.  He built wealth as is shown by the family house on the beach.  He built political power on a libertarian-Republican-small government platform and was one of many new members of the House of Representatives that won election in 1994.  He saved the taxpayers’ money and slept in his office in Washington and came home to the family and his district as much as possible.  Sanford kept his promise and served just six years.  Then, he won election in 2002 to become Governor of South Carolina.  He governed with a fiscal discipline rarely seen by modern politicians.  He won re-election in a walk in 2006.  He was talked about as a possible Presidential candidate.  But he had to ruin all this by going for the “strange.”  He committed adultery with a woman in Argentina and became the butt of every late night talk show and every program on MSNBC.  He is lucky to be able to keep his job as Governor and not get impeached.  His wife has left him and he certainly has damaged his relationship with his sons.  He did all this just because he found a new “soulmate” and apparently other women as well. 

            While Mark Sanford’s story is bad, Steve McNair’s, of course, is far worse.  He is dead.  McNair was apparently having a good life until recently.  He had a stellar NFL career with the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens.  He had surely built wealth and stardom with his three Pro Bowls.  He was married and had children.  However, at some point, he decided to ruin all this with an adulterous affair with a “girl” sixteen years his junior.  She was obviously unstable; she apparently wanted McNair to divorce his wife and marry her.  Apparently, however, McNair was happy with having his cake and eating it too.  This was no good for the woman, so she murdered McNair, then herself.  “If I can’t have him, no one will.”  The death penalty was a strong punishment for adultery; however, this was the sentence imposed on McNair. 

            These two stories pose the obvious question, “Is it worth it to commit adultery?”  It is impossible to say how many athletes and politicians commit adultery; the opportunity is probably generous with them.  I only hope that this is a lesson to them and to all married people to think twice.  As Carrie Underwood put it in song, “Maybe next time, he’ll think before he cheats.”  These are words to live by.