bro @argento I was internally debating this thread and your point as i've had a relatable experience to this topic and could see what you mean, though i don't agree with it.
I am not sure if you are picking on the topic with semantics but if semantics is what's bothering you, semantics will also defeat your argument. Cheating by definition, is just that -- cheating. Whether it was a mistake (one night stand) or a drawn out illicit affair, cheating is plain cheating and the intent/motive may not have been there (like manslaughter), but the action (the crime) has taken place, thus the verdict (that one is a killer, a criminal) will always stand.
This topic hits close to home for me. I had an ex -- he was the right kind of guy, MY right kind of guy. To this day I will always speak fondly of him because he's truly a good guy. However, he made a mistake.. we were going through a VERY rough patch in our relationship, and he succumbed to the temptation of another woman's arms, temporarily. I was out of the country for three months traveling and I saw all the reasons why, as a human being capable of making mistakes, he succumbed to weakness, to the temptation of ease and comfort that was not present in our situation at the time, but present in the arms of another woman. But his mistake compromised our otherwise happy relationship and bright future. I forgave his mistake, but I also broke it off with him because I could not move past it. I know to this day how remorseful he was and wish he never did it. We both wished then we could still be together but I knew it would be foolish and setting ourselves up for failure, as I was not mature enough, nor willing, to go through the difficulties of "healing together." I decided to start fresh on my own instead.
Today, I always remind my husband to protect our marriage from temptation. He always assures me he would never cheat, but I always counter and tell him, tao ka lang, you are capable of making mistakes, even with the best of intentions.
I think that the sooner we acknowledge we are imperfect and capable of mistakes, the better we can be in making the right choices when the devil strikes. If/when i have kids and my husband makes a mistake and cheats on me during a business trip? I'd be willing to work it out with him if he was willing to, is remorseful, and acknowledges the consequences of his mistake.
If he has an illicit affair, I'd probably be unable to forgive him because it wasn't a moment of weakness/failure, but a continued deception and we are already compromised at that point.
