Ashley Madison, the company with the tagline:
“Life is short. Have an affair,” has been fertile ground for the devil. He now reaches beyond those that have fallen
hard, seeking to also pull in the gleeful spectators. For by enjoying the specter of moral destruction,
Satan pits people against the will of God who desires salvation not
downfall.
“Life is short. Have an affair,” has been fertile ground for the devil. He now reaches beyond those that have fallen
hard, seeking to also pull in the gleeful spectators. For by enjoying the specter of moral destruction,
Satan pits people against the will of God who desires salvation not
downfall.
To summarize the Ashley Madison fiasco: when threats
to take down the adultery website went unheeded, hackers calling themselves
the Impact Team, made good on their threat and leaked data on more than 30 million Ashley Madison users. The details — including names,
emails, home addresses, financial data and message history, of even those that had paid to be deleted — were posted
publicly online.
to take down the adultery website went unheeded, hackers calling themselves
the Impact Team, made good on their threat and leaked data on more than 30 million Ashley Madison users. The details — including names,
emails, home addresses, financial data and message history, of even those that had paid to be deleted — were posted
publicly online.
What Goes Around Comes Around
The hacking of the multi-million-dollar company heaped
a humiliating comeuppance on adulterers, or at least sleepless-nights among
those fearing discovery. The devil
pulled the strings with front man Noel Biderman, self-proclaimed “King of Infidelity” and CEO
of Avid Life Media, the parent company of Ashley Madison. He was king of deception for sure, even swindling
wanna-be
cheaters before they got their own cheating into gear. For although the website had 37 million registered users, a detailed
analysis by Gizmodo
found a mere 12,000 of the 5.5 million female profiles belonged to real people.
a humiliating comeuppance on adulterers, or at least sleepless-nights among
those fearing discovery. The devil
pulled the strings with front man Noel Biderman, self-proclaimed “King of Infidelity” and CEO
of Avid Life Media, the parent company of Ashley Madison. He was king of deception for sure, even swindling
wanna-be
cheaters before they got their own cheating into gear. For although the website had 37 million registered users, a detailed
analysis by Gizmodo
found a mere 12,000 of the 5.5 million female profiles belonged to real people.
Biderman claimed to only be trafficking in adultery,
not partaking himself since his wife, the mother of his two children, made it
clear that she would not be cool with that.
A third email dump, however, revealed that—oh shock–the King of
Deception was partaking in his own
adulterous games. I haven’t heard how his wife took the news but seriously, what did she expect? It’s a bad idea to flirt with fire—or as Catholics
call it, the near occasion of sin—because the devil is all about the burn. If your husband aids and abets adultery, his
own infidelity is just a matter of time.
not partaking himself since his wife, the mother of his two children, made it
clear that she would not be cool with that.
A third email dump, however, revealed that—oh shock–the King of
Deception was partaking in his own
adulterous games. I haven’t heard how his wife took the news but seriously, what did she expect? It’s a bad idea to flirt with fire—or as Catholics
call it, the near occasion of sin—because the devil is all about the burn. If your husband aids and abets adultery, his
own infidelity is just a matter of time.
If Biderman had read his Bible he should have expected
this. For there is nothing hidden that will not be
disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the
open, (Luke 8:17). The hackers just beat God to the punch.
this. For there is nothing hidden that will not be
disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the
open, (Luke 8:17). The hackers just beat God to the punch.
That last dump of information that exposed Biderman,
led to him stepping down. Since the hacking, at least 5 lawsuits have been
filed against Ashley Madison; one from Canada is for $578 million. And in
the meantime, Avid
Life Media is scrambling to find who betrayed the betrayer, offering a bounty $500,000
Canadian dollars (around US$379,000) for
leads to the hackers. What a costly debacle!
led to him stepping down. Since the hacking, at least 5 lawsuits have been
filed against Ashley Madison; one from Canada is for $578 million. And in
the meantime, Avid
Life Media is scrambling to find who betrayed the betrayer, offering a bounty $500,000
Canadian dollars (around US$379,000) for
leads to the hackers. What a costly debacle!
Compassion Needed
“Many people see the Ashley Madison leaks as a good thing because it
exposes people whom they view as “sick perverts and adulterers,” according
to Peter Kleponis, PhD., assistant director of
Comprehensive Counseling Services in West Conshohocken, PA, and a clinical
therapist specializing in marriage and family issues and pornography addiction.
He is the author of the book, Integrity Restored: Helping Catholic Families Win the Battle Against Pornography, and the
website Integrity
Restored, to help overcome pornography. “It’s easy
to condemn these people for their actions,” he said. “However, as Catholics we need to step back
and view these people for who they really are – beloved children of God who are
deeply wounded and in need of love and mercy.”
exposes people whom they view as “sick perverts and adulterers,” according
to Peter Kleponis, PhD., assistant director of
Comprehensive Counseling Services in West Conshohocken, PA, and a clinical
therapist specializing in marriage and family issues and pornography addiction.
He is the author of the book, Integrity Restored: Helping Catholic Families Win the Battle Against Pornography, and the
website Integrity
Restored, to help overcome pornography. “It’s easy
to condemn these people for their actions,” he said. “However, as Catholics we need to step back
and view these people for who they really are – beloved children of God who are
deeply wounded and in need of love and mercy.”
 |
| Dr. Peter Kleponis |
Kleponis explained that he is not trying to exonerate their actions because
establishing accounts on Ashley Madison is wrong and they must answer for their
actions. “But what would make a person join Ashley Madison?” he
asked. “For some it’s pure selfishness – a hedonistic view of life that
leads to a sense of entitlement. However, for most members I believe it’s
the natural progression of sexual addiction.”
According to him, many of these people began by viewing Internet
pornography and became addicted to it. As the addiction progressed and a
tolerance developed, viewing the sexual act was no longer arousing so they
craved something stronger. “This
meant participating in the sex they viewed on the Internet,” Kleponis said. “Ashley
Madison was an easy way to meet people for “hookups” to feed their
addiction without anyone knowing.”
establishing accounts on Ashley Madison is wrong and they must answer for their
actions. “But what would make a person join Ashley Madison?” he
asked. “For some it’s pure selfishness – a hedonistic view of life that
leads to a sense of entitlement. However, for most members I believe it’s
the natural progression of sexual addiction.”
According to him, many of these people began by viewing Internet
pornography and became addicted to it. As the addiction progressed and a
tolerance developed, viewing the sexual act was no longer arousing so they
craved something stronger. “This
meant participating in the sex they viewed on the Internet,” Kleponis said. “Ashley
Madison was an easy way to meet people for “hookups” to feed their
addiction without anyone knowing.”
He said he suspects that Ashley Madison did not bring them happiness.
“They were probably very sad and hated themselves for what they were
doing, but felt trapped,” Kleponis explained. In actuality, Kleponis said
the Ashley Madison leak was probably the best thing that could happen to
them because it is a push to freedom. “Yes, it is very embarrassing and
shameful,” he said. “Yes, many
spouses and loved ones have been deeply hurt. However, now that it’s all
out in the open, those who are addicted can get the help they need.”
“They were probably very sad and hated themselves for what they were
doing, but felt trapped,” Kleponis explained. In actuality, Kleponis said
the Ashley Madison leak was probably the best thing that could happen to
them because it is a push to freedom. “Yes, it is very embarrassing and
shameful,” he said. “Yes, many
spouses and loved ones have been deeply hurt. However, now that it’s all
out in the open, those who are addicted can get the help they need.”
Kleponis said they still need to answer for their actions, but that’s
between them and God and their loved ones. For the rest of us, he said, “We
need to pray for all involved so that they can experience God’s great love and
healing.”
between them and God and their loved ones. For the rest of us, he said, “We
need to pray for all involved so that they can experience God’s great love and
healing.”
Smug is not a Virtue
For non-cheating couples, Ashley Madison deepens our
feeling of security that comes from the luxury of living morally. Life is so
easy when one follows the rules because ultimately the rules are about the
freedom to live well. It is the devil that
dangles forbidden fruit as license in front of those too blind to recognize the
slavery of sin. But are the smug also part of the fallen?
feeling of security that comes from the luxury of living morally. Life is so
easy when one follows the rules because ultimately the rules are about the
freedom to live well. It is the devil that
dangles forbidden fruit as license in front of those too blind to recognize the
slavery of sin. But are the smug also part of the fallen?
Consider, are you enjoying this scandal rather than
finding it disturbing and sad? Do you
care that lives are being destroyed and even ended? Has it occurred to you to pray a rosary or a
chaplet of Mercy for those mired in hopelessness and sin?
finding it disturbing and sad? Do you
care that lives are being destroyed and even ended? Has it occurred to you to pray a rosary or a
chaplet of Mercy for those mired in hopelessness and sin?
For in the same way you judge others, you
will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
(Matthew 7:2).
will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
(Matthew 7:2).
~~~~~~
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