Lets Call It What It Is

Those who follow football were shocked when former NFL quarterback Steve McNair was found shot to death along with a young woman. Police announced today that they believe that the death was a murder / suicide and believe that McNair was shot to death by the young woman. An NPR story with more details on this sordid mess can be found here.

This woman it turns out was not his wife. She had been telling her family that McNair was going to divorce his wife and marry her. The rumors of divorce appear to have been news to McNair’s wife however. McNair had apparently been having a relationship with this young woman for some time and he had even bought her an expensive Cadillac Escalade.

In their press conference today police believe that this young woman was distraught because of her financial difficulties and her belief that McNair was cheating on her with yet another woman. I find it ironic that this woman who was cuckolding McNair’s spouse would suspect that he would cheat on her. After all, hadn’t he been cheating on his wife, the mother of his children, with her?

This whole situation is a huge mess and a tragedy for McNair’s wife and children. The only reason I bring it up is because I wonder when we are going to call it for what it really is: adultery. It’s not an “affair”, it wasn’t a “fling” or an “indiscretion” it was in plain and simple terms, adultery.

McNair’s tragedy comes on the heels of two prominent politicians also being caught in adulterous affairs recently, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, and Nevada Senator John Ensign both admitted to committing adultery on their wives. I found Sanford’s adultery particularly appalling as it was revealed he was sending Bible verses in his love notes to his mistress and even had the gall to compare himself to the Biblical King David in the press conference where he admitted his adultery (sort of) while still professing his love for his mistress.

As the child of a NFL football player whose adulteries with football groupies destroyed my family, the McNair saga really struck home. Maybe it’s time we changed the language of this sin and call it what it really is. Something as grievous as this should be referred to by language that adequately expresses the gravity of this sin. Maybe the change will cause us to pause before we consider engaging in this sin. Rest assured that the biblical admonition “…be sure your sin will find you out.” (Numbers 32:23 ESV) is true.

Shalom,

Scott D