“Failed Marriage” label implies agency lacking in divorces from Cheaters.

Who failed at marriage was the Cheater, not the faithful spouse. This is why I particularly despise this label. It suggests equal responsibility for the ending of a marriage.

“Failed Marriage” obscures the violence done to our marriages by our Cheater. It is “polite” way to hide the abuse we endured.

Part of changing the narrative in our churches is refusing to be “polite” about how our marriages ended. They ended ugly because infidelity abuse is ugly. We should not subtly shift any blame on abuse victims as this label does.

My first marriage did not “fail.” Rather, my first spouse broke it through her adulterous sin.