if religious people have trouble reconciling  the hobby with their faith. Particularly if having sworn to the "fore-sacking all others" and "death do us" part.

Mate fidelity is actually rooted in evolutionary biology.  Religions (there have been many through the ages) tend to put philosophical wrappers around existing behaviors.  But you tend to find similar behavior in societies across the world and through the ages.

Fucking is a thing, fuck as many as you can in your lifetime...Bible verse....Vows are overrated....

(Edit due to an errand tap...)

as the hobby has become my religion

What happens in many marriages is one of the spouses forgets about the "hold" part.  That's no small omission. There's many reasons that happens. When it happens, it would be great if the person no longer willing or able to "hold" the other would love them enough to agree to let them get their "holding" some other way, as long as they stay committed to their spouse and their marriage.  

I can understand that even though my marriage  was filled with mutual sexual activity that lasted 53 years. I never had the need to go outside for sex. Only after about 6 years of mourning and seeking feminime  companionship did I start seeing escorts

LOL

If my SO was in any way interested in an intimate relationship, I'd not have ever hobbied.  Eventually it went from once a year to zero.  She is quite happy with it like this & sees nothing wrong.  I'm not read to be celibate.  I've been married (second) 25 years.    
It doesn't bother me from a religious perspective.  

Love that answer!!!

Forsaking all others isn't in the Bible. Genesis says a man and a woman become one flesh. The New Testament comments on Genesis. See Eph. Ch. 5. But there's also plenty in the Bible about having concubines. See 1st Samuel, 1st Kings, etc. Solomon had 300 concubines. No word if he wrote reviews.

It isn't in the bible but it is in many weddings performed in a church and by a minister. It is part of an oath.

And if you choose it, and promise it to your spouse, you really ought to abide by your promise whether it's based on religious faith or not.  I value honesty in my marriage above all else.  So when I decided to start hobbying I was honest about it with my wife, who agreed to accept it.  Now that years have gone by we have moved from mere acceptance to totally embracing the polyamorous lifestyle for both of us and our marriage is stronger for it.  Maybe I'm going off topic but I highly encourage everyone to consider honesty above cheating.  Life is sweet!

Had this topic been raised in the General Board it would have been a riot of nastiness  
While here the response has been civil and interesting. Thank you all.

My x and I are getting back together but have not had sex since 2009, and I do not see it on the horizon.  We do not sleep in the same bed nor touch each other except to kiss good night.  We are great friends and enjoy each others company.

"For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself.""  That's the one I try to keep in mind above everything else in that big book.  

Although the feeling of conquest is absent in p4p, which I guess I miss the most. In that sense it is like buying an Olympic medal in a pawn shop.

The past few posts might explain why I'm enjoying the Sugar Dating scene a lot these days. Compared to Hobbying, Sugar Dating is very much like "the conquest" and there is very certainly an emotional ingredient.  My wife and I agree that polyamory is a good way to live, and that means loving others intimately, not just having sex. She and I both enjoy the loving, sexual  relationships we have outside of marriage.  As for the money, I pay my lovers and she doesn't.  So what?  She spends more money on other things and anyway we both benefit equally from each others happiness.

I do not see myself as violating relationships.   If anything, I augment them.  If a man needs to roam, better he do it with me as I will honor and respect the boundaries of his vanilla life.  I will not expect to be called or texted at night before he closes his eyes with his wife nor will I blow up his phone when I 'need' him.  I take care of me and enjoy the interludes that are offerred without expectations other than consideration

All of us have the gift and the ability to use our own free-will.   I think that makes everything interesting, exciting, honest, but yet sometimes dangerous.    

Has anyone ever noticed that huge gold wedding bands are always visible on the actors in the Cialis commercials?  It's clear that they are going out of their way to show that they are married.

Unfortunately, I think providers hear this story far too often. I wish there was a realistic view towards sex/relationships in our society. Men need to be taught that the woman still wants to be woo'd after marriage, and women need to know that they must remain a wife in all aspects for the relationship to work. (some seem to hide behind being a mommy for a long time). I think if young people had better understanding of what was coming down the road to them, they would be ready to handle marriage/child rearing better than being told some garbage like, "...and they lived happily ever after..."

Our role in society should be elevated, not denigrated. I am certain I have saved marriages and have destroyed none.