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Correspondence

February 1969

Exchange with Rev. Crehan about "The New Morality" and Interfaith Dialogue (1969)

Marriage & Sexuality Interfaith

1. Rev. Crehan to R. Lamm

1. Rev. Crehan to R. Lamm (Feb. 25, 1969)

1. Rev. Crehan to R. Lamm (Feb. 25, 1969)

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Article

New Morality (1969)

In "The Lessons of History," Will and Arial Durant, two somewhat older students of morality, past and present, declare: "Out of every 100 new ideas 99 or more will probably be inferior to the traditional responses which they propose to replace. "No man, however brilliant or well informed, can come in one life­time to such fullness or understanding as to safely judge and dismiss the customs or institutions of his society, for these are the wisdom of generations after centuries of experiment in the laboratory of history."A youth boiling with hormones will wonder why he should not give full freedom to his sexual desires; and if he is unchecked by custom, morals or laws, he may ruin his life before he matures sufficiently to understand that sex is a river of fire that must be banked and cooled by a hundred restraints if it is not to con- surae in chaos both the individual and the group.”Dr. Ralph R. Greenson, a clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA's school of medicine, speaks of that same river of fire:"The 'cool' set is accustomed to quick and easy gratifications. Instant warmth and instant sex makes for puny love, cool sex and a turning to pot and LSD. The emphasis on security as the goal of life makes for peace of mindlessness and emotional uninvolvement."Love is risk-taking. It implies daring to be vulnerable and hurt. The search for security is the enemy of loving."
Marriage & Sexuality

Article

The New Morality under Religious Auspices (1968)

That the Western world finds itself in the midst of a continuing moral crisis is a self-evident fact which needs no documentation. Completely appropriate to our contemporary situation is the plaint of R. Haninah of Sepphoris: “Zimri was only one in his generation, and because of him 24,000 of Israel died — and we have so many Zimris in our generation!”[1] The traditional moral restraints that have prevailed for centuries in Western civilization are crumbling, and Jews are not the least of those affected by the moral and spiritual rootlessness of our generation. Indeed, we probably feel the consequences of this massive displacement even more than do others, for the fulcrum of Jewish life and continuity has always been the family, and it is the family that is the first victim of moral delinquency.[2]Nevertheless, for the sake of perspective it is good to remember that such anti-moral impulses are not new in history. The statement of R. Haninah itself is indicative of moral laxity in third century Palestine. There is considerable truth in a recent assertion that there is a permanent revolution against traditional Jewish sexual morality, but that the style and form and intensity of the revolt change in different historical epochs.³There are several strands discernible in the fabric of the current protest against traditional morality, that known as the New Morality. One of the most interesting aspects of this New Morality is the paradox of what is (by previously accepted standards) immoralism having its genesis in an excess of moral fervor. But this calls for some preliminary remarks. In speaking of the New Morality, we must distinguish between two layers. One is that associated with the name of **Hugh Hefner**, founder of that famous American institution known as the “Playboy Club.” This profitable commercial enterprise is accompanied by the exposition of a totally immoral “philosophy,” and made to appeal mostly to professional bachelors who prefer the pleasures of mar…
Marriage & Sexuality

Correspondence

Exchange with Dr. Morrow about Statement on Judaism's View on Sex Education (1967)

Dear Dr. Morrow: Enclosed please find the statement on Judaism's view of sex education which you solicited from me. Would you be kind enough to let me know when it is to appear in print, and to let me have two or three copies of the journal when it is published. Sincerely, Rabbi Norman Lamm: Judaism has no "official" view on sex education; only recently have efforts been made to introduce such study into the curriculum of Jewish schools. Nevertheless, the following guidelines may be said to be in consonance with the classic sources of Judaism:**Sex education should concern itself with the attainment of mental health** as part of the striving for holiness, which is the self-transcendence achieved by conscious conformity with the divine Law.**Optimally, such instruction should take place in and form part of the religious education** of the youngster. The parents’ responsibility is primarily that of holding up to the child a model of trust and love; the elementary biological information should preferably be given by the teacher.**Sex should be viewed as part of the total personality** and not restricted to the act and apparatus of reproduction. Therefore, in addition to biology plus a short course on marriage and family, it should also be related to all the other relevant religious and ethical studies in the curriculum.**While the facts should be transmitted openly and without embarrassment,** care should be taken not only not to weaken but to reinforce the youngster's natural sense of modesty.Rabbi Norman Lamm, Ph.D.
Marriage & Sexuality