Part 9- Other Elements of the Battle
Chapter 36- Staying Away: A Rational Approach
Our generation faces the most difficult battle ever. Our challenges are way more frequent and intense than they were just a few years ago. It is harder to control ourselves now than at any other point in history.
Our impulses pester us all day, and no one is immune. We hear stories all the time of diligent students and respected people giving up everything to chase their passions. Rarely do we go too long without hearing another horrible story.
There are two prime causes for the rapid decadence of our world. The first is society’s message that licentiousness is exciting. Lust is hyped up as the point of existence. This message is everywhere. It is all over the billboards, television, and Internet. It has even pervaded into our schools and social circles, where our friends share their opinions on “the greatest thing on Earth.” We no longer have to be careless to encounter immorality. It finds us and tries to grab us.
Often, society sells us in the most innocuous ways. For example, a person might watch a seemingly innocent show, not looking for any trouble. But of course, the producers just have to stick in an inappropriate scene or two — in a “clean” way without showing anything blatant. Nevertheless, the message of what we should chase seeps in and strengthens our desires. Our desires bubble over waiting to erupt, and even if they calm down without us giving in, they remain a bit stronger than they used to be. This unexpected exposure is especially dangerous, as we are not on guard and these sick ideas infiltrate our defenses. Even the strongest person with the clearest perspective is affected; he is injected with new urges and excitement.
The battle against desire was hard enough when it was “all-natural.” Now that the world is bombarded with these constant messages, it’s not surprising that it has gone out of control. The attitude that lust is the greatest is all over the music and the news. It’s in the movies, the shows, and the commercials. It’s in the books and on the streets. It’s everywhere. Wherever we go and whatever we do, people are trying to sell and ensnare us in the trap of temptation. And that is without discussing what’s happening online. Although this lustful outlook does not seep into the Jewish community so fast, it eventually penetrates and catches on. We end up with wacky values and awakened desires, and inappropriate behavior becomes increasingly common.
The second cause for the breakdown of society is immorality’s instant availability. If a person wants to indulge, it is so easy. He no longer needs to run out on an errand; he can sin in seconds before he has a chance to stop himself. With lust so highly regarded and readily available, the world is quite different than it was just a few years ago.