Live Action’s founder and president Lila Rose sat down recently with Dr. Jennifer Morse, president of the Ruth Institute, to discuss the origins of the sexual revolution and its impact on the family today. The two focused much of their discussion on the impact both a mother and a father have on a child’s life, with Morse noting that the family is central to combating the negative impacts of the sexual revolution.
Morse explained to Rose that through her work, she came to recognize that there are three parts of the sexual revolution: first, the “contraceptive ideology,” which is the separation of the act of sex from procreation. This was followed by “divorce ideology,” in which people do everything possible to separate sex and babies from marriage. The third part is “gender ideology,” which is the idea that society should do away with the differences between men and women.
Morse said that this revolution was orchestrated from the top down, using enormous propaganda. As a result, the sexual revolution, and divorce in particular, has negatively impacted family life, especially the lives of children. Morse’s own experience with adopting a toddler who was neglected as a baby showed her firsthand that babies truly need both a mother and a father. She started the Ruth Institute with the initial goal of speaking to young women about why it’s important to get married and start a family, especially in a world that prioritizes careers above all else.
As an economist, Morse explained that the economy has shaped itself around abortion, contraception, and the sexual revolution in general. “The entry fee into professions is to delay childbearing,” she explained, noting that instead of this, women need a different career trajectory, one that allows them to care for their children and put their families above all else.
“Even when you’re doing the things that seem to be mundane, they’re not,” she said in a message to young moms. “It’s profound what you’re doing with your baby. When you’re home with your baby, you’re doing something amazing and important, that no one else can really do…What you are doing as a mom is irreplaceable…place your gifts and talents at the service of your family.”
READ: Live Action’s ‘Truth About Sex’ series exposes ‘Four Big Lies About Sex’ that people believe
Morse noted that full-time motherhood when the children are little only lasts a short time, and there will be other seasons in life for mothers to work. She also explained that fathers have their own unique role in the family and in raising children — and these children need both their mothers and fathers to thrive.
“What does the future hold?” Rose asked her. “How do we build a civilization of love with all the chaos?”
“It depends on us, it depends what we do,” Morse said. “Every 500 years or so, civilization shapes itself apart, and things get reshuffled. We’re deciding right now who we’re going to be for the next 500 years. So I would just tell everybody, ‘Get on the playing field — if you’re not working with Lila Rose or me or an organization that’s doing something…there’s plenty to do.’ So how things are going to go depends on what we choose to do and not do.”
