This intellectual standpoint helped to undermine the authority of the churches.  The views of the scientists were not the cause of, but undoubtedly did accelerate, the drift from organized religion.

There is evidence of the effects of beliefs developed during the present century in another field of learning, that of psychology.  On the one hand, it is held that there was in former days suppression of the natural development of human personality and, on the other, that a great deal of misery has been caused by feelings of guilt.  Ill health, even mental illness, has been attributed to these two factors.

Between the two world wars much of the material of the new psychologists began to drift into circulation in so-called popular editions.  Doubtless much of the writing was from reputable sources, but the new views, good in origin, began to suffer as had religious faith in the past from poor exponents.

A desire for scientific accuracy is understandable, a wish to understand the working of the human mind wholly commendable, but many people whose loose behaviour was instinctive, rather than inspired, now had apologists for their conduct.  The moral drift had become moral chaos.

XIV.  Changing Times and Concepts

Since the beginning of the twentieth century the undermentioned aspects of a changed social order have become evident.  It is not within the province of this Committee to make an appraisal of the tenets implicit in any of them.  Ecclesiastics may preach against the sins involved; opposition may arise to the philosophy of education; commercial and professional interests may inveigh against the inroads of the State, but this Committee is concerned only in their effects on the sexual behaviour of young people whose habits and characters are being affected.  It is now necessary to examine them.

=(1) Contraceptives=

Perhaps the first major shock to “respectable” society regarding sex was when it became known, soon after the beginning of the First World War, that the Army authorities were distributing “condoms” to troops about to go on leave.  Probably this was the first recognition by the New Zealand Government of contraceptives.  This decision by the Army was accepted by society, not without misgivings, on the basis that it was much more important to guard against the spread of venereal disease than to endeavour to enforce continence among the troops.  Society was obliged to choose between two evils, and it chose what it regarded as the lesser.  Contraceptives thereafter came into common use, are now purchased by a majority of married couples, and by many unmarried persons.  Their acceptance by the married has posed some problems which have required the attention of the Courts in England.  It was not foreseen, when they came into use, that questions would arise as to the validity of certain marriages where one party used contraceptives to avoid having children.