“According to you, why did the Rabbonim make the issurim of yichud, negiah, etc? Why didn’t they “have faith” in the people?”
It’s not according to me, but it is an opinion with which I concur, that in those times when men and women were separated most of the time, it WAS potentially enticing for them to be in yichud together, and they could not be trusted. The laws regarding concubines and more than one wife, sleeping with zonas (look at Yehudah and Tamar’s story), were culturally very different, and I imagine the taivahs were succumbed to more easily. I am not saying NO one misbehaves or sins. Only a fool would think that. But I think we attribute negative feelings to all people, and presume they are all about to commit arayos, and I think that is the wrong way to look at someone. Maybe we should not let people buy food in the supermarket, eiother. they might eat fleishigs and milchigs together. That cheeseburger smelled mighty tempting.
Dov – platonic is the word you meant. I would not presume to disagree with R’ Moshe, but R’ Moshe ZT”L had mixed seating at his simcha. I have had platonic friends all my life, and believe me there were no hirhurim on my side, and if there were any on the part of my male friends, they never let on in any way. They were all gentlemen. The same hirhurim you are worried about can also occur in a dating relationship or even in SHul on Shabbos. Do you think no guy has ever obsessed over the girl that did not go out with him again, when he was eager to see HER a second time? If someone wants to have thoughts, he will have them irrespective of whether or not he is in a mixed group.
It is how we ACT, in spite of our thoughts, that defines us as menschen or not. And while hirhurei haleiv can be a problem (and there was a korban given for that), realistically, a hirhur can appear any time, and in this day and age, I believe it is more likely when one is NOT used to being around opposite gendered people. I suppose we have to agree to disagree. Talk to me in about thirty years or so, and we’ll see how we both feel on the subject. (hope I’m still around, if Moshiach has not come by then)