console.log.js

> var past_date = moment("02/08/2017", "MM/DD/YYYY");
> undefined
> var todays_date = moment();
> undefined
> past_date
> q {_isAMomentObject: true, _i: "02/08/2017", _f: "MM/DD/YYYY", _isUTC: false, _pf: Object…}
> todays_date
> q {_isAMomentObject: true, _isUTC: false, _pf: Object, _locale: B, _d: Wed Feb 15 2017 15:54:00 GMT-0800 (PST)}
> past_date < todays_date
> true
> past_date > todays_date
> false

validate_date.js

var validate_dates = function(date1, date2) {
    var check1 = moment(date1, "MM/DD/YYYY");
    var check2 = moment(date2, "MM/DD/YYYY");
    if(check1 < moment() || check2 < moment()) {
      return false
    }
  }

  $('.btn-black.event_btn').click(function(e) {
    var start_date = $('#starting-date').val();
    var end_date = $('#ending-date').val();
    if(start_date === "" || end_date === "") {
      alert("Please select a date.")
      e.preventDefault();
    } else if (validate_dates(start_date, end_date) === false) {
      alert("Sorry that is not a valid date. Please try again.")
      e.preventDefault();
    }
  });