Religious groups are outraged over Boy Scouts of America's President Robert Gates' proposal to allow local councils to decide for themselves whether to accept gay Scout leaders or not.
At the national council meeting last week in Atlanta, Gates urged the BSA to "seize control of our own future" before sweeping changes in the legal and cultural language can force the organization to accept far more than allowing gay Scout leaders in local councils. Acknowledging that 70 percent of the organization is sponsored by religious groups, Gates proposed to "allow charter partners to determine the standards for their Scout leaders," while still providing room to "preserve the religious freedom of our church partners."
However, the BSA's religious partners are clearly not happy with Gates' suggestion. Rev. Franklin Graham, President of Samaritan's Purse made scathing remarks about Gates' speech on Facebook, criticizing the BSA chief for "not having the moral courage to do what is right."
"What are you thinking? We shouldn't shift as the winds of cultural change blow through society; we need to stand for God's truth and things that are morally right," Rev. Graham says.
He also says that bringing in gay Eagle scouts will "put young, innocent boys at risk" and urges parents of Boy Scouts to tell Gates about their discontent, with the threat of withdrawing their support, their participation and their sons from the organization.
The Southern Baptist Convention agrees. Roger Oldham, spokesperson for the group, says in an interview with USA Today that some of its churches that sponsored Boy Scout troops abandoned the organization in 2013, when BSA began to openly allow Boy Scout members, but not leaders, into their ranks. Oldham says the convention expects more churches to do the same, as it is clear the organization is moving toward prohibiting troops from choosing leaders based on their sexual orientation.
"They are telegraphing their end-game goal," he says. "We find it disappointing but not surprising.
This was seconded by former Scout John Stemberger, founder of Christian group Trail Life USA and a vocal opponent of allowing homosexuals to go up the ranks in troops. Stemberger says he finds it "tragic" that the BSA has bowed down to pressure from activist groups wants to "risk the safety and security of boys".
Gates is not without supporters. Reid Youmans, a gay resident of Utah and former Eagle Scout, calls it "ironic" that the BSA allows homosexual members but prevents them from helping new members come up the ranks. He also says he understands there is "public concern" over allowing gay leaders, but reminds everyone that homosexuality and the tendency to commit sexual abuse of children are not the same thing.
"I'm more concerned over straight men who have problems with teens or boys that get into Scouting for pure access reasons only," Youmans says. "Less child exploitation is committed by homosexual men than heterosexual men."
Photo: Roy Niswanger | Flickr
