"First is the principle that those inclined toward homosexuality must be treated with dignity and respect, a belief based on the fundamental doctrine that every person is made in the image and likeness of God.
The statement also cites the most authoritative source of Catholic teaching on the question of homosexuality, the Catechism of the Catholic Church. In paragraphs 2357-59, the Catechism explains that homosexual acts are objectively and intrinsically disordered and contrary to natural law, and cannot be approved under any circumstances. This is a truth, based in Sacred Scripture, that the Church has always declared.
The NCCS statement affirmed that “the Church reserves the right to seek to place those who live by its teachings in leadership positions that serve our youth, as well as the right to continue to call our young people to live by the teachings of our faith and by moral truth which can be known by all.”
Why speak of “leadership positions” when the resolution addresses only youth membership?
One reason is known well to those inside the organization. The Boy Scouts allow older youth members to apply for leadership positions with significant authority over younger members in the troop. The proposed membership change would authorize open and avowed homosexuality on the part of older teens in leadership posts.
The other reason is fast becoming known: While the terms of the resolution purport only to affect youth, the practical and legal result of a bifurcated membership policy would be a change in the policy on adult leaders as well.
Practically speaking, if the resolution passes, open homosexuality will be officially consistent with the Scouting code throughout a Scout’s career until the moment he turns 18, when it suddenly becomes inconsistent with the code. Under the new policy, some action against the scout will be required, but no troop leader would want to enforce such an irrational rule and few will. A de facto change in the rule for adults will occur almost immediately.
What’s more, the new policy would forfeit the legal victory the Scouts won at the Supreme Court over a decade ago. When the organization was sued for unlawful discrimination because of its membership policy, the SCOTUS ruled in Boy Scouts of America v. Dale (2000) that the policy is constitutional under the Boy Scouts’ First Amendment speech and association rights. But if the Scouts’ new “speech” is incoherent — open homosexuality is consistent with the Scouting code except when it isn’t — there will be no legal basis left for courts to uphold the prohibitory portion of the policy.
The Scouts will be sued, they will lose, and it will be impossible for them to continue to prohibit open and avowed homosexuality on the part of adult leaders.
Finally, an important distinction has been lost in the current debate. The Boy Scouts’ long-standing policy does not, by its terms or in practice, exclude people who experience same-sex attraction. Rather, the prohibition is on “open and avowed” homosexuality, and it is that prohibition which will be lifted if the resolution passes.
Boy Scout officials conducted a survey in recent months on whether to change the long-standing membership policy. The survey found that 72 % of the chartering organizations oppose changing the policy. That corresponds almost exactly with the percentage of chartering organizations that are faith-based. And a great many of them are Catholic parishes.
How can Catholic churches sponsor troops with leaders who live in open and avowed opposition to the truths of the Catholic faith and the teachings of its Church? It is a question that all Catholic delegates must ponder before they vote in Grapevine next week."
The Catholic Church is the 3rd largest denomiation to charter Scouting units in the U.S. The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod is part of the overall Lutheran category which is the 4th largest denomination to charter units in the U.S. Unfortunately, the ELCA is included in the same category and will probably vote YES on the membership standards resolution.
It sounds similar to the stand the Mormon church has taken, in that all scouts are expected to be celibate/chaste, whether they identify themselves as heterosexual or homosexual.
If the Catholics make a distinction between “same sex attraction” and the performance of actual homosexual sodomy then one could support the treating of those so “attracted” with “dignity and respect.” If that church means treating those activily engaged in homosexual sodomy with “dignity and respect” then nonsense. The active sodomite is not worthy of “dignity and respect!”
PING
Here is the letter stating where our council stands and how we will vote:
East Carolina Council, BSA Publish Survey Results On Youth Membership Standard, Executive Board Takes Action On Vote
May 2013
After a study and listening period the Boy Scouts of America volunteer resolution committee recommended no change in the membership standards for adult leaders related to sexual preference. Adult volunteer membership will continue to be denied to homosexuals. Using the Impact Study submitted by each council the National, BSA volunteer resolution committee wrote a resolution related to the youth membership standard to be voted on by national council representatives at the Annual Business Meeting of the Boy Scouts of America to be held May 23 - May 25 in Dallas. The last sentence of that resolution reads, “No youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone.” Each council has allowed their leaders and parents to vote on the resolution to determine how their representatives to the National, BSA Annual Business Meeting should vote. In East Carolina Council, BSA the resolution was added to the annual Scouting outcomes survey and mailed to 7,300 individuals.
Of the 7,300 surveys mailed, 984 were return for 13%. This is a high return rate for surveys. Of the 984 surveys submitted by mail and on line, 398 or 40.4% voted to approve the resolution. A “yes” vote on the resolution would allow homosexual youth to become or remain in the Boy Scouts of America as youth members. Of the 984 votes returned, 586 or 59.5% voted against the resolution, Leaders voted against the resolution by 64%. Boy Scout parents disapproved of the resolution at a higher percentage rate than Cub Scout parents.
Using this survey and the survey of financial contributors and chartered organizations where nearly 40% stated they would discontinue support to the East Carolina Council, BSA if any change occurred in the membership standards and 70% disapproved of any membership standard change the East Carolina Council, BSA Executive Board took two votes at its Wednesday night Executive Board Meeting. The first motion was made to ask the council’s national meeting representatives to vote against the resolution to allow homosexual youth to join or continue in a Boy Scout traditional program. A second motion was made to commit all four votes to be cast against the resolution to change youth membership standards to allow homosexual youth to remain in or join a traditional Scouting program. Both resolutions were approved by a large majority.
Thanks to those who have taken time to complete the survey. You may still complete the survey by going on line at http://survey.eccbsa.org/. Several counties still have not reached a level of return to have a valid survey. The more surveys we receive council wide, the more valid the outcomes study for Boy Scout programs in East Carolina Council will be.
Yours in Scouting,
H. Ray Franks | Scout Executive/CEO
East Carolina Council, BSA
It's "Lutheran," of course, not "Luteran."
There is no longer a national consensus that makes it possible for a church to belong to or sponsor a non-church organization.
The best avenue would be for Christian Churches abiding by Christianity’s historic morality to operate their own program.
Personally, I’d like to see all of those churches find some kind of unity in that effort, but that might be a bridge too far.
If the BSA approves the gay-Scout initiative, then gay leaders will of necessity follow. For both reasons, traditional churches must be prepared to exit the BSA.
Bookmarked for future reference.