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This story was posted last Friday on FR, but the STATEMENT was unavailable until now. While it is very good news, one cannot help but notice, with the exception of the LC-MS president, most of the other signatories are from very small denominations or individual parishes. As near as I can tell, BSA National has been stroking the larger denominations to either agree with the membership standards resolution (i.e., allow open homosexual youths as members into BSA) or not to withdraw their support of BSA should the resolution pass.

What the landscape currently looks like with the top 6 denominations which charter the most number of scouts and units ...

1. LDS - Church leadership released a letter saying that LDS delegates to the annual National Council business meeting (starts 5/23/2013) are directed to "vote their conscience." There appears to be massive discord within the LDS Church right now over the issue of homosexuality. The church took a beating, from the inside and outside, for aggressively supporting Prop 8 in CA. Since then, the church has backed away from financially supporting heterosexual marriage causes for several reasons: (1) fear that it will hurt their young men when they go out on their 2-year missions, (2) the church wants to be more welcoming to its members who are afflicted with same-sex attraction, and (3) it did not want to harm Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign.

2. UMC - This denomination is in turmoil. While the conservatives have the upper hand for the moment, schism is a very real possibility over the issue of acceptance of homosexuality. So far, the leaders of the UMC have not released a strong statement regarding the BSA resolution.

3. RCC - Its National Committee on Catholic Scouting released its statement last week. It could have been stronger. It appears that the RCC will take a wait and see approach.

4. Lutheran - Several flavors of Lutherans - The largest, the ELCA, and the 2nd largest, the LC-MS, are probably at odds over this resolution. The ELCA ordains open homosexuals - the LC-MS does not. Haven't seen an official statement from the ELCA, yet.

5. Presybterian - Same thing, several flavors of Presbyterians. The largest, the PCUSA, ordains open homosexuals, so 1 would think they will support the resolution.

6. Baptists - Same thing - many flavors of Baptists. The overwhelmingly largest denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, has steadfastly made it known that it opposes the resolution and would likely withdraw from the BSA should the resolution pass.

The pattern across the nation seems to be that the ~294 local councils have held their executive board meetings over the last 4 weeks to decide how their delegates will vote at the annual National Council business meeting.

Show me a boy who has to be an "openly homosexual scout" and I'll show you one who cannot possibly keep the "morally straight" part of the scout oath.

I remain hopefully that the rank and file will either:

Overwhelmingly vote this down. or
Allow exceptions only for boys who can keep the "morally straight" part of the scout oath.

Since I cannot imagine there being any exceptions, option #2 = option #1.

Thank you for the post!

Gay rights special interest is what drives this issue as do all Special Interests issues...politicians bow to the pressure for votes. Those weak men and women DO NOT deserve you vote or any vote for that matter.

Letting lose predators on our youth makes no sense what so ever!

Why dont they take the position that they will accept all males within the the required age limits as long as they believe that homosexual behavour is wrong, or that it is a sin?

that way they can say ‘we dont discriminate against anyone’ but we have certain ‘moral standards’

There was a time when conservatives made this argument, but more recently Republicans either join the gay rights crowd or when they dont but then they offer no real argument against it, both are surrender..

Bookmarked for future reference.