Umm...guess you missed post #6. They have taken a stand, and that stand has been made in press release after press release and posted here on this forum more than once. They are not going to strong-arm the local church memberships to do x, y, z. It is not the relationship they have with the local churches. It has nothing to do with a “backbone” or not having one. What would you have them do? Go to a local church and tell them they will be booted from the convention if parents choose to let their kids stay in the Boy Scouts? Seriously?? I find it very curious that the suggestion to force others to act as one would like would even be present on a conservative site like Free Republic.
What other denominations have even given a press release about the issue, by the way? I think the SBC was the first or nearly? They have made a statement about their position — over and over and over. Many, in fact. And yet you don’t think that’s enough?
Together, that's over 90 million people. If all three (not to mention numerous other smaller religious denominations that believe the homosexual lifestyle is morally wrong) issued clear, unambiguous statements "recommending" that they DON'T want their churches to be involved in the BSA anymore, it would have a HUGE impact in America. The Catholic and Mormons could actually enforce such a directive if they wished (although I don't think that it's necessary to force their churches to comply), and if SBC may have absolutely no power on paper to do so, but we all know they could “strongly pressure” affiliated churches to do so if they wished (to the point where they'd be “uncomfortable” going to an SBC meeting if their parish had a Boy Scout pack it was sponsoring).
Unfortunately, NONE of these church organizations is willing to take that step. The Mormons have flat out said they will continue to support the BSA, and the Catholics and Southern Baptists have issued national statements saying they dislike the BSA’s new policy, but its OK for their churches and families to continue sponsoring BSA troops if they wish. (In both cases, you do have examples of individual Catholic and Southern Baptist pastors — assuming the SBA uses the title “pastor” — choosing to sever ties with their local BSA troop because of the new policy).
Bottom line, liberals know they can continue to get away with the continual moral decline in this country, and destroying the traditional American family, because most major church organizations will allow it.
THAT is the type of "official statement" I'd like to see from them. It has nothing to do with changing the way the SBC operates or trying to "strong arm" local churches to "comply". It is simply a clear, bold statement saying the national organization personally feels that its members SHOULD NOT be supporting the Boy Scouts in any manner.
Again, if 99% of SBC churches choose to ignore such a "recommendation", I don't believe they should do a single thing to "enforce" it. I understand it's not in their nature to do so.
But I do believe they should at least go on record stating their opinion that southern baptists as whole REJECT the BSA because it celebrates open homosexuality. The "official statement" they did issue doesn't cut it.