With all due respect I am still not buying it.
Yes, I absolutely have read the church’s statement. I appreciate that its focus is on sexual behavior rather than orientation, that was the de facto and unspoken position of the BSA previous to the new Membership Standards Resolution. I supported that and believed that it was entirely unnecessary to modify the BSA by-laws in the fashion that they did.
However, because the BSA took the route they did and articulated the matter of orientation, it is arguable that they may very well have opened the door to a challenge under BSA v. Dale, the very decision which affirmed the right of the BSA (as a private organization) to restrict a person from membership based on the idea that “the presence of that person affects in a significant way the group’s ability to advocate public or private viewpoints.”
The BSA acted with the support of the LDS membership on the national council and without the support of a super-majority of those involved in Scouting.
Now, that they have expressly articulated that orientation is no barrier to membership as a youth, they are going to have a very, very hard time excluding a homosexual from leadership, despite the fact that they say that policy has not changed. I imagine that the lawsuits are already written for several gay, 17-year-old Eagle Scouts who will turn 18 around the time this takes effect in January 2014. Deny any one of them the privilege of leadership and the lawsuits will fly.
Given that this controversy has largely about the influence of large donors I am very doubtful that the BSA will do anything other than weigh the financial cost of litigation and cave into the pressure groups again.
That moment will be an even more telling one for the Mormon church. Will they accept homosexual leadership? Not likely, given this statement found on (http://ldsbsa.org/): “Where Scouting is authorized by the Church, quorums may participate in Scouting activities during Mutual. Under priesthood leadership, Scouting can complement the efforts of Aaronic Priesthood quorums and Primary classes in building testimonies in young men and boys.”
But here is the problem. Mormon Scout leadership is already not likely to be homosexual and given the preponderance of closed troops and the priesthood requirements, that is not likely to change. So even a vote by the Mormon contingent in support of homosexual leadership for the BSA would not really affect them, but it would have a profound and negative effect on the rest of Scouting. Given their numbers, the entire Mormon contingent could leave Scouting and almost overnight create an LDS version, decimating the rest of Scouting in their wake.
For those of us involved in Scouting through smaller, faith-based organizations that do not necessarily have an alternative (yet), the Mormon capitulation is seen as a hypocritical betrayal of the values of Scouting.
Will have to respectfully agree to disagree. The gay rights agenda are using youth to make their case, but we will not forget that these few youth (and they are few), are still valuable to God and society, and need all the help they can get if they are confused. We do not shun the sinner, but the sin.
I saw something on tv about the Girls Scouts, I believe in Iowa, was losing money. Has anyone heard this?