Posted on 06/04/2013 8:34:12 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
For the Rev. Ernest Easley, the decision to cut ties with the Boy Scouts was simple.
The Bible says homosexuality is a sin. The Boy Scouts do not.
“We are not willing to compromise God’s word,” said Easley, pastor of the 2,300-member Roswell Street Baptist Church in Marietta, Ga., which has sponsored Boy Scout Troop 204 since 1945.
Easley, chairman of the Southern Baptist Convention’s executive committee, said his church will shut down its troop at end of the year because of a recently adopted policy to allow openly gay scouts. He’s urging other Baptists to do the same.
Roswell Street is one of the first churches to cut ties with the Scouts over the new policy. Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, a 23,000-member megachurch, has also announced plans to shut down its troop. Other critics of the new policy, which doesn’t take effect until January 2014, are taking a wait-and-see approach.
The Southern Baptist Convention, whose 3,981 Scout troops make it the BSA’s sixth-largest religious sponsor, plans to address the issue at its annual meeting in Houston, June 11-12. About 70 percent of Scout troops are chartered by a faith-based group.
Deron Smith, a spokesman for the Boy Scouts, said the organization will help troops that have lost their church sponsors to find new homes. He said the new policy fits the beliefs of most religious groups that sponsor troops.
“This policy reaffirms that doing one’s ‘duty to God’ is absolutely explicit and one of the fundamental principles of Scouting and states that sexual conduct by any Scout, heterosexual or homosexual, is contrary to the virtues of Scouting,” he said in an e-mail.
The Scouts’ two largest religious sponsors, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the United Methodist Church, both said they intend to remain involved
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
I think maybe you are missing the trees for the forest here on this? As far as the homosexual disorder, the Christian influence in the BSA has been effectively NEUTERED. Yes, churches can still do something BUT not within the BSA. RATHER than compromise with the devil -it is time to retreat and reload. and work to get the decision reversed. ACCEPTANCE of evil is not an option, neither is sacrificing innocent boys no matter how well intentioned the ends sought may be.
OK so instead of “on their own” - would “not allowed to step foot in a church” fit? Are people who have non-homosexual mental disorders allowed?
Having a mental disorder does not necessarily mean a lack of self control. Someone might have anger problems and want to slap everyone he/she disagrees with. To act on that desire would be a problem, right? In the same way, acting on the mental disorder of homosexuality is a sin.
You said, “It is wrong to assume the church is positioned to treat homosexuals....or for that matter alcoholics or gluttons. All should be getting the professional help they need first and foremost.”
I can’t believe you really believe this. First of all, the church is chock full of FAT people, as well as people who spend excessive money on vanity while they thumb their nose towards a world of people who are hungry, thirsty, enslaved, and in pain. Gluttony is rampant in the American church. Secondly, its sounds like you are saying that alcoholics (and other addicts) can be invited to church, as long as they are receiving professional help first and foremost. So why would that not apply to homosexuals?
I realized some time ago that all communism/socialism/leftism has as its central pivot sexual immorality of all kinds; that’s why they love abortion, since hedonistic promiscuity requires a way to dispose of the unwanted children. They are wedded to it. Take that away and their momentum collapses.
Not to worry. Your thoughts simply gave birth to my thoughts which were not so much directed at you as they were directed to all in general.
Homosexuals rarely attend church with the mindset that they want to give up the “gay” life.
They join or attend churches that are “gay friendly” so they can feel religious and keep up with their sodomy, or so they can change the church from within.
If someone with homosexual inclinations wants to attend a church so they can really get closer to God, that includes giving up the “gay” life, and such a person would never flout their perversion.
I would say you are digging a hole.
Another one bites the dust.
He thought he could somehow fake it.
Wrong.
I wonder if he has other screen names.
Most likely. It probably signed up with a few aliases to employ during the 2004 election cycle.
>> The Bible says homosexuality is a sin.
Instincts say it’s repugnant.
And Natural Law declares it a crime against nature. That’s what the old dead white men called it.
Well all, I still believe in Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve. And as far as Boy Scouts “Morally Straight” Should be just that. Got my Eagle awarded in 1979.
Agree. However, the BSA did not change the Scout Law, Scout Oath, or Scout Motto. My son got his Eagle in 2012. Our Scout Troop’s Executive Committee has decided to do the following:
1. No longer sell Trails End Popcorn
2. No longer participate in Council sponsored events
3. No longer do projects for local council.
4. No longer attend any council camps. Instead we will have our own camps sponsored by Troop Parents.
On January 1, 2014 this may all change. But until that time, the BSA will still be using the existing standards.
As I said, I dont agree with the policy personally, and I have my concerns about BSA’s future, but I cant take time to repost what I already said. Follow my posts or dont if you want.
No, just rightly dividing the word of the Lord.
As an adult leader we have to do biannual youth protection training (YPT - dont confuse it with PYT). The policies about sexual harassment, inappropriate conduct, hazing, fraternization, etc, are a part of that. I would suggest looking online for your local councils training resources.
I don't necessarily believe so. To the extent there are those born with homosexual affections I believe Christ gave them the same redemption as he did all of us sinners if they just believe in him in their heart and repent. If someone who has been saved still has those inclinations (despite sincere effort to pray them away) yet does not act out on them I think you could call him a celibate homosexual Christian. I know all my sinful lusts didn't suddenly disappear when I got saved but the Lord had the grace to give me the strength not to act out on them. Sanctification proceeds at its own pace for each individual. We are all born sinners, some just have different pet sins from others. I understand your point, that you can't divorce the label from the behavior which defines it but I'm willing to concede that some may be born with that proclivity and that you can separate desire from behavior. For the most part it is just a matter of semantics, I think we are essentially coming from, and come down on, the same position.
So, don't get me wrong - I agree with the jist of the entire article. The scouts have been given over and Christian churches should disaffiliate from them and work to promote other, Christian, scouting groups for kids. A lot of denominations already have something similar for boys, now is the time to put a priority on this.
So I think people saying that BSA is now condoning gay lifestyle is incorrect, or an overstatement.
Is your opinion from reading the same articles everyone else has read, or from some other source. I read much of the thread but don't know if I read every single comment you made. Either way, it's sort of like the military now allowing faggots. Certainly there were sex perverts before, but they had to keep quiet about it and not display themselves. Now they can be "open" about being perverts. Same thing will happen in the BSA. Officially allowing "open" homosexuals is tantamount to condoning, or in truth, promoting perversion, and I'm at a loss to see it any other way. Exactly as what has happened in the military.
Well, the military also has codes, and now the men on men rape is skyrocketing, policies or not.
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