Homosexuality and the Boy Scouts

I agree with the policy on openly gay leaders and youth as it stands: that openly homosexual persons are not admitted as leaders nor as youth participants.

My concern with the policy of admission of gay youths is that it should be based not on what their tendencies are, but rather based on what their beliefs and actions are. That is, a person may feel homosexual tendencies, but may understand and accept that acting out on those homosexual tendencies is morally wrong, and may then also not engage in homosexual acts nor advocacy: such a person should be an acceptable youth member of the BSA, because (notwithstanding his challenges) he strives to live -- and lives -- the standards of the BSA.

If homosexuality is a naturally occurring urge in some people, that does not logically follow that it is a morally upright practice any more than a natural tendency to pornography and promiscuity for any male would make such activities and attitudes morally upright.

This does not mean that a boy or adult that feels inclined toward homosexuality or promiscuity is "evil", but rather that the BSA and the boy and adult members acknowledge that, whatever our basal human urges may be, we strive for a higher ideal... and THIS is what that ideal is: "   "

This is about protecting and preserving the BSA standard, which is also a biblical standard, of moral cleanliness and uprightness, regardless of the direction of many societal currents.  In a sense, it is also about "brand integrity" -- that wherever you go, there are certain things that Boy Scouts always stands for.


I am involved with and support the BSA because they stand for something.  If they change the values for which they stand, I will no longer support them in any way.

Those who want a youth/boys organization with different principles are free to establish their own such organization.

...a man who will not stand for something will eventually fall for anything.

To the B.S.A. leadership:
 
Don't apologize for your standards: you wouldn't want to teach the boys to be apologetic for being physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight, would you, or for having a faith in God?

Would you want to teach the boys to lower their standards so that they have more friends, or so that they are more acceptable to their peers?  Then why would BSA consider doing so?

Stand for what is right, even if you stand alone.  This is not about hate, about accusing or demeaning others; it is about standing for what you know is right, having personal standards, and inviting all others to join you within your standards.

You can not raise others by lowering yourself (except in humility).