Will the Boy Scouts Give In?

Say it isn’t so! Not the Boy Scouts. I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t want to believe it. I opened my e-mail and found an urgent request from the Family Research Council to call the Boy Scouts. http://www.frc.org/alert/breaking-news-will-the-boy-scouts-stand-up-to-bullies The Boy Scouts were “considering” revising their policy of allowing active homosexuals to participate as scouts and leaders.

A statement released from the national leadership of the Boy Scouts stated they were “discussing potentially removing the national membership restriction regarding sexual orientation.”  They were going to defer membership requirements to local groups.

What are the contributing factors to the Boy Scouts considering caving into the demands of homosexual activists and media pressure? Certainly media hype surrounding two cases last year were major contributors. One story concerned Ryan Andresen, who was denied his Eagle Scout badge because he considers himself homosexual. http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/10/06/was-a-boy-scout-denied-an-award-because-hes-gay/

In another incident, den leader Jennifer Tyrrell was asked to leave because she is a lesbian.

Both Ryan’s mom and Jennifer Tyrrell generated petitions with large numbers of signatures to change the policy. Never mind that in both instances, they were fully aware of the Boy Scouts policy, but wielded pressure on the organization to change its policy for them. And never mind that the media pushing the homosexual agenda totally omitted the fact that Andresen did not want to take the scout Oath because he did not agree to Duty to God. “This scout proactively notified his unit leadership and Eagle Scout counselor that he does not agree to scouting’s principle of ‘Duty to God’ and does not meet scouting’s membership standard on sexual orientation,” Deron Smith, a spokesman for the organization said in a statement. “Agreeing to do one’s ‘Duty to God’ is a part of the scout Oath and Law and a requirement of achieving the Eagle Scout rank” (My underlining). http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/10/05/162371701/teenage-boy-scout-denied-organizations-top-rank-because-hes-gay

In addition to distorting the facts about the Andresen case, the mainstream media is also disregarding a story about two prominent national board members, Ernst & Young CEO James Turley and AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson, who are actively seeking to change the Boy Scouts long standing policy. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/13/james-turley-boy-scouts-gay-ban_n_1593595.html

Oddly enough, at the same time last year that members and leaders were petitioning for homosexuals to join the Boy Scouts, the Los Angeles Times released a disturbing story about sexual abuse within the Boy Scouts. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-boyscouts-20120805-m,0,5822319.story

Of course, the liberal media was quick to point out that homosexuals are not pedophiles, while never answering the question of when does a boy become a man—when he hits puberty or hits 18 or 21. What is the magical age?

Boy Scouts 4What really might be prompting the Boy Scouts to reconsider their policy is money. Last year with all the controversy swirling around the Boy Scouts not allowing homosexuals to participate, United Way as well as companies that offered corporate support in the past pulled their funding, financially hurting the Boy Scouts.

While some people might say, “What’s the big deal? Homosexuals are nice people”. The issue is not whether or not homosexuals are nice people.

The real issue is the consequences of this decision. Why do homosexuals want to join the Boy Scouts? No one is required to join the Boy Scouts. Why should they really care? Once the Boy Scouts cave in, then homosexual activists will push for the next step. If the Boy Scouts allow homosexuals to participate, are the Boy Scouts legitimizing homosexual behavior? If you legitimize a deviant behavior is the deviant behavior then acceptable? Is it then acceptable for Boy Scout leaders to discuss deviant behavior as the new normal? Are those who disagree with that behavior than considered not normal? Is it then acceptable to bully those who oppose homosexual activities? Homosexual activists already bash Christians. Just read the comments on the stories covering this topic. And if it is okay to discuss homosexual behavior as acceptable–just a lifestyle choice that young people should explore– is it then acceptable to engage in those activities?

Oh, how soon we forget. Not that long ago homosexuality was listed by the American Psychiatric Association and American Psychological Association as a mental illness. There were and in a few cases still are laws against sodomy. Why? It was a protection of society. People don’t want to admit what homosexuality is—a deviant behavior. People no longer understand natural law.  If the Boy Scouts allow homosexuals to join, they will be living a lie, because they will no longer be able to live their scout oath.

Scout Oath

On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.

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Elizabeth Yank is a freelance writer who has been published in a number of Catholic publications, including Faith and Family, National Catholic Register, Lay Witness, and others.

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