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Churches move to cut ties to Scouts after gay policy change
Washington Post ^ | 06/04/2013 | Bob Smietana

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 ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Philosophy; US: Georgia
KEYWORDS: boyscouts; churches; gay; homosexualagenda; homosexuality; sbc; seeya
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To: stanne

A lot of people are arguing for the ‘compassionate’ route. I would argue that this is more of the situation instructed through Luke 9:5 - if your instruction is rejected, then leave and ‘shake the dust from your dust as a testimony against them.’

The Boy Scouts had been in line with Biblical teachings. This change is a rejection of that. Therefore, the proper course of action is to demonstrate that their action is wrong by parting ways.

Had the reverse been true - a gay-supporting organization that was willing to consider another path, then the answer would be different. But the evidence actually suggests that this new policy is actually a first step, and that the intent is to go even further later. So yes, I agree: separate.


21 posted on 06/04/2013 9:03:57 AM PDT by alancarp (Obama will grab your guns and ship them to Mexican drug mobs.)
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To: fwdude
<....”The better strategy is to crash and burn the organization as quickly and thoroughly as possible so that principled scouting leaders can reclaim the failed organization”....>

At another time I might consider that working...but what I expect to see is just exactly what we see throughout our country in all areas...A DIVIDE...two sides at war with one another.

I suspect there will be government sponsorship (rescue) of the Boy Scouts in time...and the other favorable groups formed will have to wing it alone.

22 posted on 06/04/2013 9:04:01 AM PDT by caww
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To: caww

That’s why it has to be QUICK and THOROUGH. Otherwise, a languishing BSA leadership will have time to appeal to the government and other public relations groups.


23 posted on 06/04/2013 9:05:46 AM PDT by fwdude ( You cannot compromise with that which you must defeat.)
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To: MichaelCorleone
Do you propose a different course of action?

Yes, I do. The church should stay engaged in Scouting, recognizing the good things in the program far outweigh the bad from this decision. Why cede the ground to the activists and help them make their victory complete?

24 posted on 06/04/2013 9:06:43 AM PDT by NonValueAdded (Unindicted Co-conspirators: The Mainstream Media)
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To: alancarp

That’s exactly what I said. BSA left the church It shouldn’t have to put up with approval of homosexual behavior


25 posted on 06/04/2013 9:08:39 AM PDT by stanne
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To: Resolute Conservative
The Methodists as with Lutherans, Ctholics and others are highly infiltrated by left leaning individuals...it only takes one bad apple....but along with the country, the church is being invaded with the “hordes”.

The gathering of “believers” is the church....we've let the hoards IN rather than “go out of the church” on the mission we are sent to do.

Because of this there are many ‘unbelievers’ within the church..and they will affect and infect the whole when there numbers are large enough to do so.

26 posted on 06/04/2013 9:11:58 AM PDT by caww
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To: epow

I have family members who left the Luthern church as the one they were attending began supporting that which it should not...

I have no doubt true believers will be eventually going underground because they will not be tolerated in the direction our nation and it’s governance is going....and the churches are fast being invaded with undesirables who seek to “change” the church to something it is not and was never met to be.


27 posted on 06/04/2013 9:17:57 AM PDT by caww
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To: Cheerio

Not all churches are equally motivated to cut ties with the “Boi Scoots”. Those churches, or at least part of their membership, fully agree with the agenda being presented, and in fact, are eagerly looking forward to the time when openly gay leaders may be accepted.

There will still be morally straight, God-fearing, and honest youths enrolled in some sort of life preparedness programs that teach basic skills to survive in less than optimal conditions, and hold up a light for others to follow.

But it won’t be called “Boy Scouts of America”.


28 posted on 06/04/2013 9:21:46 AM PDT by alloysteel (If you want to see the true measure of a man, watch how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.)
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To: fwdude

If the attempt is made you can be sure the “groups” under the control of the enemy will surely contest...and they have the cash to do so.

These groups are already active and assisted in bringing about this “change” in the Boy Scouts.

I think we too easily forget that “deception” is the rule to attaining a foothold..... This has been going on for sometime now in the Boy Scouts. Once it began to generate millions and was nationwide it became ‘a target of revenue’ to those watching.

Same within the Catholic Church...it’s not only about “practicing in the safety of the church” but about the revenues the Catholic Church has.....and is also why the Mormons “use” the Boy Scouts.


29 posted on 06/04/2013 9:24:52 AM PDT by caww
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To: SeekAndFind

The Boy Scouts held out for quite a long time, but the commies and liberals prevailed.
I’m not abandoning them because they are being coerced into their current situation. Maybe they could make a stand again if given enough backing.


30 posted on 06/04/2013 9:27:45 AM PDT by BuffaloJack (Gun Control is the Key to totalitarianism and genocide.)
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To: NonValueAdded

Well clearly the Scouts have already been taken over....I would not have my child in this group now...God didn’t call us to sacrifice the well-being of our children for the sake of “some” good things...but to “come away” when the war is lost.....the battle to keep out homosexuals has been lost. The decision made.

Now people have to do the responsible thing and remove their children from that influence..and I will add “danger”.


31 posted on 06/04/2013 9:30:09 AM PDT by caww
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To: SeekAndFind

No way in blazes will my family have anything to do with the Scouts ever again. I hold the whole organization in abject contempt. They are a disgrace to everything they once stood for. I truly spit on them.


32 posted on 06/04/2013 9:40:36 AM PDT by greene66
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To: caww

I “left” the modern catholic church with it’s lax laws and joined a Latin Mass Catholic Church. What a difference! No “good outweighs the bad” in the Latin Mass, but strict adherence to the rules. I love it!


33 posted on 06/04/2013 9:46:27 AM PDT by MondoQueen
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To: alloysteel

Wouldn’t it be better if the Boy Scouts issued a clarification to their ruling stating: “Any boy regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, will be accepted into a den. Any boy who sexually harasses another boy will be kicked out. Period.”

I had my kids in scouts for a year and the only mention of sex in the material was a notice that kids should be aware of anyway: that if someone (anyone) says they want to take pictures of you naked or touches you inappropriately, that you need to run away and get help. Doesn’t this still apply?


34 posted on 06/04/2013 9:48:21 AM PDT by WiLdAtHeArT30
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To: circlecity

It would seem your assumption is that homosexuality is a condition. Repeat after me, “homosexuality is a behavior. it is defined by one man sticking his penis up another mans anus.


35 posted on 06/04/2013 9:50:02 AM PDT by PeterPrinciple
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To: NonValueAdded

I can’t believe you said that~ “the good outweighs the bad” Did Jesus recommend such a course of action? That’s the problem with many churches today, including the “modern” catholic church. “love the sinner hate the sin” “don’t judge anyone” etc.


36 posted on 06/04/2013 9:52:32 AM PDT by MondoQueen
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To: circlecity
Actually, the Bible says that homosexual behavior is a sin.

Looking for a loophole?

37 posted on 06/04/2013 9:56:36 AM PDT by tbpiper
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To: stanne

I’m referring to churches shunning the BSA now that it will welcome openly “gay” boys, and no doubt Scout Leaders, in the near future.

If a person acts sinfully without any remorse, regret, shame, guilt or desire to change for the better, and even worse, promotes such behavior to others - in essense, recruting them - such a person (or an organization) should damn well be shunned.


38 posted on 06/04/2013 9:59:44 AM PDT by little jeremiah (Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. CSLewis)
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To: WiLdAtHeArT30; alloysteel

The BSA now welcomes “openly” “gay” boys. The very next step is homo Scout Leaders. If homos kept quiet, they could be in the BS. But this is all about shoving the homo agenda, opening, in the BBA. There is not a smidgeon of doubt about this.


39 posted on 06/04/2013 10:01:39 AM PDT by little jeremiah (Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. CSLewis)
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To: circlecity

NAMBLA is literally licking their lips after successfully pushing for this change in BSA policy.

PURE EVIL!!!!!!!!!!!!


40 posted on 06/04/2013 10:02:46 AM PDT by newfreep (Breitbart sent me...)
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