Boy Scouts of America (B.S.A. B.S.)

The wife and I were away this past week and it wasn't until yesterday that I learned about the Boy Scouts of America and their decision to let openly gay scouts join their ranks.  The decision has created a spark within our local Troop and I for one am very disappointed in the decision for one reason.

I'm disappointed that a private organization gave in to political pressure from parties that have no vested interest.  What's this world coming to when a private, social-club can't decide for themselves who can or cannot join?   What's next?  Are tree-houses going to start getting pressured into allowing girls in?  That's a world I don't want to live in.

The BSA's decision doesn't bother me.  What bothers me is the response I've seen on other blogs and heard from Christian parents that are ripping their kids out of Boy Scout troops and starting their own groups.  Many parents have said that the Scouts have lost their Christian values by allowing gay scouts to join.  I was taking the my son to scouts for about seven months before I even knew it was a Christian organization.

I took the boy to an outdoor campfire meeting and the topic was about faith.  When the leader started mentioning God and Jesus I started cringing.  You never know what kind of Christian you're talking to.  Is it the God-is-Love type or the You-danced-at-a-party-and-are-going-to-Hell type?  I didn't know where he was going with his lesson and feared we had joined a cult.  After all, the meetings were always followed by punch.

That night was the first I knew of the Boys Scouts and their Christian tradition.  This is what bothers me about the reaction by some people.  If  you are going to take a Christian perspective, why wouldn't you want to allow those people you feel need God (in this case, homosexuals) into your group?  What better way to show them God's love than to invite them into your circle and interact with them.  I'm not saying you have to share the same sleeping bag, but you could at least invite them to go camping.  If they can't hear about God from your Christian Troop, then where will they?

And let's not forget who we're talking about when we say Scouts.  We're talking about young adults, kids really, under the age of 18.  These kids are just looking for a place to fit in--a sense of belonging.  And your Christian response is to push them away while teaching the "straight" scouts to do the same?  Please, by all means, start your own group.  I'm sure Westboro would be proud to sponsor your splinter cell.

Jesus was fairly inclusive.  About the only people he ever excluded were the religious leaders of his day--the same religious people who turned away whores and hated people of ethnicity unlike their own.  If you want to play the Christian card that's fine, but don't play that card while you're shunning the same people you should be loving.