1913-2015 RIP? winds of change with the Boy Scouts.

“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is deeply troubled by today’s vote by the Boy Scouts of America National Executive Board. In spite of a request to delay the vote, it was scheduled at a time in July when members of the Church’s governing councils are out of their offices and do not meet. When the leadership of the Church resumes its regular schedule of meetings in August, the century-long association with Scouting will need to be examined. The Church has always welcomed all boys to its Scouting units regardless of sexual orientation. However, the admission of openly gay leaders is inconsistent with the doctrines of the Church and what have traditionally been the values of the Boy Scouts of America.

As a global organization with members in 170 countries, the Church has long been evaluating the limitations that fully one-half of its youth face where Scouting is not available. Those worldwide needs combined with this vote by the BSA National Executive Board will be carefully reviewed by the leaders of the Church in the weeks ahead.”  Press release by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints regarding the decision to lift the ban on gay leaders in the Boy Scouts of America.

I have been a registered member of the Boy Scouts of America, since 1972. (minus one year while serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints [LDS Church]) .  I love the BSA, and have always supported the organization.  They stood against atheists, and held ground on its moral policy for years, winning victories in the US Supreme Court, even when the Girl Scouts bailed on their policies, trying to appease the intolerant left, who could not stand that anyone have values or believe in God.  

I know about the sexual molestation charges. They were, and remain, disgraces on the system, but more often than not they were failures at whichever level to follow national policy.  There is no excuse for not being fully open and vigorously prosecuting those that acted in that way.  That policy, by the way, was the rationale for not allowing gay leaders. I suspect however, that those issues will be what are emphasized in regards to this announcement, and what the LDS church decides.

What bothers me most about this is that the LDS church specifically requested that the vote be delayed so that they could participate, and even though the LDS church is the largest national sponsor of chartered organizations in the country, they were ignored.  That is a bad omen.  I wonder if the release of the above statement gave the BSA pause, if they hadn't considered that these sponsors may pull out.  Would it be the end for the BSA if the LDS church pulls out?  If they are the only one, no, probably not, but I strongly suspect that the Catholic Church, as well as some of the more conservative national protestant organizations may follow suit as well.  That would be the end of the BSA as we know it.  

It will be very hard for me to turn away from the BSA.  I won't lie.  At the same time, I have seen that those organizations that water down their stance on moral or spiritual issues tend to fall to the way side.  They are propped up for a time by their new benefactors, who want to support the cause du jour, but they will move on to another cause and the organization, now a mere shadow of itself is left to twist in the wind, becoming whatever some new benefactor wants it to be.  That would be a sad day.

OF course, what I wanted to write regarding the rage at the REPUBLICAN party, in particular, the SENATE GOP, will have to wait another day.