Boy Scout Troop welcomes Gay Leaders- Tuesday, Utah group announced that it will sponsor a Boy Scout troop after the group pressed legalization of gay marriage in the state.
In 2013, the Boy Scouts decided to allow openly gay youth but not gay adults or leaders. But the decision changed when the National Executive Board voted to end the ban, though leaders pledged to defend any religious organizations to continue excluding the gay adults being volunteers as scoutmaster, camp counselor or den leaders.
Lastweek, the Boy Scouts ended its ban on gay adult leaders while allowing church sponsored Scouts units to maintain exclusion for religious reasons.
According to Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin, “Today’s vote by the Boy Scouts of America to allow gay, lesbian and bisexual adults to work and volunteer is a welcome step toward erasing a stain on this important organization,but including an exemption for troops sponsored by religious organizations undermines and diminishes the historic nature of today’s decision. Discrimination should have no place in the Boy Scouts, period.”
Cecilia Price, a spokeswoman for the archdiocese said: “we do not discuss with the media the pastoral situation of individual parishioners.” adding,“we have both the right and the responsibility to choose leaders whose character and conduct are consistent with church teaching.”
She said, “All pastoral leaders in these ministries should be able to provide a credible and integrated witness in their lives to the teachings of the Catholic Church, including its teachings on marriage, sexuality, and charity.”
As one of the nation’s biggest sponsors of the Boy Scout units they expressed their deep concern about the decision that they pointed out was inconsistent to the church’s teachings. They said that the Boy Scout’s represented traditional values and the decision did not.
Utah activist Charles Frost said: “Scouting is an important place for boys to learn outdoor skills, teamwork and leadership, I learned how to be a leader largely due to scouting.”IMAGE/cnn.com
