Mormon Church May Quit The Boy Scouts Even Though They’re Not Obligated To Allow Gay Scout Leaders

If anyone needed proof of just how vindictive and anti-gay the Mormon Church actually is, here’s a great example.

The Boy Scouts of America Monday evening dropped their decades-old ban on gay adult Scout leaders. The organization, however, did so with the stipulation that at the local level Scout troops and councils could choose to retain the ban if they chose to do so. That stipulation was included because an estimated 70 percent of Boy Scout troops are run by Christian organizations.

The Mormon Church, according to its website, had over 350,000 Scouts at different levels, at the end of 2010.

Mormon Church leaders, as usual, were quick to comment on this latest equality development, announcing they will consider pulling out from the entire Boy Scout of America program.

“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,” a Church press release states. “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 release also claims that the LDS 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.”

The Mormon Church is able to refuse to allow gay Scout leaders, in keeping with Monday’s decision by the BSA.

Yet the appear to have decided that the very presence of gay adult Scout leaders in other Scouting councils and troops is just too much to allow?

Image: “The Duty to God Award in use prior to 2002. This was presented to young male members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in conjunction with their participation in the Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America,” via Wikimedia

 

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