I think the reason they allow all the boys to be a part of scouts, regardless of orientation, is that no boy is ostracized. The leaders, all of which live by high moral standards, (in theory--two deep leadership, etc.) can keep a watchful eye and even have older boys in different tents than younger ones, if they are on the same excursion together. This just means we have to do a better job as parents of educating, preparing our kids for how to handle uncomfortable situations, should they arise, and helping kids to honor their bodies and their choices, so that they feel comfortable saying "no" when needed. They need to know these skills for any situation that could arise...even on a mission with a companion, although that is much more unlikely, but it has happened. Sometimes just being included during the difficult teens and impressionable ages and seeing good examples can heal some of the hurt and emotions that caused one to feel acceptance by choosing alternate paths in the first instance....I am fine with that comment. My intent would never be to harm a young impressionable kid by excluding because they acted effeminately or "gay" - but I would NEVER want my kid polluted by a kid whose motives were less than pure. The emotional and spiritual wreckage lasts a lifetime. Thankfully, I do not have to deal with it as my only living boy is pretty much done with Scouts and I think the Church will slowly move away from the institution as Scouting becomes more and more irrelevant and the divide grows ever wider in society. So I do not expect it to be a problem for my kids - Lord come quickly!!
The idea that people should train their children to be effective in deflecting immorality really hits home with me. I have had plenty of opportunities in my life to do so. One time where homosexuality was involved was when I was a Zone Leader in Fortaleza on my mission. I had one of the best Zones that worked hard and the Sisters were just on fire - almost as many Sisters as Elders and I was constantly making them treats for having worked the hardest and the Elders went hungry.... The Sisters really were the leaders in the Zone and we just sat back and watched in amazement as they worked the Elders under the table. There was one sister, a junior comp who I could tell was struggling. Well, down there, there were typically two and sometimes three companionships to a house and sometimes, in smaller apartments, they slept on bunks for lack of room. The senior comp got the upper bunk and the junior comp got the lower bunk - both Brazilian. Well, one night the junior comp got feelings for the senior comp - and tried to cop a feel with a hand going into the upper bunk..... Bad juju. Of course, the senior comp freaked out and the younger comp was sent home and that was the end of that. Hey, it happens with the nuns in the Catholic Church - so should we expect anything else in this situation? There is always a bad apple in every crate.....
While in that mission, I had to break up an engagement (serious stuff in Brazil) between an Elder and a local, send a lesbian home and my trainer had not resisted when a couple of Brazilian "snakes" broke into their house and were naked in their armoire waiting for them when they got home and were getting undressed and putting their clothes away. So he was sent home for not dismissing them summarily. All Brazilians. Its that hot Portuguese blood that can be blamed on the Arabs that invaded the Iberian Peninsula long before Columbus was around. All I can say is this - I was glad to get out of there without having had a close shave. So - yes - we need to raise our kids to know how to rebuff inappropriate advances. I do not get much into that world for good reason, but I have seen enough to know that its a jungle out there - and a dangerous one at that.
As I see charity decrease in the world, I understand that the underlying mechanism is most likely lack of chastity (previous blog piece).
I liked your first reaction better. I have been pondering this for years...anticipating the eventual cave in to social and political pressure. We can rationalize all we want for justification. Scouting is NOT a requirement for my sons exaltation...it is a handy and nice program once centered on moral standards and devotion to God. Plain and simple they have caved and aet aside an important aspect of their foundation. All to the pressure of the lgbt community exerting their muscles in this arena. They showed their colors a few months ago when they caved in...but suddenly backed off for fear of lost funds. Their soul is sold imo. I dont like to do business or give support where it is reasonably possible to withhold my support to organizations hat cower in upholding correct principles. Bottom line...they had a correct principle as their foundation and they are on the slippery slope of compromise...that will lead to no victory for truth. My son can do without the program. I believe in generations of successful god fearingparents that raised sons without scouting and I will do the same. I will not serve as a den moher or have my husband waste our family time in scouts. I had four brothers and and sixteen nephews that are eagles...the tradition ends with my line. As for Christ speaking to he brethren and this decision being His will manifested...that is full of naieve speculation. I dont believe that anymore than I believe Chriat told them to take away my constitutional rights as a private citizen when they advanced the Salt Lake City ordinance that they...he Church...then opted out of having to abide as a Church...but got forced upon me as a citizen. Research it if you dont know what I am talking about. February 2010. The church can exclude gays from their hiring practices and dorms...but I can't do the same in my own business or basement rental. Hmmm. Sounds hypocrtical to me. Sounds like the Doctrine and Covenants admonition to support constitutional laws was violated also. I think man's approval was souht after to make us appear non homopbobic after the prop 8 debate...rather than seeking revelation from God. Love the leaders...they do their best...but it isnt always Christ speaking in every decision they make. I could go on..but I will end for now. BTW I am currently being polled every few months by he Church as to my opinion on a myriad of matters....I can with assurance say MANY if not most of hese types of decisions are based on answers to those polls cause I see he questions hey ask and respond.
ReplyDeleteP.S. to my post above (written on my phone, sorry it was all ONE huge paragraph)
ReplyDeleteThe reason given by many, and the Church, that they are "okay" with this compromise is that they don't want to "exclude" any of the boys.
Well, their is a problem with that reasoning. The truth is....NO BOYS WERE EXCLUDED BEFORE...UNLESS THEY CAME OUT AND WERE OPENLY ACKNOWLEDGING THEY WERE GAY. The program as it existed before held a standard of morality wherein to participate, one would have to play by the rules, so to speak. OBVIOUSLY, there WERE and ARE boys that struggle with same-sex attraction, or believe themselves to be gay, that have been in the scouting program for the last 100 years...BUT, THEY KNEW IT WAS AGAINST THE MORAL CODE OF ACCEPTED BEHAVIOR. In other words, they knew that their struggle was a struggle against something which was not acceptable to God.(just as we all struggle with things we have to suppress because we know they are wrong to God). To me, this was good. I view homosexuality as a sin to be fought against if you struggle with it...not to submit to. Just like I think we fight against all our immoral drives that are outside of the bounds God sets.
So, now, with the change, what we are saying is that a boy CAN now be openly admitting and talking about his homosexuality (as long as he doesn't act on it, I presume). So, are the Scouts now saying it is OKAY to be gay in the minds of the boys...or is it still NOT okay? How do the boys interpret this new policy? Also, homosexual leaders are NOT allowed...so is the Scout and all scouts for that matter, to assume that homosexuality is okay while you are young, but not when you are old? Is there going to be any "morally straight" code of conduct taught anymore in the scouts? Will they know that the scouting program believes homosexuality to be wrong in the eyes of God or not? They will be sending a mixed message if they keep their moral code and allow boys to opening acknowledge themselves as homosexual...and they will be diluting the program if they abandon the moral code.
Clearly, the fact that boys of all tendencies were allowed before...as long as they weren't advertising it openly...but now we are allowing their admittance openly...shows that this whole thing IS INDEED just a victory for the homosexual community that wants to infiltrate everything that those they disagree with hold dear. This was NOT and NEVER has been an agenda advanced for the betterment and need of the boys...this is clearly the homosexual agenda at it's finest infiltration and destruction of what God-fearing people believe.
I'm just not going to sit there and act like it's not a big deal when it is the crack in the door that will eventually blow wide open.
We all know this won't be the end. The homosexual community isn't going to let it end here. I'd wager that within 5 years, we will see that the door opens even more (if it even takes that long). I would have rather seen the scouts die on principle and close their doors than to cave in on the FOUNDATIONAL GOD-FEARING MORAL PRINCIPLES to stay in business. But I guess that's the bottom line...it's become a business in Babylon just like everything else. Oh the mighty dollar speaks, doesn't it.