The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, which sponsors more Scout units that any other organization, said in a statement that it was “deeply troubled” by the decision. “As of today, the Boy Scouts of America is an organization that is looking forward, not back”. He joined the cub scouts when he was just 6-years-old and says while this choice is a step in the right direction, discrimination has no place in scouting because it sends a destructive message to children.
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BSA executives will now try to mend fences with former members and corporate sponsors who fled after the group stuck by its previous policy of excluding gay adults.
“Chartered organizations will continue to select their adult leaders and religious chartered organizations may continue to use religious beliefs as criteria for selecting adult leaders, including matters of sexuality”, the Boy Scouts of America said in a statement.
The Boy Scouts of America has made a big change. But that assurance has not satisfied some conservative church leaders.
“I’m sure some churches will struggle with the change and that may mean that they will rethink their embracing of scouting altogether”, said Duane Anders, the lead pastor of the Cathedral of the Rockies Methodist Church.
Religious groups, however, expressed stern opposition on the decision and have been apprehensive about the lifting of the ban on gay adults. Gates admitted that in the last two years, troops around the country began disregarding the mandates coming out of the national headquarters by announcing that gay men and boys are welcome in their troop. Mr Gates also cited broader gay-rights developments and warned that rigidly maintaining the ban “will be the end of us as a national movement”. New York Attorney General, Eric T. Schneiderman announced Monday that his office was ending its investigation of the Scouts for violating state anti-discrimination laws in response to the announcement.
In recognition of the large number of Scout troops sponsored by religious institutions, the repeal of the organization-wide ban does not require individual troops to permit gay leaders.
“If there are some troops that will include (gay members), then maybe it will help them”, he said.
On one hand, even though they are pleased, LGBT advocacy groups have said the change doesn’t go far enough.
Like several other major youth organizations, the Boy Scouts have experienced a membership decline in recent decades.
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The Boy Scouts has about 2.5 million members between the ages of seven and 21, as well as 960,000 volunteers in local units, according to the organization. The BSA national council announced they were considering to leave the decision of inclusion of gays to the local unit level.
