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May 31st, 2013
04:19 PM ET
Baptists plan exodus from Boy ScoutsBy Daniel Burke, CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor (CNN) - For Southern Baptist pastor Tim Reed, it was Scripture versus the Scouts. “God’s word explicitly says homosexuality is a choice, a sin,” said Reed, pastor of First Baptist Church of Gravel Ridge in Jacksonville, Arkansas. So when the Boy Scouts of America voted to lift its ban on openly gay youths on May 24, Reed said the church had no choice but to cut its charter with Troop 542. “It’s not a hate thing here,” Reed told CNN affiliate Fox 16. “It’s a moral stance we must take as a Southern Baptist church.” Southern Baptist leaders say Reed is not alone. Baptist churches sponsor nearly 4,000 Scout units representing more than 100,000 youths, according to the Boy Scouts of America. That number could drop precipitously. The Southern Baptist Convention, the country’s largest Protestant denomination, will soon urge its 45,000 congregations and 16 million members to cut ties with the Scouts, according to church leaders. The denomination will vote on nonbinding but influential resolutions during a convention June 11-12 in Houston. “There’s a 100% chance that there will be a resolution about disaffiliation at the convention,” said Richard Land, the outgoing head of the Southern Baptists’ Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, “and a 100% chance that 99% of people will vote for it.” “Southern Baptists are going to be leaving the Boy Scouts en masse,” Land continued. Roger “Sing” Oldham, a spokesman for the Southern Baptist Convention, emphasized that local congregations make their own decision on the Scouts. But he, too, said he expects Baptist delegates, which the church calls “messengers,” to voice their disagreement with the BSA's decision to allow gay youths. “With this policy change, the Boy Scouts’ values are contradictory to the basic values of our local churches,” Oldham said. Several religious groups with strong Scouting ties support the new policy. “We have heard from both those who support the amended policy and those who would have preferred it would not have changed,” said BSA spokesman Deron Smith. Faith-based organizations charter more than 70% of Scout chapters, providing meeting space and leadership, according to the BSA. “There have been some organizations that have decided not to renew their charters with Scouting," said Smith, "but we can’t quantify the impact of the amended policy." The National Jewish Committee on Scouting, the United Church of Christ, the Episcopal Church, the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which sponsors more Scout units than any other faith, all endorsed the change. The National Catholic Committee on Scouting, which is run with oversight from a bishop, said Thursday that allowing gay youths in the Scouts does not conflict with church teaching. Each bishop will decide whether or not to allow churches in his diocese to charter Scout units, the committee added. “We ask that Catholic Scouters and chartered organization heads not rush to judgment,” said Edward Martin, chairman of the National Catholic Committee on Scouting. But the Rev. Derek Lappe, pastor of the Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Bremerton, Washington, has already made up his mind. “I do not feel that it is possible for us to live out, and to teach, the authentic truth about human sexuality within the confines of the Boy Scout’s new policy,” said Lappe. The priest told CNN affiliate FOX16 that his parish will part ways with the Scouts and develop its own programs. There may soon be an alternative to the Scouts for social conservatives like Lappe. John Stemberger, founder of On My Honor, a group that opposed the Scouts’ change in policy, plans to convene conservatives in Louisville, Kentucky, in June to consider forming a new Scout-like group, which could be up and running by the end of 2013. “Churches and Scoutmasters are looking for leadership and direction,” said Stemberg, an attorney in Orlando, Florida. A number of conservative religious denominations already sponsor their own groups. For instance, the Southern Baptists have the Royal Ambassadors, an explicitly Christian program founded in 1908 for boys in first through sixth grade. (A similar group called Challengers equips older boys in “mission education.”) The name comes from the New Testament, in which the Apostle Paul tells Christians to be “ambassadors for Christ.” The estimated 31,000 Royal Ambassadors pledge “ to become a well-informed, responsible follower of Christ; to have a Christlike concern for all people; to learn how to carry the message of Christ around the world; to work with others in sharing Christ; and to keep myself clean and healthy in mind and body." While not as outdoorsy as the Boy Scouts, Ambassadors do camp and play sports, said Land, who was a member of the group during the 1950s. But instead of merit badges for archery and bird study, young Ambassadors earn patches for memorizing Bible verses and mission work. Southern Baptists said they are preparing for a surge of interest in the Royal Ambassadors at their upcoming convention in Houston. “We really have an opportunity here to strengthen our RA programs,” the Rev. Ernest Easley, chairman of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee, said in a sermon last Sunday, “and to get the boys in a program where they’re going to be protected, where there’s a high moral standard and where they will have an opportunity to learn about camping, missions, evangelism in the local church.” soundoff (10,821 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 Next » |
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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Wonderful.
The fewer kids in churches the better for our society in the long run.
Actually Bill, crime (sin) skyrocketed since the atheists threw Jesus' teachings from public schools/buildings.
And then you wonder why many good people are deciding to leave the church for unfortunately deciding to stand for hate instead of love.
Don't worry BSA, the Catholics will take the boys for you.
I am currently a BSA leader, I also happen to be a supporter of gay rights. (Ah yeah and I am 100% straight). When I was younger I used to be a Royal Ambassador. In no way does RA compare to a Scout. RA set around and basically do nothing but attend meetings where you pretty much do bible study. Not that I am saying anything is wrong with Bible study because that's not what I am saying. I am just saying that is like comparing apples and oranges.
Jesus warned,
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Matthew 7:13
Amen.
I do not understand. How do we help sinners (if that is what they are) by ignoring them...?
Dorene – EXACTLY !! Maybe it's Satan's way to ensure a certain group of people NEVER get the chance to get saved?
move on.
Yes – how DO we help these poor, ignorant bigots to carry on? Poor, poor church people – they don't have the brains to find their own nether orifice, but they're busy telling everyone else how to live. Hopefully the lake of fire prepared for satan and his angels will have enough room for them.
ITs a hate thing, power thing, and control thing for a church! They have to have the sin to have power to control people!
If is their money, why can't they spend it how they want?
Religions at work (far from being the full list):
Palestine (Jews vs. Muslims), the Balkans (Orthodox Serbians vs. Catholic Croatians; Orthodox Serbians vs. Bosnian and Albanian Muslims), Northern Ireland (Protestants vs. Catholics), Kashmir (Muslims vs. Hindus), Sudan (Muslims vs. Christians and animists), Nigeria (Muslims vs. Christians), Ethiopia and Eritrea (Muslims vs. Christians), Sri Lanka (Sinhalese Buddhists vs. Tamil Hindus), Indonesia (Muslims vs. Timorese Christians), Iran and Iraq (Shiite vs. Sunni Muslims), and the Caucasus (Orthodox Russians vs. Chechen Muslims; Muslim Azerbaijanis vs. Catholic and Orthodox Armenians)
It's so sad that most of the hate movements are initiated and maintained by religious organizations historically. Intolerance and bigotry are being teamed with jingoism these days in religious and political groups. Of course the Baptists have been moving toward full support of theocracy in the US for the past 50 years. Their insistence on only one interpretation of belief started with the takeover of their ouster of any "deviant" beliefs in their seminaries. What a great bunch to add to our social ills.
The bible is merely a book, constructed of paper and ink, written by guys who counted wealth by the number of wives you could afford, and is no more the "word of god" than Tom Sawyer or Green Eggs and Ham.
Perfectly spoken. I agree.
Have you read this book?
It is not a HATE thing; it's about standing up for what you believe to be right or wrong. If you believe allowing openly gay children (minors) as members was a wrong decision for the BSA to make, then leave. The BSA has (had) a strong moral code as it's foundation, as it's guiding principles, but is getting changed as time goes by. If you really want to have fun, read a Scout manual from the late 1940's then compare that to what is printed today. The differences are remarkable.
The only reason the churches are under fire for pulling their support is because so many of them have sponsored Scouting in the past because the Scout values and the Christian values were much the same. Now, they are not. How many troops does the ACLU support? Does CNN provide space for Scout meetings in it's buildings? Will Gay organizations now flock to the BSA and fill the financial and material voids? Will all of you complaining about the churches' actions now pledge your support? Your time, money, resources, leadership, and your values? Come on people – stand up for YOUR beliefs and contribute to the "New" Scouting. (I dare you) Or will you just sit back, complain, and do nothing of substance?
So sad to see Scouting cave in to pressure instead of standing up for what it (used to) believe in. It was neither brave nor loyal. THAT is what will eventually destroy the organization. At least the church has the strength to stand up for theirs.
The Baptists are leaving, showing how full of hate and darkness they truly are. They are so full of hate they don't grasp that associating with gay people does not make you gay; that what gay people do between themselves is of no concern to them OR their children – a good number of whom ARE gay themselves.
These people are picking and choosing which "sins" are acceptable and which are not – for example, I imagine there are plenty of Baptists who eat shellfish, wear clothes made of blended fabrics, and are [shudder] divorced. This is pure bigotry – and hate – wrapped in the cloak of religion. Typical.
You know what, it's churches who are falling apart because now they realize that people are starting to stand up for their rights as human beings (like Jesus did, standing up for rights of EVERYONE around him). Gays have always been part of the Scouts Organization; they just didn't say so. And, they did a brilliant job raising and educating "children" (not just the straight ones). Now, that the church realized that gays were part of the community all along, they panic because they realize that their discriminatory teachings don't hold up against great, law (and church law) abiding citizens (who happen to be gay and mind you, didn't choose to be gay). Grow up and start dealing with this "coming out' in a civil and mature manner as Jesus taught us to. The military opened its doors to blacks, women, gays. Do you mean to imply that that was a weak thing to do? So, blacks/women/gays are allowed to defend our country, but they are not welcome as leaders/teachers/and so on? Where do you put the line? Do you want them to wear "rainbow color shirts" so you can distinguish them and set them apart? What you do behind the doors in your house, is your business. And, what happens behind the doors in a black/woman/gay's house is their business.
I can't wait for the boys to come over to earn some merit badge time with old uncle handy hank
Southern Baptists do not need to maintain affiliations with the BSA. There are plenty of other organizations, such as the KKK and the Tea Party, that would welcome affiliations with hateful Southern Baptists.
Sounds like you work for IRS.
I got another cool new merit badge for the new boy scouts – interior decorating. thats a good one
You're a very lonely man aren't you
"I got another cool new merit badge for the new boy scouts – interior decorating. thats a good one"
Sociologists and psychologists hold that some of the emotionality in prejudice stems from subconscious attitudes that cause a person to ward off feelings of inadequacy by projecting them onto a target group. That's right folks homophobic people like this are just insecure and immature.
you are being attacked for your thoughts and beliefs......shoes on the other foot today.
Jay mac. Not lonely at all here. Great wife, 2 children in college. High paying job, 2nd home at the beach. It's all good here. I was a scout and up until recently donated to my local troop. Not anymore. Let the gay community do it
It never falls to amaze me how intolerant those who demand tolerance can be on both sides of this. If LGB have the right to demand tolerance so does any other group. But in truth PC can only go one way right.
Correct Harry. This is why I refer to the libs a "Libocrites". Liberal + Hypocrite.
Scott
Nobody is demanding anything, except the religious bigots, who are demanding that freedom be limited to just them, because their imaginary floaty thing in the told them so.
When gays can make a baby and bring a new life into the world without the intervention of a scientist to do it then I'll be impressed and more open towards the gay community. Until then, I'm still for the advancement of mankind, not the digression of it.
Perfectly said...
Hey dumb dumb... and lesbian can chose to lay with a man to have a baby and any gay man can choose to do the same with a woman. And you know what? This has been true since humans existed.
Do you feel the same way about sterile heteros?
"When gays can make a baby and bring a new life into the world without the intervention of a scientist to do it then I'll be impressed and more open towards the gay community."
You're an idiot there are straight couples that can't have children without "help."
I agree 100%
sure, because that is relevant. not.
What does making a baby – which any pig or dog in the street can do – have to do with civil rights?
When you grow a brain and get an education and become an adult, you ass, maybe others will give a ripe fvck what you think.
man can choose to do the same with a woman. CHOOSE..thats the key word, its about a lifestyle choice!
Actually, I don't mind people born or chose to be gay. It is all part of the natural selection in evolution. Good that there is a natural law that gay naturally cannot bear children.
I bet you've made like 50 kids with 5 different momas. Impressive stuff, CaesarXIII, impressive stuff.
I'll be impressed when there are no more ignorant babies being born because that's the only problem in this world! For the rest, I have no problem with black/female/gay/handicapped babies being born. And, I also don't discriminate against ANY couple who cannot procreate of their own; it's about creating loving/accepting/understanding/intelligent families to move the world forward and make it a happy place for EVERYONE!
No, its NEVER a hate thing. Yeah, sure, like I will ever believe that bald faced lie from a pedophile organization.
Here's a name suggestion for the Southern Baptist scoutlike group: Keeping Khristians Klean.
Perfect.
How about "Keeping Christards Hateful"?
Here's another one "Future Tea Partier's of America"
Good! The Scouts don't need the help of a hate group anyways.
Yes, the millions of Black Southern Baptists likely do hate your kind.
Oh yes they do. Those dirty little pan handlers need all the money they can scrounge up
I will still buy boy or girl scout cookies.
What are you talking about Billfit? It is Blacks people's very religion to hate ALL White people anyway. Always has been, always will
This is the right decision by the Southern Baptist Community. In an age where so many people say one thing and do another, they are living out their faith and showing the priority of Scripture in their lives. Sadly, there are tons of intolerant naysayers who spurn the Baptists for doing this. The beauty of America is that the Boy Scouts are free to make poor moral decisions and people like the Baptists making their exit are free to leave the organization, if they like.
"It's not a hate thing here," Pastor Reed, but good riddance to you and those like you.
Not to change the subject matter but I have seen a lot of references to ancient writings predating the Bible on this blog. What's fascinating to me is that the people who refer to those writings have no problem approve of them as authentic and not the Bible!
For the benefit of the everyone, look up the Dead Sea Scrolls which have also been authenticated by state of the art technology!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Sea_scrolls
Regarding the subject matter:
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/11/my-take-gay-christian-is-not-an-oxymoron/comment-page-5/#comment-2337710
All written by MORTAL MEN. Show me one written only by a GOD! They don't exist.
"But God came to me in a dream and said to say this."
"Prove it."
If a God or Goddess wants their word spread they inform more than one wacko sitting under a tree, they give the image to thousands at the same instant.
So, you're saying that because things are old, that they are true, is that it? So, if I tell a lie, write it down, and wait 2,000 years, it will become true! Thank you for this insight.
Can't wait til my son earns his "Interior Decorating" badge....
"Can't wait til my son earns his "Interior Decorating" badge...."
Sociologists and psychologists hold that some of the emotionality in prejudice stems from subconscious attitudes that cause a person to ward off feelings of inadequacy by projecting them onto a target group. That's right folks homophobic people like this are just insecure and immature.
My comment is best viewed with 'Sarcasm Detection' turned on. I agree with your post.
Instead he'll probably just live his life in total inadequacy, intolerance, and irrelevance; as do his parents.