I think you have it. The LDS scouting system operates as an auxiliary to the Aaronic Priesthood program. First there is the Aaronic Priesthood leadership. Second comes the Scouting leadership structure, which merely implements the objectives of the first.
There is a pro-forma acknowledgement of the democratic principles of scouting, but the real control of the program rests in the Aaronic priesthood program. As I remember it even the patrol leaders were selected through the church appointment, and the vote basically ratified that decision.
We had non-LDS scouts in our troop, but the LDS church effectively ran everything. Since the policy change doesn't apply to leaders, I can see why they could swallow it. After all they want to sexually repress every boy in Scouts--gay or straight, and their statement effectively affirmed that. The statement noted that the church considers all sexual conduct by Scouting-age youth "contrary to the virtues of scouting." (quoted in Washington Post, May 24, 2013 p. A15).
However, I think the pressure will continue to lift the ban on gay leaders, and that will test Mormons and other conservative religions further. They would not be able to do the kabuki dance that avoids allowing a scout leader who doesn't fit their mold. Such leaders could put the Scouting authority in conflict with the Priesthood authority, which is the last thing LDS leaders want.
It is absolutely a step in the right direction. But I keep thinking about a lesbian mom who was a den mother to her son's troop, but made to leave when she was outed. Just how is she any kind of a threat to boys? Baby steps, I hope. Hopefully soon they'll get the rest of the way there.
I have an uber TBM friend on Facebook and it's kinda funny seeing him react to the news today. He's super anti-gay, and he's actually critical of the church as he sees them giving in to the world LOL. Here's what he's posted:
"Didn't we just hear from April General Conference from L. Tom Perry, President Monson, among others that God's laws are unchanging?? God's laws DO NOT change on the whims of a darkening society. I love the gospel of The Son of God. I don't think He agrees with this. It contradicts what His prophets just told us less than two months ago. How can you support anything contrary to God's law?"
"Not sure what to do with this... :("
Plus one more quote because it's funny!:
"My thoughts 5/23: There is no greater peace than being in "the rest of The Lord". It is the recognition that God is proud of us when we serve others and follow His law. However, if we feel peace from being idle in the gospel, where is that peace coming from? How can you be in "the rest of The Lord" and not do your hometeaching? Serving others? Is this not the great commandment Jesus Christ Himself gave us?"
Have a FB friend who just posted the scout oath or code on his page. It's the crappiest backdoor (heh) way to say I HATE GAY PEOPLE without actually saying it. Ugh.
The decision partially brings BSA into the 21st century. Because BSA still doesn't allow gay leaders, it is the only non-Muslim scouting organization that still forbids gay leaders.
It's a ridiculous issue in the first place - you can't test for gayness so how do you screen them out? If a person wants to be in scouts and is gay, all they have to do is keep quiet about it. Like I did. Like thousands have over the years.
"If a person wants to be in scouts and is gay, all they have to do is keep quiet about it."
What point did I miss?
The fact is that the Scouting organization is and has been a bigoted one. Thankfully, that is changing, slowly, but it's changing. Up till yesterday, if a scout was determined to be gay they were kicked out, today that's only true for leaders.
I've re-read the post and all I get out of it is that if you are gay and want to be a scout, stay in the closet, deny who you are and hid it. This is unhealthy and causes a lot of problems for the LGBT community and demeans the work that a lot of LGBT's and their supporters are trying to educate people on.
This kind of attitude runs counter to the message of what scouting is supposed to teach, being true to yourself and building confidence.
What am I missing, I'm willing to listen, really, I am, but telling me over and over again to re-read something and not providing anything actual statements doesn't really clarify anything.
Again, I read this as, if you are gay and want to be a scout, stay in the closet. Again, this is not a healthy attitude and demeans the work that people have been fighting for for a long time.
I'd love to see what happens to the first Deacon or Teacher they find is holding hands with their boyfriend. After all, that is ok if it is your GIRLfriend right? So are they really implementing the law of chastity the same way?
BSA just shot themselves in the head. This is effectively the end of BSA as we know it. BSA already doesnt resonate with modern youth as evidenced by their membership dropping from 4 million at its peak years ago down to just over 2 million. 70%-ish of BSA members are religious and the majority of religious people these days think being gay is immoral. Whether you agree with that or not, it's true. Support by parents and leaders and straight youth, because of this decision, will plunge and BSA will become an irrelevant organization. Lots of people are touting the LDS church's seemingly positive immediate response as a victory, but there is no way LDS will stay affiliated with BSA in the long run. LDS brass in SLC dont like to shake the publicity tree if they dont have to and they would be slaughtered in the media if they came out against this new BSA ruling right away. They will slowly phase themselves out of BSA as the activity arm of the AP and into something else. There are WAY too many voluntold leaders within the church that fundamentally disagree with this that the already lackluster support of scouting (outside of utah and some other pockets) will continue to get worse. It is already difficult to run a scouting unit in a typical ward and now it will be even harder because parents/adult ward members deep down no longer identify with the scouting movement.
If the kolobians leave scouting, that would be the BEST thing that could happen to the BSA.
these numbers you are talking about, the drop you cite is specifically because of the discrimination. Scouting in NYC has dropped by 95% since 2000 BECAUSE of the kolobians.
50,000 boys and 50,000 girls enter scouting age every year in NYC alone. Now that the stain of kolob has been removed, we can get back to the business of providing scouting for the inner city kids.
You know, those kids that B-P invented scouting for in the first place.
And I also question your assertion that the majority of religious people think being gay is immoral. There are many churches, including mine, that have been open and welcoming to the LGBT community for quite a while. And many churches, including mine, that have been running scout units in compliance with own their internal policies and in open defiance of the national scout policy of exclusion.
I see this as a huge opportunity for the pervert Morg Bishop especially with his great powers of discernment "knowing" which boy is a gay scout, but nobody else (except for the righteous leader or two) is aware of it.
He's got the scout master keeping tabs on every co-habitant in the gay teen's pup tent. His eyes are constantly watching to see if the gay scout meanders off with another scout in the woods, or sneaks off to the bathrooms in God's holy meeting house and if so for how long.
The bishop will grill/question all parents to report on any friend, visit or sleep over with the gay scout by another Aaronic priesthood scout.
If you think authorized BKP little factory tampering interviews will subside - then think twice.
The scoutmaster will keep tabs on which boy is always hanging out with the known gay scout. Imagine the grilling interviews by the Bishop to the other boys - interrogating the bejesus out of the others. Oh the fun for a sicko-sanctimonious-snoopy Bishop.