How would you answer?

In my past I participated in an organization called the Boy Scouts of America. This group of folks have seemingly good goals, and in general I enjoyed my time as a boy scout. I even attained the rank of Eagle Scout, effectively the highest honor. I am proud of what I accomplished while actively participating. I learned a lot of skills that have stuck with me until this day, and a lot of the lessons learned truly shape who I am as a person.

In the last few years there has been a debate over membership, acceptance, and generally whether one group of people can exclude certain members based on a specific criterion. This is an issue that I have been following as I am an alumni.

I was not utterly surprised when in February the vote to allow certain groups was postponed at the national council meeting. The vote that would have been held was to allow or deny people who are attracted to members of the same gender to join the BSA as either a scout or a scout leader of some kind.

Today I received an email that clarified why the vote was withheld. The BSA has in fact sent out a survey to folks asking their opinions on specifics. There isn’t anything saying that the questions should be kept confidential, so I’m going to share them with you, along with the possible answers presented. My opinion shouldn’t be the determining factor for how you would answer these questions, so I’m going to leave my opinions out on this post.

Question 1

Tom started in the program as a Tiger Cub, and finished every requirement for the Eagle Scout Award at 16 years of age. At his board of review Tom reveals that he is gay. Is it acceptable or unacceptable for the review board to deny his Eagle Scout award based on that admission?

Possible Answers:

Notes

Question 2

David, a Boy Scout, believes that homosexuality is wrong. His troop is chartered to a church where the doctrine of that faith also teaches that homosexuality is wrong. Steve, an openly gay youth, applies to be a member in the troop and is denied membership. Is it acceptable or unacceptable for this troop to deny Steve membership in their troop?

Possible Answers:

Notes

Question 3

Bob is 15 years old, and the only openly gay Scout in a Boy Scout troop. Is it acceptable or unacceptable for the troop leader to allow Bob to tent with a heterosexual boy on an overnight camping trip?

Possible Answers:

Note

Question 4

Johnny, a first grade boy, has joined Tiger Cubs with his friends. Johnny’s friends and their parents unanimously nominate Johnny’s mom, who is known by them to be lesbian, to be the den leader. Johnny’s pack is chartered to a church where the doctrine of that faith does not teach that homosexuality is wrong. Is it acceptable or unacceptable for his mother to serve as a den leader for his Cub Scout den?

Possible Answers:

Note

Question 5

A gay male troop leader, along with another adult leader, is taking a group of boys on a camping trip following the youth protection guidelines of two-deep leadership. Is it acceptable or unacceptable for the gay adult leader to take adolescent boys on an overnight camping trip?

Possible Answers:

Note

Question 6

A troop is chartered by an organization that does not believe homosexuality is wrong and allows gays to be ministers. The youth minister traditionally serves as the Scoutmaster for the troop. The congregation hires a youth minister who is gay. Is it acceptable or unacceptable for this youth minister to serve as the Scoutmaster?

Possible Answers:

Question 7

Now that you have seen several scenarios related to what has happened or could happen in Scouting, please answer one question again. The current Boy Scouts of America requirements prohibit open homosexuals from being Scouts or adult Scout leaders. To what extent do you support or oppose this requirement?

Possible Answers:

Question 8

Do you believe the current policy prohibiting open homosexuals from being Scouts or adult Scout leaders is a core value of scouting found in the Scout Oath and Law?

Possible Answers:

Question 9

Different organizations that charter Boy Scout troops have different positions on the morality of homosexuality. Do you support or oppose allowing charter organizations to follow their own beliefs when selecting Boy Scout members and adult leaders, if that means there will be different standards from one organization to the next?

Possible Answers:

 
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