by Chris Thomas
The Virginia Christian Alliance is calling on churches to drop their affiliation with the Boy Scouts. The move comes less than 24 hours after the Boy Scouts announced they are lifting their ban on gay scout leaders.
“I think it’s the beginning of the end of the boy scouts,” said Don Blake who is the president of the Virginia Christian Alliance. “Parents have to fear their children being molested.”
Just a few years back, Richmond protestors rallied against allowing openly gay children into the scouts. A document made the rounds in the fan district that proclaimed “KEEP SCOUTING MORALLY STRAIGHT.” The Christian Alliance is fed up now that openly gay scouts and leaders are allowed.
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“All the church people who believe in the bible need to drop out of the boy scouts and start their own program,” said Blake. “There are existing programs out there.”
Scout leaders note there is an exemption for troops sponsored by religious organizations.
“If an organization says it’s against our religious faith to have someone who is openly gay as their leader that’s their choice in this new decision,” said Deputy Scout Executive Todd Martin.
Martin says the move actually gives local chapters more choice.
“And if a person happens to be gay, but is the best selection as determined by the parents of those scouts,” said Martin. “Then they have the choice now to make that determination.”
“We’re co-mingling the churches that believe in the bible with churches that don’t believe in the bible,” said Blake. “It isn’t going to work in the long run.”
Martin has a different prediction.
“We will lose a few people here and there,” said Martin. “But I think overall we will show an increase. I think people will embrace what is going on here.”
The change is effective immediately.
First Published on WWBT Channel 12 News and reprinted here with permission.
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