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Churches Boot Boy Scouts for Lifting Ban on Openly Homosexual Members

  • Religion Today Religious persecution, missions, Christianity around the world
  • Updated Jun 03, 2013

Following the Boy Scouts' recent vote to lift its ban on openly homosexual members, a number of churches across America have announced they will be cutting ties with the organization, Christian News Network reports. The majority of entities that charter with the Boy Scouts are either faith-based organizations or churches; however, some churches have now decided not to allow the Scouts to use their facilities any more as the organization no longer represents their moral values. Pastor Mike Shaw of the First Baptist Church of Pelham, Ala., is among those ending his alliance with the Scouts. He recently explained that his church could not in good conscience support the acceptance of sinful behavior. "We don’t hate anybody," Shaw told reporters. "We're not doing it out of hatred. The teachings of the Scripture are very clear on this. We're doing it because it violates the clear teaching of Scripture." Pastor Ernest Easley of Roswell Street Baptist Church in Marietta, Ga., said his church would no longer support the Scouts either. "It is extremely sad," he stated. "I'd never dreamed that I'd be standing in front of a group preaching on Sunday, encouraging parents to pull kids out of Boy Scouts of America. If we're a church that affirms God’s word as the inerrant word of God that we're going to live by, that we're going to raise our families by, that we're going to do church by, then it may be sad, but it's a simple decision. We are not going to put our arms around organizations that openly oppose the moral guidelines taught in God's word." The Southern Baptist Convention plans to vote next month on a resolution in regard to the Scouting policy, which may result in additional churches distancing themselves from the organization. A number of Christian organizations are predicting a mass exodus from the Boy Scouts of America following last month's decision.