The Boy Scouts of America are considering allowing gays into scouting. This is a very symbolic and therefore important moment in the struggle for GLBT rights. But 70% of scout troops are sponsored by faith based organizations. Some of those churches are threatening to withold funds and kick the scouts out of their buildings.

“If that is what the leadership is doing, then I think it will be a sad day in the life of the Boy Scouts of America,” Fred Luter, president of the Southern Baptist Convention,  told the Baptist Press. “This is a tradition that so many of us across the country grew up in. We were in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts in elementary school, and this organization has always stood for biblical principles — all the things that grounded our lives as a young kid growing up. To now see this organization that I thought stood on biblical principles about to give in to the politically correct thing is very disappointing.”

Now is the time for those people of faith who do not consider homophobia to be a Christian teaching to be heard. Now is the time for us to reach out to the scouts and help them do the right thing. For this extortion not to work, mainstream Christian Churches must step in to provide the support that fundamentalists are withdrawing. Call your local scout group now and tell them you will help provide for them if they will end their rejection of GLBT scouts.

http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/churches-threaten-pull-funding-if-boy-scouts-drop-anti-gay-ban