A New Pharoah

The church just released a statement that in light of yesterday’s vote to allow openly gay leaders it will be “re-evaluating” its 100 year relationship with Boy Scouts of America.

Here’s the statement from the church:

SALT LAKE CITY — “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is deeply troubled by today’s vote by the Boy Scouts of America National Executive Board. In spite of a request to delay the vote, it was scheduled at a time in July when members of the Church’s governing councils are out of their offices and do not meet. When the leadership of the Church resumes its regular schedule of meetings in August, the century-long association with Scouting will need to be examined. The Church has always welcomed all boys to its Scouting units regardless of sexual orientation. However, the admission of openly gay leaders is inconsistent with the doctrines of the Church and what have traditionally been the values of the Boy Scouts of America.  As a global organization with members in 170 countries, the Church has long been evaluating the limitations that fully one-half of its youth face where Scouting is not available. Those worldwide needs combined with this vote by the BSA National Executive Board will be carefully reviewed by the leaders of the Church in the weeks ahead.” (My emphasis added)

I find the statement refreshing and long overdue and commend the church for what I think is a step in the right direction.  If for no other reason, the church’s growth into countries where Boy Scouts does not exist or where laws allowing discrimination against immorality are not protected, ought to be good enough reason to finally abandon this this now infiltrated and overrun institution.  I find it ironic that this is happening under the direction of a man who once was Secretary of Defense.  But that’s a topic for another day.

I’d like to briefly examine three comments in the above press release.  Keep in mind that this statement was put on LDS.org’s front page the evening of the BSA vote on July 27.  The church’s statements are always very careful, well-timed, and legally crafted.

1)  “In spite of a request to delay the vote, it was scheduled at a time in July when members of the Church’s governing councils are out of their offices and do not meet. When the leadership of the Church resumes its regular schedule of meetings in August, the century-long association with Scouting will need to be examined.”

I find this statement very interesting for a few reasons.  First of all, do you really suppose BSA would have ever considered this major change in policy in a million years without getting the church’s consent / feedback?  The church represents 40% of BSA’s revenue and 25% of its membership (so I’ve heard).  BSA is building a 3 Million Dollar Lodge named after Thomas Monson after all.  Would it risk the church’s support at this point?  The answer is always “maybe” but I have to think it’s not likely.

Further, if the church felt this way two weeks ago or two years ago, why not a press release then that warned BSA it would re-think Scouts if it ever voted to allow openly gay leaders rather than a “wait and see” mode?  Why not that courtesy to an organization it has a 100 year relationship with?  Would BSA have ever dared vote against its biggest supporter?  I suppose it’s possible, but I’m guessing it’s unlikely.

It seems strange to me that the church is now crying foul, this late in the game, and that BSA “denied their request to delay the vote.”  Why didn’t the church make that statement public a few weeks back?  Just seems fishy.

If nothing else, maybe the church wants to come off as “being out of the loop” so it can pretend it does not have its fingerprints on this and that it’s been nothing but “thoughtful.”  All the while apparently keeping options open.

2)  “The Church has always welcomed all boys to its Scouting units regardless of sexual orientation.”

This is simply not true.  If an LDS boy came out as openly gay 10, 20, or 50 years ago, do you really believe the church would have allowed him to participate in Scouts anymore than they would have let him advance in the Priesthood?  Maybe I’m wrong, but I think this statement is disingenuous.  I think the church is trying to say that we have always loved all of our boys no matter their orientation and are committed to them and IF and WHEN they commit to being moral (whether gay or straight), then they can also participate in scouting and the Aaronic Priesthood.  But even then, to say that one is gay while being chaste was even discouraged not many years ago.  Hence the focus on “same sex attracted” rather than saying one “is gay.”  Go back 50 years and show me where we encouraged a young man to call himself gay if he was keeping the law of chastity.  Again, maybe I’m wrong.

3)  “However, the admission of openly gay leaders is inconsistent with the doctrines of the Church and what have traditionally been the values of the Boy Scouts of America.”

If this is true, then why is the church now calling openly gay men to serve in Young Men’s and in bishoprics?  What if the gay leader is committed to being chaste? which seems to be the newly promoted ideology behind the church’s website Mormonsandgays.org.  What happened to “The attraction itself is not a sin, but acting on it is. Even though individuals do not choose to have such attractions, they do choose how to respond to them.”?  Is calling leaders to serve who are openly gay, but not acting out, now also inconsistent with the doctrines of the church?

My Conclusions

I think there is the slight chance the church is changing its position on the issue of gays and scouting.  And there is one reason:  There is a new Pharoah in Salt Lake City and unlike President Packer, the twelve assume he will outlive the current president of the church and he will become the next prophet.

President Nelson is known for his assertiveness.  He has headed the infamous Strengthening the Church Members Committee for a number of years and is responsible for numerous excommunications throughout the church.

It will be interesting to watch how this particular issue plays out in the church.  I hope the church bails on scouts and forms its own program which can better accommodate the needs of LDS kids struggling with same sex attraction.  As a dad of many boys, I support the brethren in that direction 100%.