Exclusion of gays not very Christian

On July 16 a special committee of the Boy Scouts of America voted to exclude gays from their organization. This has nothing to do with a mockery of marriage, civil unions or homosexual sex. This has to do with adolescents, teens and young adults being excluded from the BSA.

I honestly feel that progressive and Orthodox Christians should all agree on this issue. I challenge all Christian, followers of Christ, to drop any association whatsoever with the Boy Scouts of America.

Twelve years ago the Supreme Court said the BSA had a right to exclude gays from their organization. The Supreme Court also said a fetus has no rights. What the Supreme Court says has no bearing on what is right and wrong to a Christian. A gay person, like a leper in Christ’s day, has no choice in being who he is.

So, let the BSA exclude gays, it’s their right. But Christ excluded no one, even those who persecuted Him. As believers in Christ, we should all do the same. They killed Christ for this same kind of thinking.

If the Catholic Church alone breaks off the BSA, maybe they would lift the ban, as was done with the military.

The benefits of scouting, and they are numerous, could be obtained in other ways by other organizations. Anyone who has ever been excluded from anything would certainly agree. As Christ said, “Sell what you have, pick up your cross and follow me.”

James J. Abbott

St. Charles