Stephen Cyr, 13, left, and his brother Paul Cyr, 15, of Boy Scout Troop 21 in Oak Cliff, Texas, attend the Save Our Scouts Prayer Rally in front of the Boy Scouts of America National Headquarters in Irving, TX Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2013. (AP Photo/Richard Rodriguez)
(CNSNews.com) – The results of a Boy Scouts of America (BSA) survey shows that a majority of members support keeping in place the policy that prohibits homosexuals from joining or leading the organization.
Ahead of a May 23 vote on whether to change its policies to allow openly homosexual scout members and/or gay scout leaders, the BSA has provided CNSNews with the results of survey conducted in February of BSA members, parents, donors and other interested parties.
The survey’s executive summary describes it as “the most comprehensive listing exercise in [BSA] history.”
The survey shows that of the 200,000 adult members who responded, 61 percent are in favor of keeping the current policy, which excludes open and avowed homosexuals from the BSA; while 34 percent of the respondents said they would like to see the current policy changed.
When the responses were broken down further, the data showed a majority of respondents in every category supporting the BSA’s current policy of excluding open and avowed homosexuals:
• 50 percent of Cub Scout parents support the current policy; 45 percent of Cub Scout parents oppose it.
• 61 percent of Boy Scout parents support the current policy.
• 62 percent of unit leaders support the current policy.
• 64 percent of council and district volunteers support the current policy.
• 72 percent of chartered organizations support the current policy.
The survey encompassed five study groups – Youth, Parents and Leaders, National Council, finance and fundraising, and legal.
“Scouting’s review confirmed that this remains among the most complex and challenging issues facing the BSA and society today,” the executive summary states. “Even with the wide range of input, it is extremely difficult to accurately quantify the potential impact of maintaining or changing the current policy.
“While perspectives and opinions vary significantly, parents, adults in the Scouting community, and teens alike tend to agree that youth should not be denied the benefits of Scouting.”
The resolution to be voted on later this month states that “No youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone.”
But the resolution also says youths must “abide by the values expressed in the Scout Oath and Scout Law,” honor their duty to God, and “demonstrate behavior that exemplifies the highest level of good conduct and respect for others and is consistent at all times with the values expressed in the Scout Oath and Scout Law.”
The Boy Scout oath reads: “On my honor I will do my best, To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”
The Boy Scout Law says a Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and revenent.
An Apr. 30 article in the Christian Post reported that Boy Scout officials in Houston, Texas voted on Monday to uphold the current policy of excluding homosexuals in its jurisdiction.
“The Board of Directors of the Sam Houston Area Council voted to support the current membership policy of the Boy Scouts of America, which does not proactively inquire about the sexual orientation of employees, volunteers, or members, but does not grant membership to individuals who are open or avowed homosexuals or who engage in behavior that would become a distraction to the mission of the BSA,’” the council said in a statement.
According to the CDC, “gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) represent approximately 2% of the population, yet are the population most severely affected by HIV,” the virus that causes AIDS. “In 2010, MSM accounted for 63% of all new HIV infections,” said the CDC.
Source material can be found at this site.
