LDS and Scouting | The Salt Lake Tribune

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It is no surprise that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints supports the proposed policy of the Boy Scouts of America to allow gay teenage boys to be Scouts but still keep upright gay men from being Scout leaders, for it means no policy change at all for the church ("Mormon church endorses Scout plan: let gay boys join, keep out gay leaders," Tribune, April 26).

How can the church not support a change that aligns the BSA more perfectly with its own position?

Since all Scouts are supposed to be sexually abstinent, the issue of their sexuality is really not an issue. But even for a gay man in a loving, committed, monogamous same-sex marriage, a man who helps "other people at all times" and keeps himself "physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight," and who is "trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, reverent" — that rare man is, incredibly, beyond the pale.

What would be noteworthy, if the LDS Church were tolerant enough to support letting upright gay men lead Scouts in non-LDS troops. But, no, they champion a position that makes every Scout everywhere be just like them.

George Andrus

Salt Lake City