Bishop responds to Boy Scouts' decision on admission of homosexual members [CWN]

[CWN_News]

Bishop Robert Guglielmone of Charleston, the episcopal liaison of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to the National Catholic Committee on Scouting, has responded to the Boy …

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[Julian0404]

Bishop Robert Guglielmone of Charleston, the episcopal liaison of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to the National Catholic Committee on Scouting, has responded to the Boy …

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Now this is the position I believe we should take versus immediately rejecting the entire Scouting Organization in favor of starting all over again. This allows us the opportunity to start over, but at the same time remaining Catholic in the current scouting program.

 

[bsroufek]

Now this is the position I believe we should take versus immediately rejecting the entire Scouting Organization in favor of starting all over again. This allows us the opportunity to start over, but at the same time remaining Catholic in the current scouting program.

I understand the Bishop’s stance, but I believe that letting SSA boys into the BOY scouts is just getting a foot in the door for homosexual practices. Not that boys have sleep overs or anything – never been a boy scout – but openly gay boys is not healthy for our Catholic children.

 

[VickK]

Dear All,

Was shocked by news re BSA latest development.

Think I can help many by proposing alternative - myself I am a leader in scouting Catholic Organization - www.fneexplorers.com. - this is such an easy solution and already available in major cities and Europe and nowadays in some cities in North America.

God Bless,
Victor (aka VickK)

 

[westNwewaxation]

I think this is a great idea! God bless

 

[NeedImprovement]

I understand the Bishop’s stance, but I believe that letting SSA boys into the BOY scouts is just getting a foot in the door for homosexual practices. Not that boys have sleep overs or anything – never been a boy scout – but openly gay boys is not healthy for our Catholic children.

Amen.

I also think their premise is neither truthful, nor morally sound.

I think if I had a child involved, I would have a more in-your-face approach with scouting officials and take them to task on their very own wording :“sexual orientation.”

“No youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone.”

Yet as a general rule, that is precisely why we don’t have boys mixed with girls in scouting - isn’t it ?

We don’t think it’s a good idea to have boys-who show a sexual preference for girls, in girl scouts or girl guides, or to have girls-who show a sexual preference for boys, in boy scouts at that age where the hormones are kicking into full gear . . . Do we ? . . . So where does anyone *pretending to be responsible * get the weird idea that it is totally fine to have boys who show a sexual preference for boys among those boys whom he has a sexual preference for ?

. . . Funny how, even concerning the education of very young children today, the rule always changes to favour active homosexuality before ever considering any parent’s sacred right to ensuring the well-being and safety of their child.

uch:

:dts:

 

[VickK]

Something else - the Federation of North American Explores didn’t came “out of the blue” - is the branch of FSE - which has been blessed/approved by Holy See : ewtn.com/library/CHISTORY/zeuroguides.htm

Currently we have many emails/calls form all North America - re more information, how to join - how to start FSE at their Parish/Town - by all means - PM me, or go t our web site - just search for “Federation of North American Explores” - you may already have it next door

God Bless,
Victor

 

[bsroufek]

Dear All,

Was shocked by news re BSA latest development.

Think I can help many by proposing alternative - myself I am a leader in scouting Catholic Organization - www.fneexplorers.com. - this is such an easy solution and already available in major cities and Europe and nowadays in some cities in North America.

God Bless,
Victor (aka VickK)

Thanks! That’s the solution. As though BSA were the only alternative!

 

[edwest2]

Now this is the position I believe we should take versus immediately rejecting the entire Scouting Organization in favor of starting all over again. This allows us the opportunity to start over, but at the same time remaining Catholic in the current scouting program.

I don’t believe the evidence shows that this change is enough for the instigators. Had this been a purely, non-forced internal discussion among the leadership of the Boy Scouts, that would be one thing. There is no starting over, since the instigators have already stated the current change has not gone far enough. While we can await further comments from Church leadership, we should either remove our boys now or be aware of Catholic alternatives now.

It’s a fact that they were gay scouts who went through the program in the past without incident. Ask yourself: Was this change/decision really necessary at all?

Peace,
Ed

 

[wynnejj]

Am I detecting FUD, followed with a little anti-FUD chaser?

“I kind of expected that this is the way the vote would go,” said Bishop Guglielmone. “I’m not particularly encouraged by it, but I knew it would happen eventually. As the policy change is right now promoted, we can live with it. Unfortunately, there are many people who are interpreting this policy to go much further than it actually does, particularly in the secular press.”

 

[Cat_Herder]

I’m going to briefly come out of my leave from this forum to second the Federation of North-American Explorers (FNE) as an alternative to the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). As has been mentioned, the FNE is the U.S. branch of the FSE (Federation of Scouts of Europe), and thus it has its own history and well-established program. It should also be noted that the FSE in Europe has both Protestant and Catholic members (see Wikipedia), and thus, this program is expressly Christian without requiring its members to be Catholic. This makes it a viable alternative for most everyone who has been displaced by the BSA.

Everyone who would like to see the FSE evaluated for expansion as a replacement for the BSA should email the “On My Honor” committee at contact@onmyhonor.net. OMH is an organization, sponsored by the National Christian Foundation, that is working to build a replacement program for the BSA. Critically, this committee organized the protest of the BSA resolution, and so it consists of and is followed by all of the displaced BSA members who are looking for an alternative. We would all be well served by the OMH committee adopting FNE/FSE as its replacement program for the BSA. In your email please be sure to mention the joint Catholic/Protestant heritage of the FSE, so they do not dismiss this option due to their Protestant membership.

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

I understand the Bishop’s stance, but I believe that letting SSA boys into the BOY scouts is just getting a foot in the door for homosexual practices. Not that boys have sleep overs or anything – never been a boy scout – but openly gay boys is not healthy for our Catholic children.

Of course boy scouts have “sleepovers” – they’re called campouts, weekend camping trips, and jamborees. They are fine experiences and perfectly normal for boys to bond together at that age.

 

[edwest2]

FUD ?

Ed

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

I’m going to briefly come out of my leave from this forum to second the Federation of North-American Explorers (FNE) as an alternative to the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). As has been mentioned, the FNE is the U.S. branch of the FSE (Federation of Scouts of Europe), and thus it has its own history and well-established program. It should also be noted that the FSE in Europe has both Protestant and Catholic members (see Wikipedia), and thus, this program is expressly Christian without requiring its members to be Catholic. This makes it a viable alternative for most everyone who has been displaced by the BSA.

Everyone who would like to see the FSE evaluated for expansion as a replacement for the BSA should email the “On My Honor” committee at contact@onmyhonor.net. OMH is an organization, sponsored by the National Christian Foundation, that is working to build a replacement program for the BSA. Critically, this committee organized the protest of the BSA resolution, and so it consists of and is followed by all of the displaced BSA members who are looking for an alternative. We would all be well served by the OMH committee adopting FNE/FSE as its replacement program for the BSA. In your email please be sure to mention the joint Catholic/Protestant heritage of the FSE, so they do not dismiss this option due to their Protestant membership.

Hard to embrace an organization that expressly discriminates against Jews, however.

 

[Cat_Herder]

Hard to embrace an organization that expressly discriminates against Jews, however.

Wake me up when Christians are allowed to read the Torah in a synagogue.

It is not discrimination to associate among members of your own faith to the exclusion of others. If you’re looking to pick a fight, you won’t get one from me because I have much better things to do. Au revoir.

 

[wynnejj]

FUD ?

Ed

Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. I think the good bishop is showing some clear signs. He is not encouraged … suggesting that he was not please with the decision … would have preferred otherwise. If he is truly channelling the general pulse of the bishops, then those that have come out thinking all is OK with this decision are not in line with the general pulse. Of course, this could be just his reaction only. He’s basically saying that he knows it looks bad and he agrees but, it actually isn’t as bad as it looks.

 

[zab]

Bishop Robert Guglielmone of Charleston, the episcopal liaison of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to the National Catholic Committee on Scouting, has responded to the Boy …

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"Bishop Robert Guglielmone of Charleston, the episcopal liaison of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to the National Catholic Committee on Scouting, has responded to the Boy Scouts of America’s approval of a resolution stating that “No youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone.” …
…
…“Church teaching is very clear that the homosexual inclination is not sinful and that same-sex attraction is not immoral,” added Bishop Guglielmone, “but that what we’re dealing with here is the distinction between the inclination and the conduct. The standards remain the same as they always have for scouts. Homosexual activity will not be condoned.”
*…“*The leadership of the BSA has made it very clear that they intend to hold the line on adult leaders, but they also said they would hold the line on this issue, so where this could go, I don’t know,”

So let me get this straight (no pun intended)- It is OK for a youth to be openly gay, that is, to affirm that he has an inclination towards being homosexual but is not active (because the rules still apply), but if an adult leader admits that he or she has an inclination or a same sex attraction but is not active, and lets say holds completely to the beliefs of the Catholic Church in this regard, then this person who practices true chastity if forbidden from being a leader? Seems like a clear injustice to me and an opportunity for those instigators to take another step.

 

[Cat_Herder]

So let me get this straight (no pun intended)- It is OK for a youth to be openly gay, that is, to affirm that he has an inclination towards being homosexual but is not active (because the rules still apply), but if an adult leader admits that he or she has an inclination or a same sex attraction but is not active, and lets say holds completely to the beliefs of the Catholic Church in this regard, then this person who practices true chastity if forbidden from being a leader? Seems like a clear injustice to me and an opportunity to take another step.

Sigh. Okay, I’ll respond to this as well.

What is an injustice is to expose boys, whether heterosexual or homosexual, to the near occasion of grave sin.

Now, we all know that the homosexual inclination is not in and of itself sinful; however, creating an environment in which someone is tempted to act on it, **especially when the actor is a youth and therefore is immature and vulnerable to the sexual desire, ** is a grave injustice.

This is why the BSA does not have Boy Scouts* and Girl Scouts* in the same camp overnight. And it’s also why the policy change is a huge injustice. No one, I repeat no one, wants to discriminate against gay boys here. By keeping them out of the program the BSA were trying to PROTECT them from falling into unchastity and sin. But now the BSA has decided that it is “safe enough” to take the risk. If it was my son (and regardless of his sexual orientation), I wouldn’t want him to be a guinea pig in this experiment. Would you?

 

[Faithdancer]

The bishop’s statement reminds me of the rhetoric of political candidates.

 

[zab]

Sigh. Okay, I’ll respond to this as well.

What is an injustice is to expose boys, whether heterosexual or homosexual, to the near occasion of grave sin.

Now, we all know that the homosexual inclination is not in and of itself sinful; however, creating an environment in which someone is tempted to act on it, **especially when the actor is a youth and therefore is immature and vulnerable to the sexual desire, **is a grave injustice.

This is why the BSA does not have Boy Scouts* and Girl Scouts* in the same camp overnight. And it’s also why the policy change is a huge injustice. No one, I repeat no one, wants to discriminate against gay boys here. By keeping them out of the program the BSA were trying to PROTECT them from falling into unchastity and sin. But now the BSA has decided that it is “safe enough” to take the risk. If it was my son (and regardless of his sexual orientation), I wouldn’t want him to be a guinea pig in this experiment. Would you?

Why the sigh