Letters: More on the Scouts decision

Shouldn’t turn our backs on the Boy Scouts

Chip Turner’s letter was welcome and timely. Our church (Wesleyan) sponsors a Boy Scouts troop. Recent changes have brought concern. Do we continue to support an organization that has voted to allow a behavior that we are so strongly against?

I have two grown sons who were Scouts. Both completed requirements for Eagle, both attended BSA summer camp each year, both attended the National Jamboree and both are better men for the contribution scouting had in their formative years. My oldest son is a leader of the troop he was once part of as a Scout and our church now sponsors. If we, as Christians, turn our backs on this organization now; then, once again, as with prayer in schools, Satan has won.

We need to be strong as Christians and address this situation as Jesus would. Jesus would not hide behind the doors of the church. He would be where the unsaved reside, teaching them about God’s love. This is an opportunity for us to do the same. Churches need to set a positive example, not turn their backs to an organization that needs them now more than ever.

Thank you for publishing this letter. I don’t know if you realized it would venture beyond the Southern Baptist denomination (of which I was once a member); but I’m glad it has. It stated what I wanted to formulate into words. I will carry this word into our church and wherever else it needs to be heard.

Rebecca McCall

Flat Rock, N.C.

Stop mixing Spirit & fantasy

After reading your editorial, “Boy Scouts, cultural hegemony & transforming love,” I could do nothing more than walk away downing my head and saying, “no, no, no!”

I can’t believe you are calling for Christians in America indirectly to disregard Bible doctrine and in a indirect way ignore Scriptures such as Romans 1:22-27, 32; 1 Timothy 4:1-2; James 4:4 and Revelation 22:-12-14, that deal with worldly issues like sexual immorality and other perversions.

I despise racism just as much as any other man or woman. I grew up facing it most of my life. I caught hell from black, white and people other races just because I am of mixed race.

Stop mixing the true work of the Holy Spirit with this fantasy that you are advocating.

Christian persecution is coming to these United States just as much as it exists in other countries. I believe in the Jesus Christ of the Bible that saves and not some prop-up worldly Son of God.

Gilbert Harmon

Hempstead

 

When ‘no’ is loving

Raising children taught me that saying “no” is sometimes the most loving thing that one can do. The last time I checked, the words “shalt not” were pretty prominent in the Ten Commandments.

My only point of agreement with you is that we cannot let love die out in our hearts.

Having traveled to Third World countries and worked with Christians who are persecuted minorities, I can tell you that they are usually more conservative than professing Christians in America. Go figure.

Dan Wooldridge

Georgetown

 

Church charter & Scout troop

As a Baptist minister myself, I can appreciate Chip Turner’s heartbeat regarding evangelism and outreach. It is to be commended.

However, I have a major concern that I would like to pose.  The homosexual movement for civil rights is fighting hard to maintain that the homosexual “lifestyle” is just as “morally straight” as any other heterosexual lifestyle. The goal is that being “gay” is not immoral nor is it a “sin,” and societal understanding should move from “tolerance”  to “acceptance” and ultimately to “celebration.”

It is my understanding that the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender movement needs to do away with the notion that the “gay” lifestyle is a sin and immoral in order to reach their goals of equal civil rights.

Where does this leave the church charter of a Scout troop? The Bible is very clear that homosexuality is sin (Roman 1, 2).

Yes, we are all sinners. There are “lost” sinners and there are “sinners” saved by grace.  Yes, Jesus will not turn away sinners, but ee also never leaves them in their sinful state. He provides the Holy Spirit, and the “sinner” saved by grace is now a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Homosexuality, according to the Bible, is a sin (like any other sin) and as such is never to be accepted nor celebrated.

Question:  Will it become illegal—against policy—for me to openly call homosexuality a sin and immoral in the Boy Scouts?

Robert Fields

Alpine

Extremely dangerous situation

As a Scout leader for 40 years and as a Baptist all my life, I will comment on your editorial.

My priority as Scout leader has always been to try and protect Scouts from dangerous situations and also to let them push “their limit” to allow for growth in all areas. I believe allowing gay youth in BSA is an extremely dangerous situation for the Scouts. By accepting gay youth, BSA is supporting “lukewarm” behavior toward homosexuality.  Jesus, according to God’s word, said he would spit out “lukewarm” followers.

The abomination of an active homosexual (If he admits he is homosexual, he is sinning against God.) is a sin against man and God, no matter the age.

“Hate the sin, but love the sinner.”

I will continue to pray our God will save us from ourselves.

Tony Perkins

Winston-Salem, N.C.

 

Ready for the next step

Thank you so much for this inspiring “random element” editorial. As a Baby Boomer who also grew up reading the Baptist Standard, I can really identify with it.

I dreamed of becoming a missionary, marrying, and raising the three children I knew I would have in Africa! None of these things happened. Instead, I taught high school and then at a Baptist university in Arizona for many years.

And I can confirm your five lessons in my life, too. Yes, life is very hard and unpredictable sometimes. But God’s love and grace brings us through, gives us peace and joy, and makes us ready for the next step into the future!

Go Boomers!

Fran Smith
Fort Worth

 

Splitters or dissidents?

You noted the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship came about when the Southern Baptist Convention “split.” The CBF currently has about 1,800 churches; the SBC has 46,000. The CBF claims 700,000 members; the SBC claims just under 16 million.

You may call that a split, but I’d call it a group of dissidents leaving the SBC.

Bob Cleveland
Pelham, Ala.