Boy Scouts & the Mormon Church

The Mormon church has used the Boy Scouts of America as their youth program for boys 11-18 for many years now.  Every boy is automatically registered with the local troop.  This makes for a significant LDS presence in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA).  About 12% of the Boys Scouts are Mormon.  Recently, the boy scouts have been targeted by political groups looking to establish more widespread acceptance of homosexuality.  Sadly, the BSA is woefully underfunded (like many charitable organizations) and is unable to afford the sort of prolonged legal battle their opponents are willing to wage.  So they caved.

If there's any question whether or not homosexual acts are permitted under the Judeo-Christian law, take a look at Leviticus 20:13: If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.  The New Testament stops short of recommending the death penalty but it is also filled with similar unequivocal denunciations.

When the BSA announced their change in policy to admit homosexual scoutmasters and other leaders of all sorts, many of the LDS priesthood were expecting the church to discontinue its affiliation with BSA.  Even if the BSA cannot afford a prolonged legal and political fight, they failed to stand for their own principals.  Until the LDS leadership announced they would stay with BSA, there was a lot of speculation about what would replace boy scouts. 

I have spent many years as an LDS Scoutmaster and I have spent a long time pondering whether or not the church should keep the program.  LDS troops are run differently than a non-LDS troop and the differences are so many that whenever I go to BSA training, I'm constantly trying to translate between the two.  Not only do we do a somewhat modified version of scouting but for a lot of countries there is no boy scouting.  So that's three points in favor of dropping scouting.  In the end, I decided the church did the right thing.

There's something the Boy Scouts have that is precious that I do not believe anyone else has.  They have a clearly defined and appealing message of virtue and adventure that is capable of holding young men that churches simply do not offer.  Let me illustrate.

Gospel Virtues: 

• Faith,
• Hope,
• Charity,
• Meekness,
• Humility,
• Righteousness,
• Godliness,
• Longsuffering,
• Diligence,
• Mildness,
• Patience

Yes, it seems that Christianity is for weak-willed wimps.  This simply is not the wish of young boys racing around on their imaginary steeds waving wooden swords.

 Scouting Virtues:

• Trustworthy,
• Loyal,
• Helpful,
• Friendly,
• Courteous,
• Kind,
• Obedient,
• Cheerful,
• Thrifty,
• Brave,
• Clean,
• Reverence

Now here is something young boys can rally for!  It's more a restating of Christian ideals than a repudiation.  The gospel virtues are more inner-directed and the scouting virtues more outwardly apparent but they are both about the same thing:  brotherly love (gospel version) and teamwork (scouting version).  In other words, it's not just about you!

I think the Brave virtue is a great illustration.  That word does not even appear in the Bible.  Sure, there are many instances of bravery (David confronting Goliath comes to mind) but of all the things King David is remembered for, I have never hear the word "brave." 

The Mormon church, in an effort to sanctify their membership, prescribe large doses of service and, to that end,  provides many opportunities to serve your fellow man.  Same for BSA, after all, Eagle Scouts have to complete a service project of about 100 hours in order to qualify for that rank.  But they also train for teamwork through campouts and other adventures.  They also teach boys many useful skills that the schools don't seem interested in any more.  Like first aid!

Besides teaching the gospel from a uniquely male perspective, it offers adventure, challenge and excitement.  Things that churches know nothing about but guys are all about.  Scouters often talk about the importance of adult association.  In other words, seeing some decent role models.  That's something everyone needs and while I can't guarantee that your local troop will offer a role model that will inspire your son, I think that's far more likely than a young boy looking up to the local pastor.  It's not the kind of life most people would choose.

BSA disappointed a lot of people with their poor decision and I suspect a lot of churches are making alternate plans in case BSA goes totally off the rails.  My fear is that any replacement program will be too gospel-based and not have much appeal to young men.  If you were designing an activity program for young men would you include axes and sharpening knives?  But guys love this sort of thing and it's important to them.  They can only take small doses of feelings-centered discussions of virtue.  They need practical skills, chances to be a hero, chances to test themselves.  And at this, the BSA excels.  Not just at providing these opportunities but also at understanding the longing for such things.  They just understand boys and accept them for what they are.