Christian group opposes allowing gay leaders for Boy Scouts of America

A Christian group is opposing a recent resolution from the Boy Scouts of America's executive committee that allows individuals who are openly homosexuals to lead the organisation.

Family Research Council senior vice president Rob Schwarzwalder described the Boy Scouts of America's decision as illogical and unfair.

"There's a certain kind of incoherence about that. I think it sends a very conflicting message to the boys who participate in Scouting," Schwarzwalder said in an interview.

The leader of the pro-life and pro-marriage Christian group also said that allowing gay leaders for the Boy Scouts of America is only "a temporary fix."

"If they were to go all one way or all another, that would make sense. But I don't think this is a policy that will endure. It's not logical. It's not, frankly, fair really to anyone," Schwarzwalder said.

The youth organisation's executive committee adopted last week a resolution that will essentially overturn its current policy not to allow individuals "who are open or avowed homosexuals" as its leaders.

"This resolution will allow chartered organisations to select adult leaders without regard to sexual orientation, continuing Scouting's longstanding policy of chartered organisations selecting their leaders," the Boy Scouts of America said in a statement.

The group, one of the biggest youth organisations in the US, however clarified that this resolution does not force Christians and religious chartered organisations, who make up much of the group's membership, to accept homosexuals.

"This change allows Scouting's members and parents to select local units, chartered to organisations with similar beliefs, that best meet the needs of their families. This change would also respect the right of religious chartered organisations to continue to choose adult leaders whose beliefs are consistent with their own," the group's statement read.

The Boy Scouts' national executive board are expected to meet on July 27 to decide if this resolution should be approved.

Boy Scouts of America president Robert Gates, however, earlier said that allowing gay leaders in the organisation will mark ""the end of us as a national movement."

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