The Boy Scouts are causing controversy with their decision to rebrand, all in the name of âinclusivity.â On Wednesday, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) announced that the organization will officially change its name to âScouting America.â
The BSA explained that this change reflects âthe organizationâs ongoing commitment to welcome every youth and family in America to experience the benefits of Scouting.â BSA CEO Roger Krone said, âScouting America provides a welcoming, safe environment where youth can become the best version of themselves by learning from and respecting each other. I encourage everyone to join us and experience the benefits of Scouting.â Although the BSA notes that girls were welcomed into BSA ranks five years ago, the organizationâs press release continues to use the term âyouth,â instead of âboys and girls.â
In a video, Krone responded to critics of the BSAâs decision, explaining, âMembership is at historic lows. Part of my job is to reduce all the barriers I possibly can for people to accept us as an organization and to join.â He added that the name change âsends this really strong message to everyone in America that they can come to this program, they can bring their authentic self, they can be who they are, and they will be welcomed here.â
Commenting on the news, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins said, âThe Boy Scouts should have considered the Cicada Scouts for their new name, because they have become nothing more than a hollow shell of what they once were.â He added, âThe Boy Scouts will now stand as a [stark] reminder of the cost of moral compromise.â
On Tuesday nightâs episode of âWashington Watch,â Perkins expounded, âThis was an organization for literally over a century, stood as an entity that helped train the next generation of boys. Its whole purpose when it started was to help boys become men, and eventually soldiers, to be able to defend the values that made Western civilization great.â He added, âItâs not what they are any longer,â warning, âUnfortunately, I actually think it is a [critical] message to the nation of what happens when you reject truth.â
Joseph Backholm, FRCâs senior fellow for Biblical Worldview, commented to The Washington Stand, âBuilding anything meaningful requires compromise, cooperation, and sacrifice, but modern leftism sees these values as forms of oppression. Progressivism exists to critique and feels justified because everything manmade can be critiqued.â He continued, âThe non-stop revolution makes leftism incapable of doing the things necessary to build a sustainable community, organization, university, or corporation, but it is perfectly suited to destroy any of those things through what is, in its most basic form, constant whining.â
Appearing with Perkins on âWashington Watchâ on Tuesday night, FRCâs Senior Fellow for Education Studies Meg Kilgannon discussed the danger of eliminating essential distinctions between boys and girls. Frankly, she said, âThe nation has come under a great cloud of confusion over [whether] there are boys or girls. And so, when children are going to school and saying, âYou know, I think I might have been born in the wrong body ⊠and the school feels compelled to affirm them in that ⊠obviously thereâs something very, very wrong.â
âIt is the ultimate attack of demonic forces on the human person, to attack a growing child,â Kilgannon continued. âItâs the very work of adolescence to form your identity, to figure out what are you? What is Godâs call on your life? What are you going to be when you grow up? What are you going to do with your life?â She added, âItâs your very core. The fact of whether or not youâre even a male or female, thatâs truly debilitating. It doesnât get much more basic than that.â
In 2013, Boy Scouts leadership voted to undo a longstanding policy barring membership to those who openly identify as homosexual, and moved in 2015 to formally permit openly-gay men to serve as adult leaders. In 2017, Boy Scouts leadership allowed biological girls who identify as transgender to join its ranks, later opening the Boy Scouts to all girls and renaming the organizationâs flagship program, âBoy Scouting,â to âScouting BSA.â
Franklin Graham, President of BGEA and Samaritanâs Purse, responded to the decision highlighting the Biblical foundation the Boy Scouts of America was founded upon.
âTalk about losing your wayâthatâs the Boy Scouts of America,â he wrote. âTheir compass doesnât point north anymore. âThey want to be more âinclusive,â so theyâre changing their name to Scouting America. That wonât help. Being woke isnât the needâstaying focused and true to what God calls you to do is whatâs important.â
âThey shouldâve just stuck with what they were founded to be 114 years ago,â Graham underscored. âThe Boy Scouts Oath says, âOn my honor I will do my best to do Godâs will and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.â Itâs no surprise that thousands of parents are choosing other options like Trail Life USA which is a great Christ-centered alternative.â
The Boy Scouts are causing controversy with their ... (
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