The Boy Scouts of America’s National Board of Directors has created themselves a very critical dilemma. They have decided to kick the can down the road until the national assembly to wrestle with the issue of lifting the ban on gay membership and involvement.

However, by just cracking the door on the issue of membership policy, they have emboldened the gay rights activists in their pursuit of change. If they allow openly gay scouts and scout leaders, they will alienate a significant portion of their sponsorship.

If they do not approve the change, they will not regain several weak-kneed corporate sponsors who have been bullied into pulling their support from them. It seems to me the choice is to either maintain their integrity or take the money and suffer the consequences.

Roughly seventy percent of local scout troops are chartered by faith-based organizations. What will the fall out be with this group of scouts provided the ban is lifted?

Is there no tolerance for faith-based religious beliefs left in America, the land of the free?

Evangelist Billy Graham said: “Our society strives to avoid any possibility of offending anyone – except God.”

It appears to be a no win situation for the scouts either way it goes. The Canadian Scouts lost half its membership when it opened up its ranks to gays and others in 1999. Could the same be in store for the 103 year old scouting institution in America?

In my opinion, Christians have been too tolerant of the intolerant. It is past time to take a stand on principles and the Holy Word of God. There is no way to have it both ways as some are trying. You either believe in the Word or you don‘t, there are no shades of gray.

Charles Grandison Finney, lawyer, theologian, revivalist, and college president during the Second Great Awakening is called the “Father of Modern Revivalism.” (1792-1875) He strongly believed that the buck stopped with the pulpit.

Here’s a portion of what he had to say on the subject. “Brethren, our preaching will bear its legitimate fruits. If immorality prevails in the land, the fault is ours in a great degree. If there is a decay of conscience, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the church is degenerate and worldly, the pulpit is responsible for it. If Satan rules in our halls of legislation, the pulpit is responsible for it.”

At the risk of being excommunicated, I have to agree with the exception of adding the congregation along with the pulpit.