Corruption of Civil Justice

A devastating earthquake has hit Los Angeles. Though it hasn't registered on the Richter Scale yet, the resulting chaos could, in time, shake that city's civilization to its roots. What I'm talking about, in case you hadn't heard, is not a real earthquake, but an event that could be just as disastrous. It is the Los Angeles City Council's outrageous vote last week to punish thousands of boys and their families by breaking their ties with scouting. Their reason? The scouts embrace of a moral code which bans homosexuals from leadership positions. Even worse, the L.A. Police Department, which used to be an icon for every boy, is now being asked to dismantle its Explorers unit, a program affiliated with scouting to train young cadets. Imagine the confusion in the minds of boy scouts in Los Angeles when they see the police department, which represents the pinnacle of the moral social order, turning its back on them. Teaching these boys to respect law enforcement has just become even harder. Of course, the City Council couched its justification for this action in civil rights terminology. One councilman said the Boy Scouts cannot defend why discrimination based on color is wrong, while banning homosexuals from leadership is right. Well, it's actually easy to distinguish between the two. It all starts with a worldview which looks to the Bible for guidance. Biblical teachings prompted Christian ministers and lay people, you may recall, to fight the evil of segregation. But the same Scripture that denounces racial discrimination also denounces homosexuality. While God still loves homosexuals, he hates their sin, and so should we. Because homosexuality is wrong in the sight of God, parents have a right -- indeed an obligation -- to shield their kids from its influences by enforcing standards in private membership groups like the Boy Scouts. Even the Supreme Court, which has not been a friend to religion in recent years, recognizes the right of the Boy Scouts to determine the moral standards of leadership within their own ranks. So why have Los Angeles and other cities across the country chosen to treat boy scouts like modern-day lepers? There are two answers. First, the radical homosexual movement is a potent force that has co-opted Hollywood, much of the news media, academia, and many liberal politicians. They are noisy, while mainstream voters don't always make their voices heard. But there's another reason: Judeo-Christian values no longer influence politicians in Los Angeles -- or many other places, for that matter. Objective truth has been replaced by subjective speculation. That's why city councilman can't understand the difference between civil rights and the radical homosexual agenda. If there is no right or wrong, then all that matters is for the individual to do whatever he pleases. Attacks like these are happening all across the country. So to the parents of scouts, I say, be faithful to your convictions. Explain to your kids why this is happening and help them to remain strong. And know that you're not alone. Polls show that a majority of Americans support the Scouts, and politicians in the mis-named City of Angels are the ones on the fringes of society. Now is the time for the majority who do care to stand by the Scouts -- by volunteering, by financial contributions, and by prayer.

12/6/00