When a righteous man falls ... -1%20(tu).JPG) We all have heros and people that we look up to. There is someone in everybody's life that "inspires" you to greatness! Do you have someone like that? Someone that you might've looked up to all of your life? You thought they were special, or there was something about them that set the standard for you, and you chose to emmulate them. Now, supposed you find in the news around town that this person whom you have loved and respected, and honored to greatness, drops the ball. They "screw up" ... big time! I mean, what they do is so despicable that nobody wants to be seen with them! Nobody wants to talk to them, or be around them at all! That person has let you down, haven't they! I mean, you looked up to them for your standard, and for your hero! And they just went and did that thing that they did, and now ... well, now you're questioning everything! HEROES WILL LET YOU DOWN It doesn't matter who they are, or how "cool" they might be, at some point somewhere your hero is going to drop the ball and let you down. It is inevitable. Now, it may not happen, but that is more of an exception than the rule. People make mistakes. We all do! And whether your hero did that thing everybody's talking about or not, you feel bad. It may be that they really didn't do it! But now, you don't know ... and it bothers you terribly, doesn't it. Well, this past May, the Boy Scouts of America had to learn that very same lesson ... the hard way. You see, for a great many years the Boy Scouts of America have embraced the teachings and principles set about by a leader, a visionary, a "hero", named Baden-Powell. In England, he was a "Lord" with great responsibility and with great honor! And he wanted to pass this honor, this respect, this love for what is right and for what is good, to young men around the world! So, he founded the Boy Scouts of America. For generations, the Boy Scouts of America would bring in boys young and old, of all shapes and sizes, of every nationality and of every belief. And all that they asked of these boys is that while they choose to call themselves a "Boy Scout", that they would follow a simple set of laws, and the principles of an oath, and that they would embrace a lifestyle that would allow them to say that their life was "honorable" to GOD. The Scout Law was simple:
"A Scout is clean, brabe, thrifty, cheerful, obedient, kind, courteous, friendly, helpful, loyal, trustworthy, and reverent."
The Scout Promise (or the Scout Oath) was just as simple:
"On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to GOD and my Country, and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times, to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight."
Now, for generations we have taught these young boys about character, about honor and being respectable. We have instilled into them the importance of standing your ground, being honest and fighting for what you believe in, however unpopular that may be.
Unfortunately, in May of 2013, the leaders at the Boy Scouts of America Headquarters set aside their training and their principles and violated both the Scout Law and the Scout Promise. They set aside the Scout Law and abandoned "loyalty" to the Boy Scouts for whom they serve. They violated the part of that law that says we are to be "trustworthy", in that they let the boys down in not keeping the very things that they teach. Their decision gave in to a special interest group that has been determined for years to try and infiltrate the Boy Scouts of America, mainly because it was one of the few remaining institutions that stood their ground on principle and on what is honorable to GOD.
They set aside honor, in ignoring the pleas and the cries of the members of the Boy Scouts of America when they pleaded with them to "NOT" do this. They did NOT do their best to do their duty, to GOD "or" to our country, in that their actions supported the motives of a group that practices the lifestyle that GOD destroyed 2 major cities for practicing. They were not mentally awake in that they could have stood their ground, and upheld the beliefs and standards of this fine organization. But alas, now they decided "not" to be morally straight, and allow the practices of these into the Boy Scouts of America.
The issue was about homosexuality. These are not "gay". Gay is when you are "happy", and these are far from happy. They have bombarded the Boy Scouts of America for decades, trying to put a stop to their freedoms to worship and uphold standards that they believe in. And the argument was misguided as well. The Boy Scouts of America does not question boys when they join as to whether they are homosexual or straight. The reason is, these boys are under 18, and therefore should not be sexually active, regardless of their persuation. It was only when a young boy would begin to try and "practice" his homosexuality in the Boy Scouts of America that issues arose. BSA does not tolerate sexual activity with the boys ... not on BSA time. But it has not been an issue until now.
You see, in the Boy Scouts of America, girls don't camp with the boys. They don't share a tent with the boys. And, they don't shower with the boys either. So we've never really had any issues concerning sexual activity in BSA because there were no opportunities. But the "vote" that BSA took was to "allow" the admittance of "sexually practicing homosexual boys".
So, as I stated above, "heros" will let you down. The Boy Scouts of America HQ let me down. But did the boys in the Boy Scouts of America? No. So, until the time comes when the adults try to force their way into Scouting as well (and I foresee that someday soon), I am going to do my best to support these young boys who did not ask for this vote, nor did they bring up this issue. It was a small, select few ... a "special interest group", that wanted to defy goodness and what is right, to suite their fancy.
Do I hate the homosexuals? No. The Bible teaches us that we are to love the sinner, but hate the sin. And I think this is where a lot of us get confused in the Christian environment. "Yes", we are to love the homosexuals, and open our arms out to them, to minister to them, to encouarge them and to offer them hope. But we are NOT to set aside our beliefs and value systems and join in with them!
The world we live in is becoming more of a challenge. Light and darkness are becoming more and more "defined". There is no "walking the line" anymore. You either "are" or you "are not" ... for GOD. Make sure you keep your decisions about your life and your values, "solid" and "true".
Make me proud!
-pastor rich-
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