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A Seattle pastor is upset, very upset at the Boy Scouts of America for attempting to enforce their newly compromised moral policy regarding openly gay scout leaders.
As you likely know, last year the Scouts decided to make everyone happy by compromising their 102-year moral policy toward homosexuals. They decided openly gay boys can participate until they are 18, but openly homosexual men can not lead troops.
In trying to please everyone, they pleased no one with their compromise.
The pastor says, "It's very disappointing that a policy that is blatantly discriminatory is being acted out, and so I think it makes us stand more firm and be more clear that Geoffrey is our Scout Master and Geoffery will remain our Scout Master."
The Boy Scouts say Geoffrey is openly gay and his recent actions with the troop that meets in the Seattle church are completely unacceptable and he has got to go.
So why has Seattle Mayor Ed Murray inserted himself into this issue? And how is Republican want-a-be governor Rob McKenna involved?
Compromise regarding moral issues never leads to a good place.
I'm reminded of what Sir Walter Scott once said, "Oh, the tangled web we weave, when at first we practice to deceive."
Let me explain the tangled web and the deception.
On April 6, King 5 reported that the Boy Scouts were removing Geoffrey McGrath as a scout leader, not for being openly gay, but "for 'deliberately injecting' his sexuality into scouting."
The Boy Scouts say they took the action because McGrath was "discussing his sexuality" with the little boys in his troop.
The pastor of the Rainer Beach United Methodist Church says McGrath is not leaving. He is their guy.
McGrath says he won't resign and won't leave until "I am relieved of my duty properly."
After this story broke last week, both in Seattle and nationally, McGrath told the Boy Scouts he led "a normal meeting this past Thursday."
What does that mean? Have all the other meetings been abnormal? "And," he reported "two new scouts joined."
Why did the Boy Scouts only take action after they learned he had been indoctrinating the young boys in his troop? Why did they not enforce their policy before the indoctrination began?
Compromised values are no values.
The BSA's newly minted morality is pretty clear that kids can be openly gay, but men can not be openly gay.
I'm told it was widely known that McGrath was gay.
The web of moral compromise continues to be woven...
On April 8, Seattle's KING 5 reported that Geoffrey has now hired a lawyer to fight the BSA action, even though it is consistent with their revised moral policy.
The BSA released a statement that says in part, "We don't believe the topic of sexual orientation has a role in scouting and it is not discussed unless it is deliberately injected into scouting."
McGrath continues to lead Troop 98 at the Rainier Beach church and the pastor continues with her unwavering support saying, "Geoffrey is an evangelical for the Boy Scouts. He loves Boy Scouts."
I'm sure he does.
But why is Seattle Mayor Ed Murray now inserting himself into this issue?
And how does Rob McKenna fit?
KOMO News is now reporting with this headline: "Seattle Mayor, Council Back Ousted Scout Master."
Openly homosexual Seattle Mayor Murray and his Council have sent a letter to the Boy Scouts, strongly asking them to rescind their dismissal of Geoffrey McGrath.
Their letter says in part, "We believe Scouting is a wonderfully successful tradition, but this act of discrimination is deeply disturbing."
What is so disturbing to Mayor Murray? The fact that there is an attempt to protect the kids? That the Boy Scouts are actually attempting to enforce their policy, or that the policy was an incremental step that must now be challenged to progress toward fully embracing homosexuals in all aspects of scouting?
And where is the discrimination? Is it toward the innocent kids whose leader is explaining homosexual behavior to them during scouting events, including a recent overnight camp out in a snow cave at Mount Rainier?
Sharon Moulds with the Chief Seattle Council told NBC News she was not aware McGrath was openly gay and that she only found out about it from the NBC story that was broadcast nationally. She said that's also how we discovered that McGrath had decided to talk to the national media "and to use our program as a means to further a personal agenda."
She is questioning his motivation. She should be. Is much of the outrage from gay activists motivated to merely push an agenda? Are some of their bursts of outrage designed to draw attention to their agenda? Are they now, in the afterglow of recent successes, creating circumstances that will make the news?
A growing number of people are asking these same questions.
The web continues to be woven.
Mayor Murray's letter was sent to the Chief Seattle Council---specifically to the head guy, whose name is Rob McKenna.
So how will Mr. McKenna respond?
Here's Rob's problem.
Rob wants to be the Governor of Washington State. He can't win without substantial support from the evangelical community. Last election he didn't get it and consequently lost the election.
It wasn't for lack of reaching out to the evangelicals. Several evangelical pastors publicly supported him. Pastor Joe Fuiten had him in the pulpit of his church on a Sunday, but evangelicals, in general, didn't vote for McKenna.
Calling oneself a "Republican" is not an automatic vote among Christian conservative Republicans. Christians are generally Republican because they have felt the GOP best supports the moral values that biblical Christians believe and practice.
Principles are more important than Party.
It is well known that McKenna is pro-abortion. And at best, he is wobbly on marriage. When pressed, he has said he doesn't support gay marriage, but he does so from "a far off" with a very quiet voice.
Last election, while trying to win over the evangelicals, McKenna was also trying to win over the secular progressives.
He gave a lengthy affirmation on Seattle's far left KUOW radio of his support for redefining the Boy Scout morality policy.
In fact, as a BSA officer, he voted to change the BSA policy on gays, and was disappointed that the Boy Scouts tried to compromise and not accept gays of all ages, including homosexual leaders.
In fact, both Rob McKenna and Jay Inslee urged the Boy Scouts to redefine their moral policy.
Back in July 2012, Lew Waters writing for his Clark County Conservative was very candid in his explanation of McKenna's position on the Boy Scout issue.
So how will McKenna respond to Ed Murray? Will he side with Murray and the Seattle City Council and demand that the Boy Scouts violate their own morality policy?
Will he attempt to wiggle around the issue so he can appear to favor both sides of it?
We'll likely find out this week.
Here is one thing I am absolutely certain of: "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter" (Isaiah 5:20).
I am further certain that Jesus is not a big fan of those who seek to serve two masters. He said, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other..." (Matthew 6:24).
Be Informed. Be Vigilant. Be Discerning. Be Prayerful. Be Pro-Active. Be Blessed.