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A group of local Boy Scouts learned Tuesday they will no longer be allowed to use facilities at the Anchorage Baptist Temple. A school on the church's campus is currently home base for Troop 1316, but their last meeting will be Thursday.
The church informed scout leaders their relationship will end September 1, and the last meeting of the troop will be Thursday.
What prompted the move is a decision earlier this year by Boy Scouts of America to allow openly gay members.
Pastor Jerry Prevo said in an email to Mark Schneider, whose 12-year-old son is a longtime member of the troop, that Boy Scouts have "'tucked and run' from taking a stand since I was a scout."
"ABT has not changed," Prevo wrote. "The Boy Scouts have."
Prevo believes allowing scouts to meet in the building is akin to an endorsement of homosexuality, he wrote in the email. He pointed to Leviticus 18:22 and 1 Corinthians 6:9, verses of the Bible commonly cited by Christian opponents of homosexuality.
Schneider does not entirely agree with the new Boy Scouts' policy, but he believes ABT is putting kids at the center of an issue that should be left to adults.
"The noise of this issue has overcome what scouting is," Schneider said. "It's not just about camping and going out and learning to start fires. It's so much more than that, and it's completely lost in this one issue and the screaming back and forth."
What is worst about the situation, Schneider believes, is that the core group of eight kids who have been members of the troop for years will dissolve if they are unable to find a new organization to function as a sponsor. And the message it conveys is amiss of a key Christian value, he said.
"Jesus didn't walk with the rich, the wealthy and the pure," Schneider said. "If you don't want sinners in your building, why did you build (a church)?"
"ABT has not changed, the Boy Scouts have." Well that is certainly the truth.
Jerry Prevo has a long and sordid history of fighting to oppress the gay community in Alaska and was a driving force (Along with his lap dog Mayor Dan Sullivan) in defeating an ordinance that would have ended discrimination against the LGBT community in Anchorage.
He is a hatemonger from way back and has had an inordinate amount of influence over Anchorage politics for decades. Something that I hope we will see come to an end in the very near future.
I wish that the Boy Scouts would do more, such as allowing gays to serve as scout leaders, but this step has, at the very least, allowed those who were not terribly aware to identify which Christian leaders are following and espousing the Biblical message of Jesus Christ, and which ones are using the power of their pulpit to push their hateful agenda onto others.
I never thought that scouting groups should have met in churches in the first place. My mother removed me from Girl Scouts in the 1970's because the meetings happened in a church and we were raised atheist and we all agreed that a secular pursuit such as scouting really had no place combining with a religion that we didn't practice.
ReplyDeleteSuffice it to say, caring and adventurous parents can provide all of the outdoor experiences that children should have, without "badges" and all of the baggage that comes along with the "scouting" experience.
Take your kids camping, take them for hikes, travel the world with them and share with them the same experience that lazy parents pass off to scout leaders.
Scouting is for parents that won't take the time to experience things firsthand with their children.
Most churches that serve as sponsors of the troops have excellent facilities with meeting rooms, kitchen and dining areas for parties and ceremonies, basketball courts, skating, volleyball, etc. in other words, it's a fun family-friendly environment that makes a lot of healthy, fun activities available right there where we have the meetings. The church makes no requirements that even involve the church, and the people are super friendly. Las year we had two Athiests, 3 Muslim kids 3 Jewish kids, one Korean Baptist, and the other half was distributed among different Christian denominations: Catholics, episcopalian, Methodist,and Presbyterian and others. One of the scoutmasters is a member there with his family and his sons are too old now to be members, but they do mentor some who are beginning to plan and organize their Eagle Projects.
DeletePrevo's a closet homosexual...he has to be, he protests the loudest about it.
ReplyDeleteTed Haggard anyone?
He tried to save his gay son from his "gayness" but he failed and I think it's made him even more mad at the gays!
DeleteHe looks like a closet case.
ReplyDeleteAnnoy Prevo (Pervert), Think for Yourself.
ReplyDeleteIn that photo, Prevo's lips look like a puckered anus.
ReplyDeleteThese bigots need to hate -- it fuels their souls.
ReplyDeleteIf they couldn't be angry and vile toward others, denounce others, how could they feel pure and righteous?
This Baptist guy should go read the New Testament, and remember what his "Jesus" said about love and charity.
Maybe he's losing the possibility of some converts by kicking these kids out of the church and by showing them what "christianity" is all about -- at least in Anchorage. Who'd want to be associated with nasty, sanctimonious people such as he (and the Palins, of course, and their "church").
Unless I miss my guess, Some organization will very publicly step forward and offer use of their facilities for the boy scouts. Fuck Jerry pervo. One of the greatest regrets of my life is that I will not live long enough to see a time when "religion" will just be a distant dark barely remembered chapter in the history of the human race on earth.
ReplyDeleteThat place should be TAXED!
ReplyDeleteVernD
Jerry Prevo makes me sick to my stomach. Why anyone would follow his preaching is beyond me! He is nothing more than a self-righteous jerk! Christian, my ass!
ReplyDeleteNext thing you know, picketing funerals! That's okay with you $arah Party Boat grifting away. Amirite, ordained "saint?" Just remember, Jesus turned the tables on the Pharisees who sold their wares for ill-gotten purposes. Looks like He's got your number, too, girlfriend.
ReplyDeleteHe's not about charity or christianity, he's all about money.
ReplyDeleteThat and anonymous glory hole sex in L48 truck stop bathrooms
Churches receive their tax exempt status in exchange for providing community services to the community,
ReplyDeletePerhaps this community should challenge this church's needs it's tax exempt status revoked.,
Just sayin'
-OzMud
OzMud, I understand the INTENT of what you are saying, but churches do NOT "receive their tax exempt status in exchange for providing community services to the community."
DeleteBoy Scouts shouldn't be allowed to use any public schools either. They are a out of date organization that needs to be kicked to the curb.
ReplyDeleteAnchorage Baptist Temple puts a whole new spin on Matthew 14:19 "suffer the little children."
ReplyDeleteJesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
becomes
Out! Out! Damned Scouts!
Hey, ABT, what WOULD Jesus do?
His Mother Mary weeps.
thatcrowwoman
The ABT believes that Gawd doesn't sanction the gay lifestyle only grown men posing as Scoutmasters who sexually prey on young boys.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5I01DF0g1w
ReplyDeleteThank you Penn and Teller for taking on the Boy Scouts!
The Jesus these people so admire never once said anything about homosexuality. Never once. He did, however, have many unkind things to say about wealthy people and hypocrites. Why doesn't ABT use those quotes?
ReplyDelete