NORTH LIBERTY-- Reports of discrimination against Cub Scout and Boy Scout groups around the country are beginning to surface.
This comes less than a week after the Boy Scouts of America lifted its longtime ban on allowing gay kids to be members.
An anonymous viewer sent us an email accusing North Liberty Church of Christ of wanting to minimize its interaction with a local Cub Scout group.??
The church says that's just not true.
North Liberty Church of Christ opens its doors to more than 40 members of the Cub Scout Pack 241.???
It says the scouts use a room called the student center each month for meetings, and the church allows the pack to use its land for campouts and other activities.???
A senior pastor for the church says that's not going to change.
Tim Stewart says, "We're a church. We're here to show the compassion of Christ and reach out to people no matter where they come from in life." ???
An anonymous complaint to our newsroom said the church is reducing the amount of time scouts can use the facility.???
The person who sent the email didn't respond to our requests for an interview,
but the pastor says the church wants to continue to serve the community and that includes the Cub Scouts regardless of the lifted ban.????
He adds that his church is not homophobic and says even if one of the Cub Scouts was gay, it wouldn't be a problem.?
Stewart says, "Having a young boy come in here and tell us that whether they are or they feel this way, they think this way, it's not going to change our conduct towards that young boy." ???
The pastor wasn't sure why someone would send this email but wants everyone to know scouts will continue to be welcome.????
One woman who is a member of the church is glad to hear North Liberty's stance on this issue.???
She supports lifting the ban and allowing openly gay kids to be scouts.
Jessica Carpenter says, "I don't think it's right to ban anybody for being gay. I personally have gay people in my family. I've got gay friends, and I don't look at them any different." ?????
The pastor says every year, they always go over building usage and re-evaluate the groups they serve, but he says they do that with every group.
People opposed to lifting the ban argue that allowing gay members goes against the traditional morals of the Boy Scouts.?
Others against the change say they view it as possibly endangering children.
Openly gay adults are still banned from being leaders of a troop or pack.
The Scout Executive for the LaSalle Council, which oversees a number of scouts in our area, says he is not aware of any other complaints from other local troops or packs following the lifted ban.
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