Mormon Mom: Church's Refal To Accept Gay Boy Sut Lears Is 'Tragedy' | HuffPost Relign

lds bsa gay

The church end speculatn that would sever ti wh the Boy Suts of Ameri bee of the Suts’ cisn to let openly gay adults serve as lears.

Contents:

MORMON CHURCH WILL KEEP TI WH BOY SUTS DPE OBJECTG TO GAY LEARS

* lds bsa gay *

26, 2015The Mormon Church announced Wednday that would ntue s close associatn wh the Boy Suts for now, endg speculatn that would sever ti bee of the Suts’s cisn last month to let openly gay men and women serve as July, bowg to growg legal and public prsur, the erng board of the Boy Suts of Ameri voted to perm openly gay adult lears. That followed s cisn 2013 to perm participatn by gay a promise aimed at preventg fectns by relig nservativ — cludg the Mormons, who are the largt sgle sponsor of Boy Sut uns — the board said that lol sponsors wh relig objectns uld select volunteer lears acrdance wh their own the time, the rponse om the Mormons was unexpectedly sharp and clud a threat to leave the Suts anyway. ”Zach Wahls, the executive director of Suts for Equaly, which has mpaigned to end discrimatn agast gay suts and lears, said Wednday that he was pleased wh the Mormons’ cisn to rema the fold for now.

”A versn of this article appears prt on, Sectn A, Page 10 of the New York edn wh the headle: Mormon Church Will Keep Ti Wh Boy Suts Dpe Objectg to Gay Lears. The Church of J Christ of Latter-day Sats has given tac approval to the Boy Suts’ proposal to allow gay youth to jo, sayg they “appreciate the posive thgs” clud the plan to end the anizatn's ntroversial ban on gay Boy Suts of Ameri last week proposed allowg gay youth – but not adults – to participate the private youth anizatn. That me two months after they floated the ia of allowg gays and lbians of all ag to jo, a proposal that was nounced by the nservative relig groups that make up a bulk of Sutg.

Its biannual “The Voice of the Sut Survey, ” nducted earlier this year, for the first time clud qutns on gay the 280 admistrative lol uncils, half remend no change, 38 percent remend a change and 14 percent took a ntral posn, the Suts said. Followg a long-standg ntroversy, the anizatn 2014 lifted their ban on openly gay members, 2015 allowed openly gay adult sut lears for the first time, and 2017 allowed transgenr boys to jo for the first time.

MORMON CHURCH OK WH ENDG BOY SUTS' BAN ON GAY YOUTH

Sutg is woven eply to the relig life of Mormon boys, which helps expla why the church is stgglg wh how to rpond to the Boy Suts' cisn to lift s ban on openly-gay adult lears * lds bsa gay *

Dpe matag their partnership wh the Suts up until the May 2018 announcement, Church lears have recent years greeted succsive BSA announcements about the cln of gay, transgenr and female members wh obv unease and utn. The Mormon Church officially accepts openly gay and lbian dividuals as members and lears, but only if they rema celibate, as the Church's web se not: "Sexual relatns between a man and woman who are not married, or between people of the same sex, vlate one of our Father Heaven’s most important laws and get the way of our eternal progrs. When the BSA moved to accept gay and transgenr members recent years, the Church obtaed assuranc om the Suts that the Church uld "operate s programs ways that are nsistent wh our standards and beliefs.

WHY MORMONS ARE SO VASTATED BY THE BOY SUT VOTE ON GAY LEARS

Sutg has been the official program for Mormon boys for more than 100 years, but that may change after a vote allowg openly gay lears. A Brigham Young profsor says a spl would be wrenchg. * lds bsa gay *

The Boy Suts’ vote Monday to lift s ban on openly gay troop lears was a blow to tradnal fah groups heavily volved sutg, but perhaps to none more than the Mormon Church, which sutg and the relig life of boys are eply tertwed. Rencilg s relatnship wh the Boy Suts as the natnal youth group bee more acceptg of gay equaly appears to be growg more difficult for the Mormon Church, whose prs office put out a statement Monday, sayg lears were “eply troubled” by the liftg of the ban, as well as by the fact that they had asked for a lay the vote bee the church burecracy tak off ligatn, the Suts Monday approved a new policy allowg troops to pick openly-gay volunteer lears and banng discrimatn the hirg of employe.

But puzzled some observers bee the Mormon Church has ma high-profile efforts the last year or so to soften s ments about sexualy and the place of gays and sprg gay advot and Mormon lears Utah ma headl when they announced they’d been secretly meetg for many months and had hammered out a promise to ban discrimatn hog and employment agast LGBT people. Both sis said they were willg to regnize the needs of the tail of that promise, however, may shed light on the new tensn over the Suts: The sole requirement church lears had at the time was that there be an exemptn the promise legislatn for the Boy Suts, so they uld ntue to not hire openly gay Tuday Mormons and longtime church observers were tryg to sort out what was gog on. Jim Dabakis, an openly gay Utah senator who was volved that promise, said the church statement was “puzzlg” but that he spected was part of the overall flux a untry feelg the ph-pull of petg rights – those of tradnal relig believers and those of LGBT people.

”Mormon blogs om progrsive on to those closely affiliated wh the church showed a range of views, om church members appldg the move eher bee they don’t like Boy Sut programmg or bee they oppose gay equaly, to those who were embarrassed by the church’s statement bee seemed nmng of gays. When the Suts weled openly gay youth 2013, the Mormon Church ma clear that s teachgs ll all youth to chasty and that gay youth are wele along wh straight youth.

MORMON CHURCH EMBRAC THE BOY SUTS, GAY OR STRAIGHT

The change will head off loomg discrimatn lawsus but will still allow church-based uns to exclu gay adults. The Mormon Church, the untry’s largt sponsor of Sut uns, said might leave. * lds bsa gay *

Rsell Moore, print of the Southern Baptist Conventn’s public policy arm, said Southern Baptist church have been “olg” toward the Boy Suts recent years due to their openg on gay issu. Earlier this year, the BSA end s ban on openly gay and bisexual men, and The Mormon Church reacted immediately sayg, “the century-long associatn wh Sutg will need to be examed.

MORMON MOM: CHURCH'S REFAL TO ACCEPT GAY BOY SUT LEARS IS 'TRAGEDY'

The Church of J Christ of Latter-day Sats, often advertently lled the Mormon Church, has rpond to the Boy Suts' cisn to wele gay youth. * lds bsa gay *

The Mormon church is nsirg pullg out of s 102-year-old relatnship wh the Boy Suts after the Boy Suts changed s policy on allowg gay lears the anizatn. The vote by the Boy Suts of Ameri to lift s ban on openly gay troop lears last week was a blow to some relig nservative anizatns that have long been nnected to sutg, pecially the Mormon church, which has ep roots the Boy Suts.

BOY SUTS END BAN ON GAY LEARS, OVER PROTTS BY MORMON CHURCH

SALT LAKE CITY – While the BSA sists that religly affiliated troops, cludg those sponsored by the LDS Church, n ntue to ban gay lears, many observers doubt such an exemptn n be legally fend. * lds bsa gay *

On why the church might spl wh the Boy Suts The BSA statement allows for lears who are openly gay, and what that means practice is, I don't thk, exactly clear, but I thk uld very well nflict wh the church's own policy, which is you n intify as gay and be an active, fahful member of the Church of J Christ of Latter-day Sats. In a statement, the church has announced that is re-evaluatg s lks wh the Boy Suts Ameri program, after the natnal anizatn’s executive board voted on Monday to adm openly gay Sut church reprentativ said that they were “eply troubled” by Monday’s cisn.

However, the admissn of openly gay lears is nsistent wh the doctr of the Church and what have tradnally been the valu of the Boy Suts of Ameri, ” the church said s 45-12 vote, the rult of years of trospectn wh the anizatn, prompted many gay Eagle Suts to sign up for volunteer posns. " “There are hundreds of gay kids out there who would be amazg sut lears, and every b as able and wonrful as straight sut kids.

This is a tragedy that didn’t need to be, ” she and Jordan Montgomery MontgomeryThe LDS church oppos gay marriage and believ actg on same-sex attractns is a s. But recent years, has tried to fd a balance between holdg on to official church doctre and softeng s approach towards LGBT church was supportive 2013 when the Boy Suts’ executive board voted to lift the ban on gay youth.

LDS CHURCH PLEASED WH BSA PROMISE ON GAY SUTS

The Church of J Christ of Latter-day Sats Thursday is satisfied wh the Boy Suts of Ameri's proposed policy promise on gay Suts. That proposal would allow gay Suts — but not gay Sut lears — to participate fully Sutg programs. * lds bsa gay *

The announcement did not say how many board members were not policy change, which was expected, was wily seen as a watershed for an stutn that has faced growg turmoil over s stance toward gay people, even as stggl to halt a long-term cle members. That approach satisfied no one, forcg the ejectn of gay Eagle Suts when they turned 18 but still g some nservativ to Gat gave an urgent warng May that bee of sdg social and legal chang, the anizatn had no choice but to end s ban on gay lears. “However, the admissn of openly gay lears is nsistent wh the doctr of the church and what have tradnally been the valu of the Boy Suts of Ameri.

A rrectn was ma onJuly 27, 2015: An earlier versn of this article referred rrectly to the Mormon church’s view of a new Boy Suts policy on gay adult lears.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* LDS BSA GAY

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3.8l.1-.09zm6.41-19.6a9.78 9.78 0 01-6.91 2.3 8.92 8.92 0 01-6.3-2.9l-.2.1v14.6h3.8l9.7-14zm22.9 43.41l-8.8-6.91-2.71 2.7-1.3-1.29 3.1-3.21V39.4H671l-.2-.2 3.5-5.2h2.5v-6.7L687.41 16l.2.2V34h8l.2.2-3.5 5.2h-4.7v30.3l4.8 3.7 3.3-3.4 1.3 1.4z"></path></svg><span class="alic gray font-xxxxs font--body">Democracy Di Darkns</span></div></div><hear class="w-100" data-qa="ma-full"><div class="hi-for-prt"></div><div class="mt-lg"><div data-qa="kicker" class="wpds-c-eyomNc wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-PJLV-jYXVnY-lor-black wpds-c-PJLV-mlvxn-size-lg"><a href=" class="PJLV PJLV-ieDwgbC-css">Acts of Fah</a></div></div><div class="PJLV PJLV-iklXUFA-css"><h1 class="PJLV PJLV-ikmtGxl-css overriStyl" data-ttid="headle" data-qa="headle" id="ma-ntent"><span data-qa="headle-text" class="PJLV">Mormon Church will leave Boy Suts’ teen programs</span></h1></div><div class="flex prt-byle prt-mt-none"><div class="byle-wrapper flex-lumn flex"><div class="PJLV PJLV-ihSmMVC-css"><div class="PJLV PJLV-iPJLV-css mb-xxs overriStyl" style="gap:0.5rem" data-qa="thor-byle"><span class="wpds-c-PJLV"><div class="flex ems-center" data-qa="thor-byle"><span class=""><div class="flex"><div class="dib font-xxs" data-qa="name-wh-optnal-lk" data-cy="name-wh-optnal-lk"><span data-qa="attributn-text" class="wpds-c-cNdzuP">By <!-- --> </span><span data-qa="thor-name" rel="thor" class="wpds-c-cNdzuP wpds-c-cNdzuP-cIdiJW-isLk-false">Julie Zzmer</span></div></div></span></div></span></div></div><div data-ttid="timtamp" class="wpds-c-kgabfe wpds-c-kgabfe-ieEDlgV-css"><span data-ttid="display-date" class="wpds-c-iKQyrV">May 11, 2017 at 9:15 a.m. EDT</span></div></div></div></hear></div><article class="grid-article mb-xxl-ns" data-qa="ma"><div data-ttid="le-art" data-qa="le-art" class=""><figure class="overflow-hidn relative hi-for-prt center center mb-sm mb-md-ns ml-to-ns mr-to-ns grid-mobile-full-bleed"><div style="filter:blur(10px);transn:filter .1s;le-height:0" class="w-100 mw-100 h-to" width="600" height="393"><img style="background-size:ver;max-width:1600px;background-image:url('data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http%3A//; xmlns%3Axlk='http%3A//; viewBox='0 0 1280 853'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' lor-terpolatn-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGssianBlur stdDeviatn='.5'%3E%3C/feGssianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA type='discrete' tableValu='1 1'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage filter='url(%23b)' x='0' y='0' height='100%25' width='100%25' xlk%3Ahref='data%3Aimage/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAkAAAAGCAIAAACepSOSAAAACXBIWXMAAC4jAAAuIwF4pT92AAAAs0lEQVQI1wGoAFf/AImSoJSer5yjs52ktp2luJuluKOpuJefsoCNowB+kKaOm66grL+krsCnsMGrt8m1u8mzt8OVoLIAhJqzjZ2tnLLLnLHJp7fNmpyjqbPCqLrRjqO7AIeUn5ultaWtt56msaSnroZyY4mBgLq7wY6TmwCRfk2Pf1uzm2WulV+xmV6rmGyQfFm3nWSBcEIAfm46jX1FkH5Djn5AmodGo49MopBLlIRBfG8yj/dfjF5TUAAAAASUVORK5CYII='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E')" alt="" class="w-100 mw-100 h-to" width="600" height="393" srcSet=" 400w, 540w, 691w, 767w, 916w, 1200w" siz="(max-width: 440px) 440px,(max-width: 600px) 691px,(max-width: 768px) 691px,(m-width: 769px) and (max-width: 1023px) 960px,(m-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1299px) 530px,(m-width: 1300px) and (max-width: 1439px) 691px,(m-width: 1440px) 916px,440px" dg="async"/></div><figptn class="ml-gutter mr-gutter mr-to-ns ml-to-ns font--subhead font-xxxs mt-xs left gray-dark">A Boy Sut at the annual Boy Suts Para at the Texas State Capol At 2013. (AP) </figptn></figure></div><div class="grid-body"><div class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-PJLV-hSmMVC-isLive-false"><div class="wpds-c-jUMcim wpds-c-jUMcim-ibVGacg-css hi-for-prt mb-sm"><div class="PJLV PJLV-ieDMgMI-css flex ems-center" nfig="[object Object]" data-qa="article-actns"><div class="wpds-c-mfMEg"><div class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-hnjNCH wpds-c-kSOqLF-bywHgD-variant-primary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hZSyid-isOutle-te wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-futx-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-eNNUQD-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-jGqLyO-cv"><div id="gift-share" data-ttid="gift-share" class="PJLV PJLV-ieGzigK-css hi-for-prt"><button aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-ntrols="gift-share-drawer" role="button" tabx="0" aria-label="Share this article" id="gift-share-drawer-ntrol" data-ttid="gift-share-drawer-ntrol" class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-gsmDXe wpds-c-gsmDXe-dTGBTO-placement-ActnBar foc-highlight"><svg xmlns=" fill="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 16 16" class="wpds-c-fBqPWp wpds-c-fBqPWp-idCxsxc-css " aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img"><path fill="currentColor" d="M8 .6v3.8h.1c-4.4 0-7.3 4.5-6.9 8.8.1.8.2 1.2.2 1.2l.2 1 .4-1.3c.8-2 2-4 6.2-3.9H8v4l7-6.9L8 .6Zm1 11.3V9.3h-.9c-3 0-4.8.5-6.2 2.9.5-3.3 2.7-6.8 6.2-6.8H9V3l4.5 4.4L9 11.9Z"></path></svg></button></div><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-fBEbFG">Share</span></div></div></div></div></div><div class="teaser-ntent grid-center"><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The Church of J Christ of Latter-day Sats, which has long been both closely tied to the Boy Suts of Ameri and uneasy wh the Boy Suts’ creasgly liberal stance on gay and transgenr men and boys, took a measured step Thursday toward distancg self om Sutg.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="db dn-ns mr-neg-gutter ml-neg-gutter mb-md hi-for-prt" data-qa="subscribe-promo"><div data-orientatn="horizontal" role="separator" class="wpds-c-dbVHzF wpds-c-dbVHzF-hDkAcj-variant-flt"></div><a class="pt-sm pb-sm flex ems-center bold font-xxxs font-xxs-ns jtify-center" href=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="lor:#166dfc;borr:none"><svg class="ntent-box" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" xmlns=" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img"><tle>Wp</tle><path d="M11.055 8.728l-1.018-1.019-.782.782v6.292l1.782 1.564.018-.019v-7.6zm-4.11.236L5.674 7.71l-.836.855v6.237l1.545 1.327.564-.636V8.964zm2.656 9.074l-2.528-2.182-1.927 2.182-2.619-2.255v-3.564h-.509c-.454 0-.672.273-.745.636H1.09a2.89 2.89 0 0 1-.091-.69c0-.473.2-1.71 1.527-1.71V7.691c0-1.073-.709-1.127-.709-2.054 0-1.037.982-2 2.782-2.637l.164.145c-.6.291-1.09.655-1.09 1.437 0 1.2 1.163.89 1.163 2.782v.727l2.127-2.236 2.237 2.2 2.109-2.2 2.036 2v6.728l-3.745 3.455zm11.108-9.625l-1.073-.982-.964 1.018v6.6c.855.11 1.491.4 2.019.964l.018-.018V8.413zm-2.382.418l-.528.545v10.237l.528.492V8.83zm1.49 9.055c-.308-.382-.69-.709-1.145-.836v3.782l-.036.018-1-.927-2.11 1.945-.036-.018V16.96c-.636.145-1.327.545-1.854 1.2l-.146-.091c.127-1.4.818-2.436 2-2.837v-3.545h-.382c-.527 0-.89.363-.963.763h-.219c-.054-.145-.127-.381-.127-.836 0-.891.6-1.564 1.582-1.564h.11V8.085l-.655-.582-.51.51-.254-.237 2.018-2.073 1.71 1.564V9.05l.527-.564v-2.09h.345v1.727l2.273-2.419L23 7.576v7.91l-3.182 2.4z" fill-le="evenodd"></path></svg><span class="mr-xs ml-xs gray-darkt flex ems-center">Get the full experience.<span class="ml-xs subs-theme blue">Choose your plan</span></span><svg class="ntent-box" width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 16 16" xmlns=" style="fill:#166dfc" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img"><tle>ArrowRight</tle><path d="M7.664 1.25l6 6a1 1 0 010 1.414l-6 6L6.25 13.25 10.499 9H2V7h8.585L6.25 2.664 7.664 1.25z" fill-le="nonzero"></path></svg></a><div data-orientatn="horizontal" role="separator" class="wpds-c-dbVHzF wpds-c-dbVHzF-hDkAcj-variant-flt"></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The church, which tomatilly enrolls every boy who attends a Mormon ngregatn as a Boy Sut, will stop participatg Varsy and Venturg, which are teen programs for high-school-age Suts. For the time beg, the church said Thursday, will still enroll 8- to 13-year-old boys the Cub Suts and Boy Suts.</p></div></div><div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The cisn is not bee of the Boy Suts’ polici on LGBT cln, the church said a statement. “The BSA has always allowed the Church to operate s programs ways that are nsistent wh our standards and beliefs, and they have been very supportive.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-vio" data-ttid="article-vio" class=""><div><figure class="mb-md mr-to-ns ml-to-ns hi-for-prt ml-neg-gutter mr-neg-gutter"><div class="w-100 aspect-ctom" style="background-posn:center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-lor:rgb(245, 245, 245);background-image:url();background-size:nta;--aspect-height:0.5625;--aspect-width:1"></div><figptn><div class="mt-xs mr-to-ns ml-to-ns left font--subhead font-xxxs gray-dark ml-gutter mr-gutter" data-qa="vio-ptn">The Boy Suts of Ameri said on Jan. 31 that the group would beg acceptg transgenr boys, endg a policy of acceptg boys based on the genr listed on a child’s birth certifite. (Vio: Rters)</div></figptn></figure></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Instead, the church said simply that the teen programs have been “historilly difficult to implement wh the Church,” while Cub Suts and Boy Suts “currently meet the velopment program needs of boys om ag 8 through 13.” The church will stead create s own youth programs for teenage boys.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p><span class="wpds-c-gnhuPA wpds-c-gnhuPA-hqeSyH-variant-terstial wpds-c-gnhuPA-iPJLV-css hi-for-prt"><a data-qa="terstial-lk" href=">Mormon and gay? The church’s new msage is that you n be both.</a></span></p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Effie Delimarkos, a spokwoman for Boy Suts of Ameri, said that 130,000 boys ag 14 to 18 participate Varsy and Venturg through Mormon Church troops, makg up more than 5 percent of the Boy Suts’ 2.3 ln youth members. The Mormon Church is the Boy Suts’ largt partner — about 20 percent of Boy Suts are Mormon.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“We’re sad to see that cisn, but we unrstand,” Delimarkos said. She attributed the church’s move not to sexualy issu but to the church’s sire for a Mormon youth program more foced on preparg teenage boys to go on church missns.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“We’re jt not kd of aligng wh what the church needs men to foc on,” she said.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Church spokman Eric Hawks said no lears of the church would discs the cisn wh a reporter. But he said that leavg Varsy and Venturg uld offer the church a chance to tt s own youth programmg and that may someday leave the Boy Suts altogether.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The Boy Suts began <a href=">admtg gay Suts</a> 2013 and <a href=">transgenr Suts</a> this year, and the Mormon Church has not objected to eher cisn. Who n lead a Sut troop has been a more ntroversial qutn.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">In 2015, facg a lawsu, the Boy Suts lifted s ban on gay men leadg Sut troops. The <a href=">LDS church reacted immediately</a> wh a statement that was “eply troubled” and that “the century-long associatn wh Sutg will need to be examed.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div id="gift-share-le" data-ttid="gift-share-le" class="PJLV PJLV-ilotWTr-css hi-for-prt"><button aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-ntrols="gift-share-drawer" role="button" tabx="0" aria-label="Share this article" id="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-le" data-ttid="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-le" class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-gsmDXe wpds-c-gsmDXe-goNocI-placement-Inle foc-highlight"><div data-ttid="gift-share-terstial-trigger" class="wpds-c-kPqOkS wpds-c-kPqOkS-jtSXsT-hasSubsText-false"><span class="wpds-c-hBJqc"><span class="wpds-c-dzSncg">Share this article</span></span><span class="wpds-c-eCvK"><span class="wpds-c-enedHQ wpds-c-enedHQ-cCdK-isShown-false">Share</span><svg xmlns=" fill="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 16 16" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fBqPWp wpds-c-fDHGth"><path fill="currentColor" d="M8 .6v3.8h.1c-4.4 0-7.3 4.5-6.9 8.8.1.8.2 1.2.2 1.2l.2 1 .4-1.3c.8-2 2-4 6.2-3.9H8v4l7-6.9L8 .6Zm1 11.3V9.3h-.9c-3 0-4.8.5-6.2 2.9.5-3.3 2.7-6.8 6.2-6.8H9V3l4.5 4.4L9 11.9Z"></path></svg></span></div></button></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">A few weeks later, the church said that <a href="> would stick wh the Boy Suts</a> for the time beg but would “ntue to evaluate and refe program optns that better meet s global needs.” Thursday’s announcement about the teen programs was the first cisn to e out of that evaluatn.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Hawks said the church wants to eventually pick a youth program which all Mormons worldwi, not jt Amerins and Canadians, n participate.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“They’ve been very open about the necsy for a program that would serve global needs,” Delimarkos said. “We know that there’s an tert there. That beg said, we know that there’s strength the Cub Sut and Boy Sut programs, and they see value . We certaly hope that they ntue to stay wh Cub Suts and Boy Suts.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The Mormon Church ns s own program for teen girls, and fai had plaed that is not as well fund as the boys’ activi. On Thursday, the church said the new program that will replace Varsy and Venturg will rrect that spendg imbalance.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Although the church will whdraw om Varsy and Venturg at the begng of 2018, said will pay the same registratn fe through the end of that year to ease the effect on the Boy Suts. The church will also ntue to support all teenage Mormons who want to bee Eagle Suts, the prtig rank associated wh the Boy Suts.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The church’s whdrawal may affect the future of the programs themselv. The Venturg program is ed  other church and secular anizatns, Delimarkos said — and unlike Cub Suts or Boy Suts, Venturg clus both boys and girls non-Mormon troops. But Varsy, which the Mormon Church ed for s 14- and 15-year-olds, was largely veloped njunctn wh the church and ed by Mormon troops. Boy Suts may nsir alterg the program now, Delimarkos said.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Other relig groups have also distanced themselv om Sutg bee of unease about LGBT cln and other social issu — most recently, the Archdce of Kansas Cy Kansas told s church to <a href=">disband all their Girl Sut troops</a>. Meanwhile, Sut troops rema popular not jt church, but some synagogu and <a href=">mosqu</a>.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null"><strong>Want more stori about fah? 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