The announcement made last year by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that it would be terminating ties with the Boy Scouts of America at the end of this year was a major disappointment.
One could go into many reasons why it was unnecessary and truly a blunder, but there isn’t room here. I will just say that the new program, Scouts BSA, still allows any chartered den or troop to continue just as they have been, if that is their choice.
With the changing times, it would have been far wiser if the LDS Church had looked to it as a challenge to reach out and become more inclusive rather than insular.
For more than 100 years, BSA has blessed LDS youth immensely, and its basic principles and mission have not changed. Its 130-plus merit badges are a treasure in and of themselves.
The church can never duplicate the benefits of BSA, either here at home or internationally. To partially compensate for this impending loss, I would encourage other local churches (and organizations) to consider starting their own Scouting programs.
Warren S. Wright, St. George
