LETTERS: Readers sound off about gay rights, Boy Scouts and the lack of global leadership (Week 1)

"LETTERS: Readers sound off about gay rights, Boy Scouts and the lack of global leadership."WacoTrib.com. The Waco Tribune, 6 Mar 2014. Web. 6 Mar 2014. <http://www.wacotrib.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letters-readers-sound-off-about-gay-rights-boy-scouts-and/article_fc02efd4-8b30-514e-9416-5e6277dd4d8f.html>.

(No specific article author, since this is a collection of letters to the editor.)


In this collection of letters to the editor of The Waco Tribune, direct reader response to the current controversy regarding the Boy Scouts of America's anti-gay-leader policy is provided. The letter that speaks directly to the current happenings regarding the issue is written by Jon Cockrum. Starkly contrasting with the status quo in current journalism regarding the issue, which tends towards antagonizing the Boy Scouts of America for being discriminating, Cockrum takes a different approach with the topic. While he very clearly indicates that he is not overly pro-gay-rights, he suggests that religion, specifically Christianity, be pulled out of the equation. Cockrum argues that using religion as a justification for policy - either in favor of or opposed to gay rights - is a mistake. He provides an example using race: a black person could never "pray his way" to becoming white. Similarly, using prayer with regards to a person being gay is simply ridiculous, and, according to Cockrum, sends the wrong message to children in terms of religion.