I read this story today that says the Boy Scouts of America are considering allowing gay scout leaders. This is a phenomenally bad idea, and I’ll tell you why.

First of all, let me say that I know people who are gay. They are not monsters. They are no different than any of the rest of us. They are sinners, just like me and you. According to my literal interpretation of the Bible (sorry Matthew Vines), homosexual behavior is a sin. According to God, sin is sin. Is homosexuality any worse of a sin than adultery? No. So we should view people who practice homosexuality the same as we view adulterers and anybody who has sex outside of marriage. Because that’s what it is: outside of marriage. Marriage is defined as a union between a man and a woman. To speak of “same-sex marriage” is as incomprehensible as “walking fish” or “tapdancing fern.” These are logical impossibilities. Can two men or two women live in a consensual, exclusive, long-term relationship? Yes. Is it marriage? Nope.

All that being said, I understand the ire of gay people who bristle at the rule that there can be no gay scout leaders. I am a male nurse, and that means I frequently encounter people (mostly women) who don’t want me as their nurse because I am a man. Being a man doesn’t mean that I am some kind of lecherous beast who can’t keep my eyes and hands off women, no matter the circumstance. Obviously it doesn’t mean that, but some women act that way.

Even so, there have been times when I felt uncomfortable performing certain services for certain female patients, because they were extremely physically attractive. There have even been a few times when I asked to not take care of a particularly attractive woman because I felt uncomfortable. Would I have been completely professional? I would like to think so. Did I know better than to put myself in that situation? Absolutely.

I am a heterosexual male. I would not be comfortable taking a group of girls aged 13-17 on an overnight camping trip. As a matter of fact, if asked to do so (alone, with no other adults), I would flat-out refuse. Again, would anything untoward happen? I would like to think not, but the Bible is very clear that we should avoid even the appearance of evil, and we should not willingly place ourselves in situations that would make it easier to fall prey to temptation.

That is the main reason why I believe the Boy Scouts of America should not allow gay scout leaders. Men who are attracted to other men should not take a group of young men into the woods camping in the same way that men who are attracted to women should not take a group of young women into the woods.

If you have a 16 year old daughter, and she told you that her 34 year old male science teacher wanted to take her and five other girls from his class on an overnight astronomy trip where they would be alone, what would you say? That’s what you should say if a gay scout leader wants to take your 16 year old son on a camping trip, and for the same reason. Not because they are monsters but because they are human, and subject to the same temptations as the rest of us.