Boy Scout troops can meet in Presbyterian church basements despite Scouting's ban on homosexuals.

Delegates to the 204th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) voted 368-165 against a resolution urging congregations to find out if their Scout troops ban homosexuals and to bar them from church facilities if they do.Scout leaders and gay activists had said it would be a hypocritical stand for a church that bans gay clergy and declares homosexuality to be wrong.

The resolution, recommended by a church committee, said the 2.8-million-member denomination must do everything in its power to prevent society from discriminating against homosexuals.

"The issue is not the Boy Scouts. The issue is whether the church of Jesus Christ is going to be a discriminatory organization," Gerald Wise of the Chicago Presbytery argued in support of the resolution.

But Jack Willard of the Lake Michigan Presbytery said that a vote for the resolution would be perceived as "an unwarranted and thoughtless attack" on the Scouts.

Earlier, delegates defeated, 284-241, a resolution upholding the right of the Boy Scouts of America to establish its own criteria for membership.

"We should not start backing them up in what we consider a restrictive policy," said Martin Cornelius of the Northern Waters Presbytery.

Looking for comments?
Find comments in their new home! Click the buttons at the top or within the article to view them — or use the button below for quick access.