{"id":16170,"date":"2018-05-09T10:07:18","date_gmt":"2018-05-09T15:07:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tomseymour66.com\/?p=16170"},"modified":"2018-05-09T10:07:18","modified_gmt":"2018-05-09T15:07:18","slug":"mormon-church-will-sever-ties-with-boy-scouts-create-own-youth-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tomseymour66.com\/mormon-church-will-sever-ties-with-boy-scouts-create-own-youth-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Mormon Church Will Sever Ties With Boy Scouts, Create Own Youth Program"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n The Mormon church says it will end its relationship with the Boy Scouts of America. A Boy Scout is seen here in 2015 at a camp outside Payson, Utah.<\/p>\n

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The Mormon church says it will end its relationship with the Boy Scouts of America. A Boy Scout is seen here in 2015 at a camp outside Payson, Utah.<\/p>\n

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The Mormon church and the Boy Scouts of America have announced that they are ending their relationship, after more than 100 years of close ties.<\/p>\n

In a joint statement<\/a>, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Boy Scouts said that as the church’s membership was increasingly living outside the United States, it “felt the need to create and implement a uniform youth leadership and development program that serves its members globally. In so doing, it will be necessary for the Church to discontinue its role as a chartered partner.”<\/p>\n

The church said its new youth development program<\/a> for both girls and boys will begin in 2020. Until then, “the intention of the Church is to remain a fully engaged partner in Scouting for boys and young men ages 8\u201313 and encourages all youth, families, and leaders to continue their active participation and financial support.”<\/p>\n

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The move is important because Mormons comprise a major part of the Boy Scouts membership. The church has been the single biggest sponsor of Boy Scout troops in the U.S. The Associated Press reports that “Mormon boys who will be leaving represent about 18.5 percent of the 2.3 million youth in the organization.”<\/p>\n

In a separate statement, the Boy Scouts of America said it is “confident that many LDS Scouting families will go on to enjoy Scouting for years to come. … For LDS families who want to continue the tradition of Scouting beyond 2019, the BSA will ensure a smooth transition to community-sponsored units that will welcome youth previously served by LDS-sponsored units.”<\/p>\n