Post-Assad Syrian Christians Rise Up to Celebrate Christmas
The Details Are in on How the Feds Are Blowing Your Tax Dollars
Here's the Final Tally on How Much Money Trump Raised for Hurricane Victims
Here's the Latest on That University of Oregon Employee Who Said Trump Supporters...
Watch an Eagles Fan 'Crash' a New York Giants Fan's Event...and the Reaction...
A Second US Navy Fighter Almost Got Shot Out of the Sky
Not Quite As Crusty As Biden Yet
Poll Shows Americans Are Hopeful For 2025, and the Reason Why Might Make...
Legal Group Puts Sanctuary Jurisdictions on Notice Ahead of Trump's Mass Deportation Opera...
Here's Why Texas AG Ken Paxton Sued the NCAA
Of Course NYT Mocks the Virgin Mary
What Is With Jill Biden's White House Christmas Decorations?
Jesus Fulfilled Amazing Prophecies
Meet the Worst of the Worst Biden Just Spared From Execution
Celebrating the Miracle of Light
OPINION

National Guard Bans Christian Scouts Because of Religious Beliefs

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
John Gibbins/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP, File

A National Guard facility in Pennsylvania refused to allow a Trail Life USA scouting troop to tour their facility and the reason why is going to blow your mind.

Advertisement

I write about these attacks on Christians in my upcoming book, “Culture Jihad: How to Stop the Left From Killing a Nation.” 

The Fort Indiantown Gap National Guard facility regularly hosts tours for Boy Scout troops and other organizations, but Trail Life boys were told they could not participate because they belonged to a Christian scouting organization.

The National Guard tells me they had concerns about whether the Christian group was supportive of the LGBT community.

“After researching the organization online, it was quickly discovered that the organization restricted membership to certain persons,” the National Guard told me. “Army values and policy prevent discrimination against gender or sexual orientation within our ranks, which in turn led to the first-level reviewer denying the request.”

So the National Guard launched an investigation to determine whether a bunch of Christian teenagers were gay friendly? I wasn’t aware that was a prerequisite for taking a tour of a military facility paid for by the tax dollars of Christian citizens (among others).

John Stemberger, the chair of the board at Trail Life USA, blasted the National Guard’s explanation.

“Requiring a Christian code of conduct does not equal improper discrimination,” he told the Todd Starnes Radio Show. “Christian churches and organizations have never allowed their own members to promote views that are opposed to the clear teachings and values of the Bible.”

Advertisement

The National Guard lifted the ban on Christian scouts after First Liberty Institute and the Independence Law Center got involved. The law firms, which handle religious liberty cases, said the National Guard’s decision to ban the Christian scouting group is “discriminatory and unconstitutional.”

“It was not until after receiving the letter from the group’s attorneys that the issue was raised to the appropriate level for a legal and full staff review,” the National Guard said. “There, it was determined that granting a tour to the organization would not violate policy and should be permitted. The decision has been reversed and the tour is being granted.”

The idea that Christian boys would be banned strictly because of their religious beliefs is not only ludicrous, but it’s also illegal.

 “The bottom line is that the original decision was still discrimination against these boys and their families because of their religion,” Stemberger told me. “That is simply un-American, un-Constitutional, and just morally wrong.”

Let’s hope the National Guard has learned its lesson and will never again discriminate against Christian citizens.

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Recommended

Trending on Townhall Videos