Impact of Boy Scouts' decision on Jacksonville

Boy Scouts of America to allow gay boys access into organization hits home

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Boy Scouts of America's decision to allow gay boys access into its organization hits close to home in the faith-based community.

Seventy percent of all chartered troops are sponsored by Church's.

So what impact will it have here? A local pastor tells Channel 4's Tim Pulliam, "None," at least for the 20 or so young boys who are scouts at his church.

"How can you tell a child that they can't be a boy scout or a girl scout?" asked Pastor R.L. Gundy of Mount Sinai Missionary Baptist Church. "We can't do that. We as a Christian organization. We can't do that to kids. Never."

"It's time for the family discussion, that means the church family, the home family, the political family, the economic family," adds Gundy. "We need to sit down and have the discussion and look at our kids, and look at our families and treat them the way that they want to be treated ourselves.

Sixty percent of the 1,400 member national scout council voted for the change. However, the ban on gay scout leaders will remain.

Gay rights advocate Keri Kidder said BSA's decision is a small step for gay boy scouts, but the organization still promotes discrimination.

"To me, it gives a bad example as a mentor," said Kidder. "If the boys want to grow up and become leaders in the boy scouts, they are not going to be able to do that. "I think advocates like myself and across the country are going to say this is not OK."