Leading Religious Liberty Attorneys Warn Boy Scouts Of "Unintended Consequences"

Joint Letter Offers BSA Help to Preserve Longstanding View of Scout Oath

DALLAS, Feb. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Liberty Institute formed an alliance with leading religious liberty law firms to submit a letter that strongly warns the Boy Scouts of America leadership about "unintended consequences" of adopting the proposed policy changes to include openly gay scouts and leaders at a February meeting. To view the letter online, visit:
http://blog.libertyinstitute.org/2013/02/the-boy-scouts-threat-to-religious.html

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"Making the proposed policy change would have profound implications regarding religious liberty and First Amendment rights," said Liberty Institute President Kelly Shackelford in concert with Mathew Staver, Chairman and Founder of Liberty Counsel, and Gary McCaleb, Chief Solicitor and Executive Vice President of Alliance Defending Freedom. "We are also happy to provide representation to protect your First Amendment rights if you choose to continue respecting and adhering to your longstanding view of what the Scout Oath means when a scout promises to be "morally straight."

In addition to offering legal assistance, the letter spelled out potential consequences of adopting the policy change, including crippling costs of litigation and the loss of support from local churches that currently sponsor scouting units and permit meetings in their facilities, among other hardship.

About Liberty Institute
Liberty Institute is a nonprofit legal group dedicated to restoring and defending religious liberty across America – in our schools, for our churches, and throughout the public arena. Liberty Institute's vision is to reestablish liberty in accordance with the principles of our nation's founders. Visit www.LibertyInstitute.org for more information.

SOURCE Liberty Institute