I agree with Larry Dorr’s June 10 letter, “Hope in first step to end bigotry,” about needing to define “what equality really means.” Yet, he ignores the definition while accusing the Boy Scouts of America of bigotry for allowing openly “gay scouts” but not atheists and gay leaders.
Equality, which is grounded in the way we are made, means treating that which is equal equally. Scouting always allowed gay scouts. They didn’t allow emphasizing sexuality (the meaning of openly) in an organization that doesn’t emphasize sexuality. Especially sexuality that denies the way we are sexually made (i.e. opposite-sex sexual desires complement that males are physically made for sexual union with females). Likewise, atheists are not banned. They must follow Scout Law, including “A Scout is Reverent.”
Dorr claims the Boy Scouts violate a moral standard, thus committing bigotry. For moral force, this standard cannot be a human invention but must transcend humans for which they are accountable whether they even acknowledge the standard. Atheism denies transcendence, meaning humans invent moral rules. So while atheists can lead moral lives they are living inconsistent with their world view when they accuse anyone of bigotry or demand people follow the atheist’s human-invented personal preferences of equality.
Larry Rambousek
Washougal
