Also, about the whole gay issue and religions ties.
I have personally known a few gay Eagle Scouts that of course were not openly gay while in the Scouts. I am sure these men would prefer being open about their sexuality in the Boy Scouts, but I cannot speak for them. On the ground level, most Scouts are accepting that a few people in their ranks might be gay. Most Scouts don't care either way.
If you ever had any gay or lesbian friends, you will know that it's not that big of a deal and they know when they have been too forward with their attractions, just like anybody else. The true character of a person is so much more than their sexuality, and those that condemn by category simply are cowards. It takes more courage to get to know a person and hate them than hate an entire group of people for one measly attribute of their being.
The Boy Scouts do receive a significant amount of funding from the Mormon Church and the Roman Catholic Church. We all know how these organizations stand towards homosexuality. Part of being a Boy Scout is the religious aspect, and being an atheist, I do not completely agree with the religious aspect because plenty of atheists are decent people. Behind the scenes, I assume that some of these major funders have threatened with ceasing their funding and the Boy Scouts have balked at changing their policy towards homosexuality.
While I'm lecturing, it troubles me that kids often ridiculed just for being in the Boy Scouts. It was a source of shame and I was made fun of for being part of the organization. Probably not until the age of 17 or 18 was I proud to say I was a Boy Scout. The values taught to me about being a decent person, some skills, and experiences are valuable to this day. It's unfortunate we don't have more young men that strive to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient (not a huge fan of this one), cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.