Christianity about inclusiveness

Darcy Lemon raised several interesting points in her defense of the Boy Scouts' anti-gay policy ("Boy Scouts don't deserve criticism," Oct. 10). Most notably, she suggested that since the Christian church and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People do not welcome atheists and white people, respectively, the Boy Scouts should not be expected to welcome the participation of gays. \nMs. Lemon wrote, "No one would expect an advocated atheist to walk into a church and be welcome." I am quite open with the fact that I am an atheist, but I have never felt unwelcome in a church. I always felt that one of the defining qualities of Christianity was its inclusiveness.\nMs. Lemon also suggests that if she walked into an NAACP office, she would likely be told that she "didn't belong there." I would be very surprised if Ms. Lemon received this reaction. The NAACP is not an anti-white organization. \nThe Boy Scouts are a private institution, and as such they should not be forced to accept gays. But in the minds of many, they will be thought of as exclusionary, regressive and intolerant. These qualities are neither moral nor godly, as Ms. Lemon states.\nShould we be exclusionary, and cast condemnations on those only slightly different from us? Or should we be compassionate? Should we remember to "let he who is without sin cast the first stone," to "turn the other cheek" and to "Love thy enemy"? I am an atheist, but I will choose the aforementioned words of Christ to discrimination any day. \nGabe Merton\nSenior