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SALT LAKE CITY — The Boy Scouts of America on Monday reaffirmed its duty to God as a core value of Scouting, clarified the requirements for troop charters and said the focus of the organization is on building character in youths, not on advancing a social agenda.

The announcement comes at the end of a tumultuous year for the Boy Scouts after changes to its membership and leadership policies were made. The acceptance of male leaders and boys who identify as gay raised questions and concerns both inside and outside the organization about its future and its values.

But a new Scouter Code of Conduct reaffirms that the Declaration of Religious Principle, also known as "duty to God," remains a core value, said John Gailey, director of support services for the Utah National Parks Council, which serves more than 89,000 Scouts.

"Duty to God is core and central to Scouting, and we don't want there to be any confusion on that point," Gailey said.

The 10-point Scouter Code of Conduct is designed to guide Boy Scout leaders and includes:

"I will do my best to live up to the Scout Oath and Scout Law, obey all laws, and hold others in Scouting accountable to those standards. I will exercise sound judgment and demonstrate good leadership and use the Scouting program for its intended purpose consistent with the mission of the Boy Scouts of America."

It reaffirms the need to protect youths, obey all laws, and support Boy Scout training and standards as they relate to fundraising, advocacy of any social and political cause, and prevention of bullying, hazing and harassment.

Item six of the Scouter Code states that adult leaders "will not discuss or engage in any form of sexual conduct while engaged in Scouting activities" and tells leaders to refer questions of sexuality by youths to parents or faith leaders.

"There is a lot of talk about who we are or what we do, but the most important thing is that we don't discuss sexuality. We don't talk to people about their orientation. We do Scouting," said Rick Barnes, Scout executive of the Great Salt Lake Council.

(Photo: KSL-TV)

Additionally, Barnes said changes to the New-Unit Application and Annual Unit Charter specifies that organizations cannot use Scouting's uniform or brand for political or social advocacy from organizing charters.

"Chartered organizations must not use the Scouting program to pursue any objectives related to political or social advocacy, including partisan politics, support or opposition to government action or controversial legal, political, or social issues or causes," the charter application notes.

Barnes said religiously affiliated charters, which make up 70 percent of the Greater Salt Lake Council's charters, may continue to use their own standards and values to inform their decisions on who will be adult leaders.

"We're here to provide Scouting for youth, and that is our main focus," he said. "We want to make sure that there are not organizations out here trying to use Scouting to promote their own agenda."

Barnes said single-issue advocacy organizations historically don't satisfy the criteria for new charters.

Chris Larson is a BYU news media major interning with Deseret News. Contact him at chlarson@deseretnews.com

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