Story highlights Robert Gates says it's time to lift the Boy Scout ban on gay adults

Gates: "The status quo in our movement's membership standards cannot be sustained"

(CNN) Robert Gates, the president of the Boy Scouts of America, called for the organization to end its ban on gay adults in remarks (PDF) at the organization's national business meeting Thursday.

Citing "the social, political and judicial changes taking place in our country" regarding laws and sexual orientation, Gates said that "the status quo in our movement's membership standards cannot be sustained."

He added, "Our oath calls upon us to do our duty to God and our country. The country is changing, and we are increasingly at odds with the legal landscape at both the state and federal levels. And, as a movement, we find ourselves with a policy more than a few of our church sponsors reject, thus placing Scouting between a boy and his church."

Gates noted that the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy was overturned by a judge in 2010, when he was defense secretary, prompting Congress to repeal the law. He said decisions on the Boy Scouts' policy could also be dictated by the courts, and it would be better "to seize control of our own future."

He also said that the Boy Scouts would not revoke the charters of councils that currently oppose the ban.

Read More