AUSTIN – In his new book, Texas Gov. Rick Perry uses the Boy Scouts to draw a battle line in a "culture war," defending them against the American Civil Liberties Union and what he sees as a moral struggle for the country's future.

He was to be in New York today to launch a tour promoting On My Honor: Why the American Values of the Boy Scouts Are Worth Fighting For .

The book extols the virtues of the Boy Scouts and its impact on a young boy growing up in rural Paint Creek, Texas. "Life revolved around school, church, and – for most boys – the Boy Scouts," wrote Mr. Perry, who eventually became an Eagle Scout.

It traces a 30-year history of litigation involving the Scouts – most of which they won – and Mr. Perry, a Republican, targets the ACLU as the primary force behind a leftist push to accept homosexuality and challenge Scouting's duty to God.

On homosexuality, Mr. Perry says he is tolerant of gays he knows: "I believe in valuing their lives like any other," and he is open to the idea that sexual orientation may be genetic.

But he says any discussion of sex – heterosexual or homosexual – has no place in Scouting, which "is not about sex, but about building character."

On religion, he writes that Scouting is firmly nonsectarian but expects members to express a belief in the Almighty and to live according to that faith.

If intimidation and the threat of lawsuits succeed, "The culture war will be lost before we know it."

Several officials with the ACLU said they are aware of Mr. Perry's book. "Our issues aren't with the Boy Scouts per se, but they are with issues of tolerance in general," said Lisa Graybill of the ACLU of Texas.

Mr. Perry also tackles a broad range of issues for America today, ranging from education to reliance on foreign investment.

All net proceeds from the sales of the book go to the Boy Scouts of America.

The timing of its release raises questions of whether he is trying to bolster his conservative credentials and the chances of an appointment to a federal post if Republican John McCain is elected president. He has said he's not interested in moving to Washington.