Boy Scouts to Admit Openly Gay Youths

Originally posted by Montana
reply to post by ElohimJD

 

The BSA is not now. nor has it ever been a christian organization. It does not strive to build better christians it strives to build better CITIZENS. Many religious groups have sponsored Scout groups and then bastardized the program to champion their cause, but Gordon-Powell spins in his grave every time it happens! Of the five Scout groups in my town ONE is church affiliated. The other four are chartered by the Lions, the Rotary club, a lumber mill and a car dealership.

I have been a Scout leader for more than 18 years now and I really wish christians would stop trying to change the BSA to reflect their own prejudiced values. All five of my children have been involved in Scouts for most of their lives, and if I had more children they would still be members with gay children in the group. If you want to have a christian camping group, feel free but stop trying to hijack the BSA.

And, yes, I AM a christian. That enables me to see the hypocrisy more clearly.

So much this! Christians/Catholics are funny in the way they try to claim ownership over things such as these.
I really wish people would keep their damn political/religion BS out of it, when i was a scout, I was only focused on the next meeting or event and having fun. Cause that is what it is about, having fun and learning.

What 12 year old kid that is about to go shoot a bow and arrow really cares about the political side of scouting?

reply to post by MichaelPMaccabee


Stop with the lies and mis-directions. The bsa is not a religious organization. It is not legally organised as a religious entity and does not provide ANY religious education. The BSA is a CIVIC group that teaches values and citizenship. Scouts are required to believe in Some type of a god. Be that the Christian God, The Muslim (actually the same one] the Sky Spirit or tree souls. Scout groups have been established in every religious tradition on the face of the earth, including Buddhist which arguably doesn't have a god at all.

THIS is the stated purpose of the BSA-

The Boy Scouts of America is one of the nation's largest and most prominent values-based youth development organizations. The BSA provides a program for young people that builds character, trains them in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and develops personal fitness.

The BSA teaches VALUES not religion. If your scout is learning religion at a Scout meeting, your troop has been hijacked. Take him or her out and find a different troop that is true to scouting principles.

Oh, and as to the argument about not having sexual attraction in Scouts, you are all aware that some scout groups are co-ed, right?

Originally posted by Montana
reply to post by MichaelPMaccabee

 

Stop with the lies and mis-directions. The bsa is not a religious organization. It is not legally organised as a religious entity and does not provide ANY religious education. The BSA is a CIVIC group that teaches values and citizenship. Scouts are required to believe in Some type of a god. Be that the Christian God, The Muslim (actually the same one] the Sky Spirit or tree souls. Scout groups have been established in every religious tradition on the face of the earth, including Buddhist which arguably doesn't have a god at all.

THIS is the stated purpose of the BSA-

The Boy Scouts of America is one of the nation's largest and most prominent values-based youth development organizations. The BSA provides a program for young people that builds character, trains them in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and develops personal fitness.

The BSA teaches VALUES not religion. If your scout is learning religion at a Scout meeting, your troop has been hijacked. Take him or her out and find a different troop that is true to scouting principles.

Oh, and as to the argument about not having sexual attraction in Scouts, you are all aware that some scout groups are co-ed, right?

edit on 5/29/2013 by Montana because: (no reason given)

To be a Boy Scout you must have a belief in God. That one line separate a religious institution from a secular institution. Nothing else in your post matters in context.

Originally posted by MichaelPMaccabee


To be a Boy Scout you must have a belief in God. That one line separate a religious institution from a secular institution. Nothing else in your post matters in context.

A Boy Scout must believe in A god, not "God" as you claim. You can't even get that straight.

If the BSA was a religious group it would be required to register and organize as one. It is not.

I submit to you that YOU do not decide what the BSA is, the BSA decides what the BSA is, and they disagree with you.

Originally posted by Montana

Originally posted by MichaelPMaccabee


To be a Boy Scout you must have a belief in God. That one line separate a religious institution from a secular institution. Nothing else in your post matters in context.

A Boy Scout must believe in A god, not "God" as you claim. You can't even get that straight.

If the BSA was a religious group it would be required to register and organize as one. It is not.

I submit to you that YOU do not decide what the BSA is, the BSA decides what the BSA is, and they disagree with you.

And I submit to YOU that the BSA doesn't allow non-religious membership, which means that if you are not religious, you cannot be a member. How is this NOT a religious organization again?

reply to post by MichaelPMaccabee


Because they don't teach religion. Why can't you understand that?

The BSA is a civic group, whether that supports your prejudice or not, sorry.

Originally posted by Montana
reply to post by MichaelPMaccabee

 

Because they don't teach religion. Why can't you understand that?

The BSA is a civic group, whether that supports your prejudice or not, sorry.

Well, not all civic organizations require their membership to be religious.

There is actually only one type of organization that requires membership to be religious, and those are religious organizations.

reply to post by MichaelPMaccabee


Well, that is your opinion. I disagree.

Religious people can gather together for civic purposes just as easily as non-religious people. I guarantee that if you were to start speaking in religious terms at one of our Scout meetings, you would be asked to save it for your next church function. Your group may be different.

Originally posted by Montana
Religious people can gather together for civic purposes just as easily as non-religious people.

Not in the scouts. But that is because the scouts are a RELIGIOUS organization.

reply to post by Montana


Wrong, the Oath does not say duty to A God. It says duty to God. Some people on here don't know crap from Crisco, even the ones claiming to be ScoutMasters that think it is not a religious organization.

The new BSA office at 200 Fifth Avenue opened in January 1911,[8] with West at the helm and the movement began to grow at a rapid pace. One of West's first tasks was to revise the British-based program outline in Seton's handbook and adapt it for American boys. West was instrumental in expanding the third part of the Scout Oath:


To help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.

He also pushed to add three parts to the Scout Law: brave, clean, and reverent. He then pressed article III of the constitution of the BSA, now known as the religious principle:


Boy Scouts of America believes that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to God.
en.wikipedia.org...

They have always centered around God, not a God.

reply to post by MichaelPMaccabee


Enjoy your day.

reply to post by Christian Voice


And enjoy your prejudice!

I am sure God is loving it.

reply to post by Montana


It's not prejudice. I'm sure God is very pleased that I stand strong and defend his word. I'm glad I have your approval to enjoy myself.

Originally posted by Montana
reply to post by MichaelPMaccabee

 

Enjoy your day.

You as well, friend.

Originally posted by Christian Voice

Boy Scouts of America believes that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to God.
en.wikipedia.org...

They have always centered around God, not a God.

So which god? "A duty to god" and "a duty to a god" Are in essence the same thing.

Is he talking about Thor? Or Allah? Buddha perhaps?

Originally posted by GR1ill3d

Originally posted by Christian Voice

Boy Scouts of America believes that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to God.
en.wikipedia.org...

They have always centered around God, not a God.

So which god? "A duty to god" and "a duty to a god" Are in essence the same thing.

Is he talking about Thor? Or Allah? Buddha perhaps?

The God does not matter as long as the observations of the religion are kept sacred.

reply to post by MichaelPMaccabee


The God does matter. The BSA was founded by men that were Christian therefore God would be the The Christian God, The one True God, Elohim. Founded by Christians and based on Christian values and principles.

Originally posted by Christian Voice
reply to post by MichaelPMaccabee

 

The God does matter. The BSA was founded by men that were Christian therefore God would be the The Christian God, The one True God, Elohim. Founded by Christians and based on Christian values and principles.

Nope, the God doesn't matter. God was actually taken out of the tenants of the Boy Scouts so as to allow for the Buddhists. You now must only be part of a religion.

reply to post by GR1ill3d


True in a sense and I agree to an extent but politics come into it when someone finds out a scout member or leader is gay and ejects them from the BOA. That's where it becomes and issue for kids and adults. Hence all this going on and also the political correctness issues and social and civil issues implied. It's a huge deck of cards on both sides of the issue. It really takes the fun and purpose of what it's supposed to be all about.

reply to post by Flint2011


Think for a moment. When boys hit their teens they start going through changes. They get feelings they've never dealt with before. They get urges. My troop I ran was a Venture troop. We did very high adventure outings. We camped often and I don't mean at Scout campsites, I mean we roughed it. Why would you send a hormonal confused "homosexual" into the woods with that which they are supposedly attracted to? We'll leave ouot the moral issues for a moment. It causes entirely too many problems and it will set the leaders and parents up for lawsuits and headache.