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The merit badge sounds like a neat idea, but the BSA exclude gays, atheists and agnostics, and to me, that taints everything else they do (girl scout are much b

by whyenot 17y ago

The merit badge sounds like a neat idea, but the BSA exclude gays, atheists and agnostics, and to me, that taints everything else they do (girl scout are much better about this). Since 1991, openly gay individuals have been officially prohibited from leadership positions in the Boy Scouts of America. A 1991 Position Statement states: “We believe that homosexual conduct is inconsistent with the requirement in the Scout Oath that a Scout be morally straight and in the Scout Law that a Scout be clean in word and deed, and that homosexuals do not provide a desirable role model for Scouts.” The BSA thus "believes that a known or avowed homosexual is not an appropriate role model of the Scout Oath and Law."

gscott 17y ago
As a business decision, if you run an organization with males from 6 to 18 and you have someone who prefers sexual contact with males it might not be a good idea to send all of those people to the woods alone together... without baby oil and Niel Diamond songs. The Boy Scouts have enough problems with people who don't disclose that they prefer males, hence an 18.5 million dollar lawsuit that the Boy Scouts just lost. Further, imagine trying to get parents to have there kids join a group with a gay leader or that might have a gay leader. The religion part is very open, for example the Spaghetti Monster religion would qualify so does believing in "Mother Earth" for whatever that means. I was a Den leader for several years for Cub Scouts, an atheist dad and son joined, it wasn't a big deal but I qualified them first by making sure they didn't mind all of the "Duty to God" type sayings.
pogenwurst 17y ago
As an Eagle Scout, I feel pretty strongly against those policies. However, as a practical matter, there is one vital number to keep in mind: 62, the percentage of BSA units sponsored by religious organizations* (as of December 2007, according to Wikipedia). And the largest sponsor (overall, not just among religious groups), by total units and total youth: the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I hope the policy will change and indeed firmly believe that it will. But it needs considered in context. *that's not to say that all 62% would necessarily be alienated by a policy change

by whyenot 17y ago

gscott 17y ago

As a business decision, if you run an organization with males from 6 to 18 and you have someone who prefers sexual contact with males it might not be a good idea to send all of those people to the woods alone together... without baby oil and Niel Diamond songs. The Boy Scouts have enough problems with people who don't disclose that they prefer males, hence an 18.5 million dollar lawsuit that the Boy Scouts just lost. Further, imagine trying to get parents to have there kids join a group with a gay leader or that might have a gay leader. The religion part is very open, for example the Spaghetti Monster religion would qualify so does believing in "Mother Earth" for whatever that means. I was a Den leader for several years for Cub Scouts, an atheist dad and son joined, it wasn't a big deal but I qualified them first by making sure they didn't mind all of the "Duty to God" type sayings.

pogenwurst 17y ago

As an Eagle Scout, I feel pretty strongly against those policies. However, as a practical matter, there is one vital number to keep in mind: 62, the percentage of BSA units sponsored by religious organizations* (as of December 2007, according to Wikipedia). And the largest sponsor (overall, not just among religious groups), by total units and total youth: the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I hope the policy will change and indeed firmly believe that it will. But it needs considered in context. *that's not to say that all 62% would necessarily be alienated by a policy change