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I was in Scouts for a couple of years. Religion was not really a focus at all. The message was that we should respect each others choices with regard to religio

I was in Scouts for a couple of years. Religion was not really a focus at all. The message was that we should respect each others choices with regard to religion and spirituality and that was about it. Morals, good citizenship, and respect were otherwise discussed without much reference to religion.

ryanmercer 8y ago
>I was in Scouts for a couple of years. Religion was not really a focus at all. Same. Aside from having a Jehova's Witness as a scoutmaster (that never once brought up religion, in fact my family and that family were the only non-holiday church-going families in my dens and packs), there was absolutely nothing religious about my time from tiger cubs up to my father dying just shy of my 13th birthday and me leaving scouts.
EvanAnderson 8y ago
I was in Scouts, too, and I had a similar experience to you. That doesn't change the fact that organization has weighed-in on matters of religion[1] and affirmed themselves as being discriminatory toward atheists. [1] - https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2018/05/31/bsa-reaffirms-duty-to-god-aspect-of-all-programs-through-resolution-adopted-at-2018-national-annual-meeting/ https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2018/05/31/bsa-reaffirms-d...
CydeWeys 8y ago
It depends on the troop. I was in the Cub Scouts in Takoma Park, MD (which is where the hippies went who never stopped being hippies), and indeed religion was not a focus there. But in troops elsewhere, it definitely can be. And those troops are being given cover and explicit endorsement to do so by the national organization. Whereas if, say, a local dance class started injecting religion and making some people feel uncomfortable because it's not their religion, the national organization might step in and shut that all down, saying stick to dance instruction and leave religion in church.
sneak 8y ago
Chiming in just to offer some counter anecdata to what seems to be on display in this thread: I was edged out of my local scout troop for being an atheist. This was roughly around 1996-1997 though, so perhaps things have improved.
bobwaycott 8y ago
One of my sons was in scouts for a few years. Every scout meeting and event was started with a prayer that everyone was expected to bow their heads for and say amen. Talks often referenced strictly religious themes, with frequent mentions of the Judeo-Christian god. It felt like religion was very much a focus of the local troop.

ryanmercer 8y ago

>I was in Scouts for a couple of years. Religion was not really a focus at all. Same. Aside from having a Jehova's Witness as a scoutmaster (that never once brought up religion, in fact my family and that family were the only non-holiday church-going families in my dens and packs), there was absolutely nothing religious about my time from tiger cubs up to my father dying just shy of my 13th birthday and me leaving scouts.

EvanAnderson 8y ago

I was in Scouts, too, and I had a similar experience to you. That doesn't change the fact that organization has weighed-in on matters of religion[1] and affirmed themselves as being discriminatory toward atheists. [1] - https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2018/05/31/bsa-reaffirms-duty-to-god-aspect-of-all-programs-through-resolution-adopted-at-2018-national-annual-meeting/ https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2018/05/31/bsa-reaffirms-d...

CydeWeys 8y ago

It depends on the troop. I was in the Cub Scouts in Takoma Park, MD (which is where the hippies went who never stopped being hippies), and indeed religion was not a focus there. But in troops elsewhere, it definitely can be. And those troops are being given cover and explicit endorsement to do so by the national organization. Whereas if, say, a local dance class started injecting religion and making some people feel uncomfortable because it's not their religion, the national organization might step in and shut that all down, saying stick to dance instruction and leave religion in church.

sneak 8y ago

Chiming in just to offer some counter anecdata to what seems to be on display in this thread: I was edged out of my local scout troop for being an atheist. This was roughly around 1996-1997 though, so perhaps things have improved.

bobwaycott 8y ago

One of my sons was in scouts for a few years. Every scout meeting and event was started with a prayer that everyone was expected to bow their heads for and say amen. Talks often referenced strictly religious themes, with frequent mentions of the Judeo-Christian god. It felt like religion was very much a focus of the local troop.