The reason I chose these questions for the Blog this week is because I had two kids in my troop in Northern California that didn’t follow the “traditional” values of Scouting in terms of their religious beliefs. One kid didn’t believe in God and the other believed in many Gods. In fact, while most people might say, “Oh GOD!” this kids would say, “Oh GODS!” It always struck me as weird why these kids were allowed into Scouting even though they didn’t follow the Scout Law and Oath in the strictest sense. I was told as a kids that BSA didn’t have the right to deny kids admission to Scouting…maybe things were way more liberal in Northern California…but according to BSA Legal these kids shouldn’t have been allowed. I know of one kid in Nor Cal who got his Eagle Scout while publically admitting he was an atheist. What’s your take on this? What stand do you take on his Hot Topic???
Q. Can an individual who states that he does not believe in God be a volunteer Scout leader or member?
A. No. The Scout Oath represents the basic values of Scouting, and it addresses the issue of “duty to God” before duty to country, others, and self.
Q. Why is duty to God important to Scouting?
A. Since its founding in the United States in 1910, the Boy Scouts of America has had an ongoing commitment to encouraging moral, ethical and spiritual growth. The Boy Scouts of America believes that the principles set forth in the Scout Oath and Law are central to Boy Scouts’ goals.
Q. What harm would come of admitting young people who are unwilling to do their duty to God?
A. The Scout Oath and Law have served as the foundation of Scouting for 94 years. It would be a disservice to over five million youth and adult members of Scouting to allow members to pick and choose among the elements of the Oath or Law.
Q. How does the Boy Scouts of America define religion?
A. Boy Scouts of America is not a religion; it is a nonsectarian association of persons who believe in God. The Declaration of Religious Principle describes God in a broadly interfaith way as “the ruling and leading power in the universe” to whom we are grateful for “favors and blessings.”
Q. What religions are involved with Scouting?
A. Virtually every religion is represented in the Boy Scouts of America, from Catholics and Protestants, to the Armenian Church of America and Zoroastrians. The Religious Relationships Committee, which includes over 30 religious groups represented in Scouting, determines whether a religion is an appropriate partner for Scouting, and reviews any “duty to God” material which is to be used in Scouting for consistency with Boy Scout policies.
Q. What allows the Boy Scouts of America to exclude atheists and agnostics from membership?
A. The Boy Scouts of America is a private membership group. As with any private organization, Boy Scouts’ retains the constitutional right to establish and maintain standards for membership. Anyone who supports the values of Scouting and meets these standards is welcome to join the organization.
See you at the top!
-Sensei Brian
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