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user · 2009-11-09 9:36 pm

resedit wrote:
Yes, they reject atheism, but they do not espouse *a* religion - which is what the establishment clause is all about.

Nonsense, they most decidedly espouse Christianity.

I was a Scout. Probably still have a sash with my "God and Country" merit badge hanging in a closet at my parent's house.

Last edited by user (2009-11-09 9:37 pm)

bedstuy · 2009-11-09 10:25 pm

I quit Boy Scouts after a couple weeks of them attempting to make me tie knots.

Tallgeese · 2009-11-09 10:27 pm

resedit wrote:
btw, mind sharing the anti-BSA site you are getting your links from?

I suspect you've posted enough that I could find it, so why not just come out with it?

Actually, that quote I found on The O'Reilly Factor, when he was asking a BSA representative to make up his mind if they were a religious organization or not since they keep coming out with contradictory statements depending on what point they want to make.

Tallgeese · 2009-11-09 10:29 pm

radarman wrote:
I'm an Eagle scout, and I still believe scouting is a good opportunity for boys - so I will admit I'm biased. I don't understand the hatred for the Boy Scouts, though. Sure, not everyone is cut out for it - but there are plenty of other organizations for boys and girls.

Instead of grumbling because the Boy Scouts don't allow gay or atheist troops, why not start an organization that does. Seriously - if you don't fit their standards, why would you WANT to be a member? More to the point, why would you sue to become a member of an organization that doesn't want you? It's dumb. I did a brief Google search on just such organizations, and while I didn't find a single one, I found lots of sites bemoaning their policies. Jeez folks, give it up already.

That said, I wouldn't be happy if the government gave the Scouts unusual favor, but I really don't think that's the case. There are some historical anomalies, due to Scouting being around since the US was much more of a Christian nation, but these are slowly being worked out. In most cases I've seen, it's local churches or civic organizations that take Boy Scout troops under their wing, not governments.

Unusual favor like a Congressional charter and Pentagon sponsored scout troops (stopped in 2005 due to lawsuits) ?

radarman · 2009-11-09 10:44 pm

Tallgeese wrote:
radarman wrote:
I'm an Eagle scout, and I still believe scouting is a good opportunity for boys - so I will admit I'm biased. I don't understand the hatred for the Boy Scouts, though. Sure, not everyone is cut out for it - but there are plenty of other organizations for boys and girls.

Instead of grumbling because the Boy Scouts don't allow gay or atheist troops, why not start an organization that does. Seriously - if you don't fit their standards, why would you WANT to be a member? More to the point, why would you sue to become a member of an organization that doesn't want you? It's dumb. I did a brief Google search on just such organizations, and while I didn't find a single one, I found lots of sites bemoaning their policies. Jeez folks, give it up already.

That said, I wouldn't be happy if the government gave the Scouts unusual favor, but I really don't think that's the case. There are some historical anomalies, due to Scouting being around since the US was much more of a Christian nation, but these are slowly being worked out. In most cases I've seen, it's local churches or civic organizations that take Boy Scout troops under their wing, not governments.
Unusual favor like a Congressional charter and Pentagon sponsored scout troops (stopped in 2005 due to lawsuits) ?

Like I said, a lot of the special treatment in some areas is already being worked out.

D'Eyncourt · 2009-11-10 1:23 pm

radarman wrote:
Tallgeese wrote:
radarman wrote:
I'm an Eagle scout, and I still believe scouting is a good opportunity for boys - so I will admit I'm biased. I don't understand the hatred for the Boy Scouts, though. Sure, not everyone is cut out for it - but there are plenty of other organizations for boys and girls.

Instead of grumbling because the Boy Scouts don't allow gay or atheist troops, why not start an organization that does. Seriously - if you don't fit their standards, why would you WANT to be a member? More to the point, why would you sue to become a member of an organization that doesn't want you? It's dumb. I did a brief Google search on just such organizations, and while I didn't find a single one, I found lots of sites bemoaning their policies. Jeez folks, give it up already.

That said, I wouldn't be happy if the government gave the Scouts unusual favor, but I really don't think that's the case. There are some historical anomalies, due to Scouting being around since the US was much more of a Christian nation, but these are slowly being worked out. In most cases I've seen, it's local churches or civic organizations that take Boy Scout troops under their wing, not governments.
Unusual favor like a Congressional charter and Pentagon sponsored scout troops (stopped in 2005 due to lawsuits) ?
Like I said, a lot of the special treatment in some areas is already being worked out.

As I wrote earlier: I believe that many people are looking back with nostalgia at an organization that they would not recognize today.

Tallgeese · 2009-11-10 1:38 pm

You mean one that has stepped up its purges due to Mormon takeover?

D'Eyncourt · 2009-11-10 2:02 pm

Tallgeese wrote:
You mean one that has stepped up its purges due to Mormon takeover?

Yes.

robco · 2009-11-10 2:13 pm

I'm an Eagle Scout, though not active in the BSA obviously. My troop was chartered by a small town community association. We weren't religious at all. We rarely had any sort of religious observance. At camp there was a brief non-denom service and that was pretty much it. But that was in a relatively secular part of the country. Female Scoutmasters weren't a big deal and well, I know lots of other queens from my scouting days. It's no coincidence that the first manual was titled Scouting for Boys.

Forums | MacLife

#76 2009-11-09 9:36 pm

Re: Maine repeals gay marriage law - is the gay marriage fight too early?

resedit wrote:

#77 2009-11-09 10:25 pm

Re: Maine repeals gay marriage law - is the gay marriage fight too early?

#78 2009-11-09 10:27 pm

Re: Maine repeals gay marriage law - is the gay marriage fight too early?

resedit wrote:

#79 2009-11-09 10:29 pm

Re: Maine repeals gay marriage law - is the gay marriage fight too early?

radarman wrote:

#80 2009-11-09 10:44 pm

Re: Maine repeals gay marriage law - is the gay marriage fight too early?

Tallgeese wrote:

radarman wrote:

#81 2009-11-10 1:23 pm

Re: Maine repeals gay marriage law - is the gay marriage fight too early?

radarman wrote:

Tallgeese wrote:

radarman wrote:

#82 2009-11-10 1:38 pm

Re: Maine repeals gay marriage law - is the gay marriage fight too early?

#83 2009-11-10 2:02 pm

Re: Maine repeals gay marriage law - is the gay marriage fight too early?

Tallgeese wrote:

#84 2009-11-10 2:13 pm

Re: Maine repeals gay marriage law - is the gay marriage fight too early?

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