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It was Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 6, 2013. The huge hall was overflowing, the convention sold out. Over 1,200 attendees, with many spilling out into the foyer, eagerly awaited the announcement. What would this safe, moral and non-sexualized alternative to the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) look like? With a stirring introductory video came the answer: “Trail Life USA” would now endeavor to “be the premier national character development organization for young men, which produces godly and responsible husbands, fathers and citizens.” The reveal, eagerly anticipated by hundreds of thousands – if not millions – of Americans was met with rousing...

An organization formed in the wake of the Boy Scouts of America's decision to allow openly gay members officially launched on New Year's Day. Trail Life USA now has nearly 500 troops that have either entered the pre-charter process or are fully chartered and are already registering members, according to Mark Hancock, the organization's chief operating officer. Most of the troops are chartered to churches, he told The Christian Post, though some are chartered to Christian homeschool associations, camps and other organizations that agree with Trail Life's faith values. Troops are being organized in at least 42 states, Hancock says,...

Would you allow your 10-year-old son to share a tent with a 17-year-old homosexual? Yes. I don't know. No.

FULL TITLE: Boy Scouts of America will officially welcome gay members on New Year's Day as they grapple with questions about group showers and tentmates The Boy Scouts of America will accept openly gay youths starting New Year's Day, marking a historic shift that spells major changes to policies on tentmates and showers. Yet despite their be-prepared approach, BSA leaders are rooting for the change to be a non-event, comparable to another New Year's Day in 2000 when widespread fears of digital-clock chaos to start the new millennium proved unfounded. ‘My hope is there will be the same effect this...

The Boy Scouts of America will accept openly gay youths starting on New Year’s Day, a historic change that has prompted the BSA to ponder a host of potential complications—ranging from policies on tentmates and showers to whether Scouts can march in gay pride parades. Yet despite their be-prepared approach, BSA leaders are rooting for the change to be a non-event, comparable to another New Year’s Day in 2000 when widespread fears of digital-clock chaos to start the new millennium proved unfounded. “My hope is there will be the same effect this Jan. 1 as the Y2K scare,” said Brad...

Earlier this year, when the Boy Scouts of America changed its policy to allow openly gay members, a local council braced for repercussions. "We knew back in May that it might be a challenge, but we didn't know how great a challenge," said Bill Davis, executive with the Scouts' West Central Florida Council, serving Pinellas and West Pasco counties. "So far, the biggest fallout is the financial loss. We need about $75,000 to balance our budget this year." Also feeling the wrath of those who disapprove of the Boy Scouts' decision is the Gulf Ridge Council, which serves eight counties,...

Two Utah Boy Scout leaders are facing significant backlash after posting a video online of the men tipping over a nearly 200-million-year-old rock formation in Goblin Valley State Park. Glenn Taylor and David Hall, from Highland, Utah, have now been removed from the Boy Scouts of America. An investigation is underway to determine whether the men will face felony charges. SNIP ...leadership of the Utah National Parks Council, the Boy Scouts’ local chapter, consulted with leadership of the chartering organization for the men’s unit — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — including ward and stake leaders, according...

A heavyweight rock crusher's disability claim is being slammed by critics as more mental than physical. Glenn Taylor — who infamously filmed his ability to knock over an ancient 2,000-pound sandstone with his bare hands — filed a lawsuit claiming "debilitating" physical injury weeks before the stunt's filming, it has been revealed. Taylor, seen destroying a 200 million-year-old goblin sandstone formation in Utah's Goblin Valley State Park last week, filed a personal injury lawsuit last month claiming to have been disabled after a car crash four years ago.

A group of Boy Scouts leaders may face criminal charges after purposely knocking over an ancient Utah desert rock formation and posting a video of the incident online, authorities say The men were leading a group of 14 to 16-year-old Boy Scouts on a trip to Goblin Valley State Park when they said they noticed the top of the rock formation was loose and feared it was dangerous. "This is about saving lives," Dave Hall, who shot the video, told The Associated Press on Friday. "One rock at a time."

Scathing allegations surface that Boy Scouts of America hid sex abuseParents, sons outraged, say they weren't notified09/16/2013 By: Laura Harris Stunning and disturbing revelations about the Boy Scouts of America on Monday morning. According to a Tampa Bay area attorney as well as a former Boy Scout parent, the Boy Scouts of America have been keeping a long standing record of scout on scout sexual abuse, but have at no point shared that information in a way to educate other Boy Scouts, Boy Scout Troops or their communities. The current lawsuit, set to go to trial in 2014, graphically details...

A national coalition launched this weekend a new scouting organization, Trail Life USA, based on Christian values and principles as an alternative to the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), which lifted its age-old ban on gay youth in May. Over 1,200 former BSA officials, parents and youth representing 44 U.S. states launched the new Christian-based program at a national convention in Nashville, Tenn., on Friday night, NBC News reported. "Most of us are coming from a highly-structured environment that has 103 years of culture and language and program and symbols … and we are starting from scratch," John Stemberger, a...

Nashville, TN - More than 1,200 former Scoutmasters, Eagle Scouts, parents, church leaders and former Boy Scout of America (BSA) professionals gathered tonight for the 1st inaugural Leadership Convention of a youth character development organization in Nashville. The convention's theme was "Honoring the Legacy ... Raising the Standard." Forty-four (44) states were represented, including Alaska and Hawaii. The name and visual branding for "Trail Life USA" were unveiled publicly for the 1st time to great applause and excitement by those gathered to launch a Christian alternative to the Boy Scouts of America. Trail Life USA will be an outdoor scouting-like...

A California bill that could strip tax-exempt status from the Boy Scouts of America and other “discriminatory” nonprofit youth-serving groups could come up for a final vote this week. The first-of-its-kind bill, SB 323, passed the California Senate and sailed through Assembly committees to a floor vote, possibly this week. But opponents are taking heart that there might not be enough votes in the state Assembly to pass the bill. The chamber did not consider the bill in its Monday session, but may take it up when it convenes Friday. The bill, introduced by State Sen. Ricardo Lara, names the

My Boy Scout Troop is considering alternatives and possibilities for the future of the Troop - in light of the policy changes that will become effective in January. Really, it is a matter of how we would react to changes that are likely to take place AFTER January. I am looking for competent legal advice about how my Unit's Bylaws could be modified so that two points are clear:

Sustainability merit badge requirements released 15 July 2013 44 Comments Updated, July 16 with clarification about water bill sustainabilityReady … set … go green! The long-awaited requirements for the Boy Scouts of America’s Sustainability merit badge have been released. The badge joins the Eagle-required list as an option to Environmental Science merit badge. Scouts must earn either Sustainability or Environmental Science on their journey to Eagle. Scouts may begin working on Sustainability MB once pamphlets arrive in Scout Shops and at scoutstuff.org in early August, but you can get a first look at the requirements below. Or click here (PDF)...

(Email received this morning.) Dear Friends, So far, we have released our proposed membership standards and a statement of faith & values that all adult members will be required to sign. We now also submit a Key Differences chart and outline between the new Youth Adventure Program and the Boy Scouts of America. Please forward this email to everyone in your troop and council to understand more about the new (soon to be formally named) organization. Outline of Differences between the Boy Scouts of America and the new Youth Adventure Program: 1) The BSA's new policy requires troops to accept...

OnMyHonor.Net Final Naming Survey After conducting multiple online and email surveys, conducting Focus Group testing in two cities with both parents and scouting age boys, and running initial trademark searches on selected names, we have narrowed the names down to the following selection. The list of names below has been carefully evaluated to address the goals contained in the Mission Statement. Please read through the following names and cast a vote for the ONE name you think best typifies the mission of the new organization. That's it! Based on your input and the recommendations of our steering committee we'll be...

This interview with John Stemberger [click HERE to listen], founder of OnMyHonor.net, was recorded today, July 18, 2013. Stemberger describes the formation of a new boys organization that will provide a wholesome alternative to the pro-homosexual Boy Scouts of America (BSA). [Watch an introductory video HERE.] The new boys organization (yet unnamed) will be devoted to building good character among boys, centered on biblical principles. The new group holds its first national convention this September after holding a recent planning meeting of national pro-family leaders in Louisville, Kentucky. Stemberger, who is also president and general counsel of the Florida Family...

Known as The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve, the 10,600-acre park opens Monday, when 30,000 scouts are expected to visit for the quadrennial National Jamboree. The Summit will have more than 5 miles of zip lines, a whitewater-rafting circuit, a 120-foot tree house and a stadium for 85,000 people.

Bookmark this thread. In the previous three bibliography threads, I have gathered links to 118 news articles posted on FreeRepublic concerning the decision of National Council to admit "openly gay" children to the Boy Scouts of America. This post rounds the number of threads up to 124, adding six more articles since my last post on June 15.This will be my last bibliography thread for the time being, since the issue has peaked in the news. * * *BSA Bibliograpy Part 4: New group trying to straighten out the Boy Scouts- Gay Scouts question badly misses the point Coach is...