Posted on 04/03/2006 7:30:41 PM PDT by churchillbuff
"Wow, this is a surprise! Since when have P & T become pro Gay?"
Teller may be the quiet one - but I'm willing to bet that in that couple, he's the "top."
"And what if I don't buy into any of those fairy tales?"
Start your own group. Nobody will stop you.
Good point...but I think the BSA is a good way to reach kids in those between years.
Actually, it seems to me that the BSA has been more strident about the gay thing -- particularly about gay scoutmasters -- in order to avoid what has happened to the Catholic church.
Any sort of sex segregation assumes either the absence of homosexuality or the exclusiveness of it.
I thought that was the role of the US Army.
With rare exceptions, the U.S. Army doesn't get them until they are 18 -- after they are legally adults. The Boy Scouts are one of the very few organizations making an effort to help them while they are still boys rather than just immature men.
I don't consider homosexuals to the baby-raping devils that most people on here consider them.
I used to be pretty tolerent of religion until I started frequenting this site and realizing how hateful and horrible many of the Christians are on here. I do my best to not paint all people with the same brush, but for the most part I find many of the views expressed here to be nothing less than sickening.
the photo showed a building with "Boy Scouts of America Headquarters" lettering in the background, and indeed the protestors were holding signs the read "God hates fags". any resonably informed person would recognize that as the signage of the infamous Westboro Baptist Church group led by Fred Phelps. this group of professional anti-American protestors tour the country holding their obscene protests at funerals for fallen veterans. several states have passed laws restricting these protests at the funerals.
My guess would be that the Westboro group was picketing the BSA because they were not being anti-homosexual enough for their tastes, since the BSA does not actively hunt down and ban homosexuals from membership.
I totally don't agree with that Phelps person. If I could get away with hating one person...he probably be the one I chose because I humbly believe he has done more damage to conservatives than practically anybody else.
What public buildings does the BSA rent for $1 a year?
That's news to me. Be careful; Penn and Teller is entertainment and satire, not a documentary.
The military helps a lot of organizations set up and conduct events. The usual example in the BSA's case is the quadriennial National Jamboree. Yes, the military helps the BSA set up and host the National Jamboree at Fort A. P. Hill in Virginia. Fort A. P. Hill is a training base for the military. The National Jamboree affords the military an excellent opportunity to train support personnel to set up feeding, sanitary, electric, and other facilities for 40,000 people. That's something that the military has to do a lot of in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Germany, and other places the U.S. has overseas bases. Most people in the military don't shoot guns; they support the people who do. Hosting the National Jamboree actually probably saves the military (and the taxpayers) quite a bit of money by providing a training opportunity that they would otherwise have to pay the participants for, and that would also entail more legal risk.
They are not open to people who do not believe in a higher power. It is the official position of the BSA, and has been since 1910 (the Mormons have nothing to do with it) that
The Boy Scouts of America maintains that no member can grow into the best kind of citizenship without recognizing an obligation to God. In the first part of the Scout Oath or Promise the member declares, "On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law." The recognition of God as the ruling and leading power in the universe and the grateful acknowledgment of His favors and blessings are necessary to the best type of citizenship and are wholesome precepts in the education of the growing members. No matter what the religious faith of the members may be, this fundamental need of the members should be kept before them. The Boy Scouts of America, therefore, recognizes the religious element in the training of the member, but is absolutely nonsectarian in its attitude toward that religious training. Its policy is that the home and the organization with which the member is connected shall give definite attention to religious life.
Despite the context we give this today, the word "God" does not refer to the God of the Abrahamic faiths, nor is it intended or used to ban non-theists (as opposed to atheists). Many Buddhists, who are members of the BSA in full standing, don't believe in a God but do believe that there's a higher power that causes you to be responsible for your thoughts and actions. That's fine by the BSA. It is nonsectarian and doesn't care if you are Hindu or hold to the tenets of Meher Baba or Zoroastrianism (both of which have religious medals that BSA members can earn and wear on their uniforms).
So, yes, there are people whose lack of religious beliefs causes them to be disqualified from membership in the BSA. What's the problem with that?
The role of the Armed Forces is to defend the United States of America. And boy, do they like to get Eagle Scouts in. An Eagle Scout who completes Basic Training is made an E-3, not an E-1, upon completion. That is also given on other criteria; a holder of the GSUSA's Gold Award, people with an Associate's Degree, etc.
Neither do I.
I'm not sure what I wrote to lead you to the conclusion that I felt that way. Apparently, painting with a broad brush is not an activity restricted to the religious.
That being said, I do believe that the Boy Scouts of America, being a private organization, has the right to establish what ever standards they choose. If they want to only allow left-handed males with dark hair, that's their right. If they don't want anyone with braces to be a scout, they have the right to make that exclusion.
So, for those more inclined to believe the rhetoric coming from the homosexual movement, that everyone and every organization must allow openly homosexual people into every position of responsibility and trust without limitation, I say no. I would say the same thing for any similarly unreasonable demand made by any other group.
Do you think it's horribly intolerant that the Girl Scouts wouldn't let a 16-year-old boy be a leader? No, it's simply wise not to, as well as their right to prohibit it. And this exclusion does not imply that all 16-year-old boys are sexual predators, out to molest little girls. Nobody accuses the Girl Scouts of intolerance for this rule. The prohibition of homosexuals from the Boy Scouts is precisely the same: a wise precaution and completely within their rights.
Homosexuals are free to form their own organization with their own rules. Allow the BSA the same right.
A. It's just a joke..................
B. Bump for later
BTW, in the various suits that have been brought, and lost, against the BSA, the people involved have been Scouters (adults), not Scouts. A Scouter can be an Eagle Scout - once you earn the rank, the present tense is used to refer to your status as an Eagle until you die - but when the suits were brought, the people involved were not registered as youth in the BSA.
I don't get the relentless attacks on the BSA.
Even liberal mothers I know don't want homosexuals being allowed to take their little sons into the woods on camping trips.
I don't see that ever changing.
Please, for the enlightenment of all FReepers, tell us exactly what "true" conservatism is?
Since those who don't agree with everything you say are clearly off the path, according to you, please tell us where we went wrong.
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