Posted on 01/04/2014 12:00:07 PM PST by T Ruth
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 cheers. “Our mission is simple and clear,” came the official mission statement, “to guide generations of courageous young men to honor God, lead with integrity, serve others and experience outdoor adventure.”
A brief summary from the new scouting-like organization’s website reads as follows:
“Most guys want exciting outdoor adventure with their friends. We’ve got that! Trips and travel? That, too. Camping. Check. Physical and mental challenge? Yep. And awards? Of course!
“Trail Life USA is a Christian adventure, character and leadership movement for young men.The K-12 program centers on outdoor experiences that build a young man’s skills and allow him to grow on a personal level and as a role model and leader for his peers. Living the Trail Life is a journey established on timeless values derived from the Bible.”
Countless men and boys who once called themselves “Boy Scouts” will now proudly bear the title of “Trailman.”
Back in May, millions of Americans were shocked and saddened when the BSA inexplicably bowed to left-wing political pressure and became something it had never before been: a hyper-politicized, aberrantly sexualized petri dish for social and sexual experimentation.
Created in 1910 to “prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes,” the BSA, on May 23, 2013, tragically voted to welcome into its ranks “open and avowed” homosexuality (boy-on-boy sexual attraction and behavior), thereby disavowing the “morally straight” Scout Oath its members have been sworn to uphold for over a century.
Even worse, and in so doing, the BSA effectively waived the only legal defense it once had to preclude openly homosexual Scout leaders and gender-confused girls from its ranks: religious and moral conviction. It’s only a matter of time until the BSA is forced to capitulate to sexual extremists’ political demands and allow homosexual adults – men who define their identity based upon carnal appetites for other males – to take your boys on overnight camping trips.
Once that happens, Trail Life USA will be the life raft for the multitudes. Those who abandon the fast-sinking BSA ship will have a safe place to land.
The group has released a must-see video explaining both the history of Trail Life USA and the BSA’s tragic and financially driven cave-in to extremist political groups, hard-left corporate donors and the mainstream media (Click here to view video).
Oh, but what a faithful Lord we serve! We are reminded in Romans 8:28, “that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Trail Life USA is indeed good. It has indeed been called according to His purpose.
And it will never waver.
In a recent interview on “WallBuilders Live” radio, John Stemberger, an Eagle Scout, lawyer, pro-family advocate and Trail Life USA’s acting board chairman, addressed the BSA tragedy and the resulting birth of this exciting new principled alternative: “Sometimes things have to die before there’s a new birth and it comes back better than before. And, not to extend the analogy too far, but even our Lord went through that process,” he said.
Regrettably, the usual left-wing suspects have attempted to smear Trail Life USA by labeling it “anti-gay.”
Nothing could be further from the truth. Trail Life is simply pro-purity.
As Christians, the group’s leadership has adopted the tried-and-true “love the sinner, hate the sin” model. They’ve simply chosen to obey and follow Christ’s “I do not condemn you … From now on sin no more” example on sexual immorality – all sexual immorality – be it adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior or any other sexual sin explicitly identified in Scripture.
Trail Life’s Membership Standards state, without equivocation, “The basis for the program’s ethical and moral standards are found in the Bible. In terms of sexual identification and behavior, we affirm that any sexual activity outside the context of the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman is sinful before God and therefore inconsistent with the values and principles of the program.
“Within these limits, we grant membership to adults and youth who do not engage in or promote sexual immorality of any kind, or engage in behavior that would become a distraction to the mission of the program.”
Under the heading “Purity,” the group’s Statement of Faith & Values states: “Members are called to live a life of holiness, being pure of heart, mind, word and deed, reserving sexual activity for the sanctity of marriage; marriage being a lifelong commitment before God between a man and a woman.”
We condemn you not. Now go and sin no more.
“Real men value truth over tradition,” Stemberger told the cheering convention crowd. “Real men value principle over program, and they value integrity over institutions.”
The BSA has lost its integrity. It has chosen the almighty dollar over the best interests of the boys it once served so well.
Now you have a choice.
An oak has died, but a new seed buds.
I pray you’ll water that new seed. I pray you’ll choose Trail Life USA.
There are other alternatives to the Boy Scouts that are entirely religiously based, which gives them more protection than the Boy Scouts did.
Conservative Boy Scout Alternatives
http://tamarawilhite.hubpages.com/hub/Conservative-Boy-Scout-Alternatives
Sadly, I am pessimistic about this being a succesful venture. I hope they take over the BSA but I just don’t see Trail Life USA gaining a strong foot hold.
To me, a former long time scout, the BSA is dead. There is no business for them to be involved in sexuality whatsoever let alone gay sex. Now, it will become just like the girlscouts and support and promote every progressive policy out there.
Thank you for posting this article, it gives me hope for my grandsons. Hopefully this group will expand into Canada. The situation here is intolerable. Scouts Canada has taken a huge downfall, starting with going co-ed. An alternative is available (Baden-Powell Scouting) but it too is co-ed. Boys and young men need a place where they can just be “with the boys” and have good, moral, male role models to guide them in their activities. Everywhere else they are in a co-ed situation, home, school, etc.
See this article: Christian Alternative to Boy Scouts Launches On New Year's Day With Close to 500 Troops
Great news.
My grandson just made eagle scout and we are proud of him, he got out just in time....Lots of hard work for both him and his mother, she was the driver to get him places...
I suspect that the progressive groups targeted BSA as much for their part in American tradition as they did for their disallowing homosexuals.
TrailLife should be a less appealing target.
The one thing that killed the Boy Scouts is something that any replacement organization has to avoid - central control. That was the ultimate death of BSA - strong district offices with full time staff (for what? Never could figure that out, aside from the human resources person who was hired to handle all the fund draining benefits for the other full time staff.)
Once those strong district offices were created, they then ‘adopted’ many of the trusts that funded individual chartered troops, took over the management of scouting resources like camps, and ultimately gave birth to the strong national organization which took everything a step further, choosing to take scouting materials out of stores and sell directly, and then create more and more rules to require more and more purchases of BSA related material and clothing.
In some places, state organizations grew, and in others, regional district offices oversaw districts within their region. All continually sucked down the billions and billions that were in trust funds to handle the requirements of troops, camps and programs.
And then they ran out of other people’s money. Fundraising became a full time task for troops, doubling or tripling the time spent on traditional scouting events like campouts.
The ‘acceptance’ of gay scouts (or rather, openly sexually active gay scouts, as I never came across a troop who cared if a scout might be straight or whatever...) is a symptom of the disease. It was a last ditch attempt to recapture the stream of corporate donations that pay for all those retirement plans for full time adult scouts. But of course, that attempt failed, and now billions in private donations also aren’t coming in.
I would hope that any replacement organization learns these critical lessons, that ultimately, the only district level support should be done by volunteers as it has traditionally been done, that zero (or near zero) national organizational support is required, and absolutely no full time adult leaders at any level.
500 troops is a great start.
3. They need to stay away from corporate donations.
That’s primarily what sunk the BSA.
I know here in NE Mississippi there is an exodus from the BSA since the homo ruling.
Thank you for posting this! Just checked with friends involved in scouting and the troop they are in plus two others close by are already in the process of converting. Hoping to get my son involved although he’s pretty old to be starting, we just didn’t have time before this year.
I’m skeptical of TL’s long-term durability against the Gaystapo as well. Every assurance we are given about Trail Life was once true of the BSA, which has (had) at its core a belief in and reverence for God. The vast majority of Troops are sponsored and deeply influenced by local church bodies after all.
The BSA was also once decentralized and supported by the grass-roots local interest in boys’ development. But the lust for money can insideously invade any organization. It only takes a tiny inroad.
That said, I heartily support Trail Life and hope/pray that it will remain steadfast against the coming onslaught, for without AND from within.
Here in northern NJ a friend involved with Scouts told me they were dying even before that, consolidating troops and selling land. The influx of foreigners meant less American kids to begin with, and many parents felt the focus was too much on fundraising rather than activities. The whole child molesting issue didn’t help, as even though it focused on priests it came to light that other authority figures (teachers, coaches and scoutmasters) had issues as well.
The BSA is rotting from within, as is the girl scouts, which partners with Planned Parenthood. Sex, sex, sex. No thanks.
As an observant Jewish family, we wish this new and exciting group all the successes in the world!
-(montag’s wife)
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