No atheists, no homosexuals, no merit for the Boy Scouts

The Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | November 18, 2002 | Larry Atkins

[CapedCrusader]

Nice commentary, chock full facts and pithy argument

Muchas gracias.

But then again your idea of Duty to God and Morally Straight most likely belongs in the category of Moral Relativism. N'est [-ce]pas?

I didn't make my idea of "Duty to God" and "Morally Straight" public. I've only asserted that the BSA have every right to define theirs.

But, since you obviously want me to go there, my idea of "Duty to God" and "Morally Straight" is essentially the Golden Rule.

[Marysecretary]

He finally told me a couple of years ago and he is dealing with it well now, but he was always so angry with me, especially after his father and I divorced and he came to live with me. He would get angry for really no reason. Now I see why. Then I thought it was because of the divorce. I only wish we'd known. He never said a word about it and the young man wasn't one of the kids he hung out with in that family. I never saw them together. I was completely blindsided with that revelation. I'm OK now because people in church prayed with me and I was immediately delivered from the anger and the strong feelings of guilt I had about it, but without God I would be completely traumitized.

[CapedCrusader]

My heart goes out to your family. Keep the faith.

[pray4liberty]

I guess the whole 'mom and apple pie' atmosphere makes them gag.

They've offended me to my very core...I'm a mom, and I still bake apple pie (from scratch)! I guess they figure they can do without my vote!

BTW, you're absolutely right. Mom and Apple Pie still count for something in flyover country. It's called common-sense values. You'd think the last election would have taught these people something. Instead, they insanely go about making the same mistakes. I hope they continue to, and lose election after election.

[weaponeer]

No, it's both. James Dale was a Scout, not a Scoutmaster.

Wrong. Check your facts. James Dale was indeed a former Eagle Scout, but all Scouts leave at age 18. He was then acting as an Adult Assistant Scoutmaster (Scouter) at the time he "came out." The SC affirmed the right of the BSA to set membership policy for it's ADULT LEADERS. The case does not address the Scouts themselves.

From James Dale's web site: James Dale spent 12 years of his life working with the Boy Scouts of America, ultimately achieving the rank of Eagle Scout and volunteering as an Assistant Scoutmaster until he was expelled in 1990 for being gay.

[CapedCrusader]

I stand corrected about Dale, but I could swear the policy also applies to Scouts. Maybe not, though.

[GSWarrior]

Gays are what, 5% of the population?

I think the most reliable estimates are between 1 and 2%.

[SerpentDove]

>>I guess the whole 'mom and
apple pie' atmosphere makes them gag.<<

I remember back in the Clinton reign, Hitlery was trying to re-define "family."

She said, "Not every family is Ward and June Cleaver." In other words, a nuclear family is an anachronism, and a corny one at that.

Liberals hate and ridicule traditional values.

[Inkie]

Absolutely right. And, by the way, look at the nightmare the Catholic church is going through with the gay pedophile priests. I guess the Scouts not having that problem goes over the leftie do-gooders' heads.

[Busywhiskers]

"To qualify for Eagle Scout you have to complete a multi-week Religious Award..."

That is not a reqirement for eagle. Religious awards are all voluntary. It is a requirement for all BSA ranks that you live the scout oath and law in everyday life.

[Plutarch]

The BSA is the rock in the stream. The Left has taken over or pushed aside all other American institutions-- universities, mainstream churches, schools--- but the BSA hasn't changed, hasn't caved, hasn't budged. So on the Boy Scouts they vent their fury.

[RightOnline]

"The Boy Scouts are at it again."

.....and thank God they are, Mr. Atkins, you drooling, liberal twit.

People want their sons in Scouts to learn and reinforce traditional values.......and those do NOT include your slavish devotion to the cause du jour such as homosexuality or atheism.

You see, Mr. Atkins, MOST boys in America (let alone their parents.....................oh......forgot us, did ya????) don't subscribe to homosexuality nor atheism.

So, Mr. Atkins, you drooler, get bent.

[weaponeer]

I stand corrected about Dale, but I could swear the policy also applies to Scouts. Maybe not, though.

Easy enough to find out, read the press release at http://www.scouting.org/nav/enter.jsp?s=mc&c=pr

The SC case and scout policy refers only to leaders.

[MattAMiller]

I guess the whole 'mom and apple pie' atmosphere makes them gag.

Bingo! There are those who want nothing more than for there to be rot behind the wholesome image. In their world mom is a drunk and the apples were sprayed with malathion. Believing this makes them feel better. It's a cheap and easy way of being an "intellectual." And so the Boy Scouts can't just be a club for kids to get together and camp, they must be tool of would be theocrats. When I was in the scouts I just kept my mouth shut and pretended to believe in God. It was all voulentary and no one was harmed.

[The_Reader_David]

The case of Buddhists stands. To strict traditional Buddhism or to Zen, the existence or non-existence of a "higher power" of any sort is an irrelvancy. As it is manifest that Buddhists can be members of the BSA in good standing, "reverence" cannot mean "reverence toward (one or more) deity(ies)."

[river rat]

Excellent....
A direct hit...
Semper Fi

[river rat]

My email to the writer of the article...
He is a "writer and lawyer"!! We are doomed..
Semper Fi


Greetings!

Your's was the most twisted, biased and dishonest assessment of a situation, as I've seen in years..
The "young man" you're defending --- is an Eagle Scout by fraud..

He passed the physical acts required to achieve the necessary merit badges -- but failed miserably to achieve the primary TRAITS of Scouting: TRUTH, HONOR and TRUSTWORTHINESS.

Each and every time he repeated the Scout Oath --- He lied.
Each and every time he swore allegiance to the flag of the United States --- He lied...

Truth, Honor and Trustworthiness may not be values that mean much to you --- but they are among the foundation stones of the Boy Scouts..

You're going to have to deal with it...... Perhaps a little ice on that would help..

Those with personal beliefs or patterns of behavior that are inconsistent with Scouting -- should avoid the Boy Scouts.
If it is the activities of Boy Scouts that attract atheists and homosexuals -- then they should build their own "private organization" and participate honestly...

The desire of atheists, homosexuals or any other deviant or perverse personalities to change or destroy those unlike them -- is getting more than tiresome..
Most Americans acknowledge and tolerate the fact that atheists, deviants and perverts exist..... We just don't wish to bend our beliefs to suit them...
Is that so difficult to comprehend?

If this article is an example of how well you research and analyze the FACTS, and your ability to present a TRUE, FAIR, LOGICAL and INFORMATIVE report, perhaps you should consider another line of work.... Perhaps propaganda is more your speed.... You've failed at journalism...

[RonF]

My syntax may not have been clear. What I meant was belief in a higher power, whether or not you believed in a deity or deities at all. Buddhists don't have to believe in a deity, but they do believe that the material plane is not the only one, that there's a supernatural component to the universe, that you have a type of existence after you die, and that your conduct in life affects your fate after you die.

[RonF]

She said, "Not every family is Ward and June Cleaver." In other words, a nuclear family is an anachronism, and a corny one at that.

Tell you what. After 10 years as a Scouter, I'll say that although you may not like Hillary's tone, her facts are on target. Scouting is especially hit with this by female single parents who are looking for a good male role model for their sons, so they put them in Scouting.

[XJarhead]

I feel confident when I say I believe that the overwhelming majority of homosexual men are not child molesters.

I agree. And I also don't think that a majority of heterosexual men molest female teens.

But I don't want heterosexual men taking teenage girls on camping trips any more than I'd want homosexual men taking teenage boys on camping trips.

The way I generally look at the "gay thing" in this context is how I would feel about the situation if the gay individual was instead a member of the opposite sex. Because in terms of sexuality, I think that analogy is pretty accurate.