Posted on 08/02/2007 10:07:51 AM PDT by foolscap
Youngsters celebrating the 100th birthday of the scouting movement have been banned from eating burgers and bangers - because they might offend youngsters of other religions.
And the scouts have been banned from having campfires and instead have to sit round a potplant - because of safety fears.
The traditional camping food made way way for vegetarian dishes - a hundred years after Scout founder Lord Baden-Powell took his first group of 20 boys to the great outdoors.
The 1907 boys caught rabbits and cooked them on an open fire on Brownsea Island, in Poole Harbour, Dorset.
But in 2007, as 300 Scouts travelled back to the site where their movement was born, meat was whipped off the menu in favour of vegetarian cuisine because it might offend the different faiths of youngsters from 162 countries if it wasn't Halal or Kosher.
And wood and flint were dropped for safer gas stoves because of the fire risk to plant and wildlife.
Instead Scouts sat around a pot plant.
Clare Haines, spokesman for The Scout Association, said: "It was really to do with religion that we were not able to provide sausages and burgers and all that kind of food.
"We have been very careful though to make sure food is provided to everybody's tastes and beliefs, so no one feels left out. They enjoyed their vegetarian meals, especially vegetable chilli, fresh salads and jacket potatoes."
She said camp fires were banned on the island, owned by the National Trust, because of a devastating woodland blaze 30 years ago.
One adult at the Brownsea Island site revealed: "The boys couldn't sit round a traditional camp fire with sausages on sticks. It seems crazy, but what can you do?
"Instead groups sat around a 3ft bay tree in a plant pot and exchanged stories."
More than 40,000 youngsters from 162 countries at the same time gathered at Hylands Park in Chelmsford, Essex, for a two-week World Jamboree, which draws to a close next week.
Scouts at this jamboree, however, were allowed to tuck into meat as Halal and Kosher meat was on offer.
They watched 300 fellow Scouts on Brownsea Island renew their vows to build a tolerant and peaceful society at the poignant Sunrise Ceremony, on Brownsea Island, via a live satellite link on Wednesday.
The ceremony was broadcast around the globe to 28 million youngsters.
One Scout who took part in the ceremony said: "I was really disappointed we couldn't have what we liked to eat.
"I thought we should have been given the choice. And not being able to light fires was silly. I go camping with my mum and dad and we always have a small fire. It's not hard to be safe if you're sensible."
It should be, though. They were banned from doing all the things the Scouts usually do, because of PC. What crap.
purrrrrr
Great minds think alike.
Semper Fi.
L
I’ve always liked the shorter one.......
I live a a very small community and the local scout troop had a pig roast the other weekend. It was very well attended. They raised the critter from a baby and roasted her in an open pit, mighty tasty. I did think it was funny that they named her Gerty.
But what a feast.
Absolutely ridiculous! I prefer to eat animal protein and take offense when vegans refuse to serve meat, but you don’t see them bending over backwards to avoid offending me, do you?
Where are the UK FReepers to tell us that the Muslim population is small and no threat.. that Political Correctness is not out of control.
Reminds me of a bon mot I heard once: When one Muslim goes to China, he comes back fat. When two Muslims go to China, they starve.
Point? Pork is a major dish in China. One Muslim goes and pigs out (pun intended) because he knows he can get away with it.
It’s Britain.
A banger is a sausage.
*groan*
“It seems crazy, but what can you do?”
Uh...raise bloody he// and eat what you want to maybe?
This sounds like some kind of new age religious mumbo jumbo, not the scouts.
Wait a minute. I thought that the scouts were not supposed to mention religion. Man they were trying to kick out the scouts in religious institutions just a year or so ago, but now they have to follow other religious teachings. Which is it????? Man the liberals are just so ridiculous. I actually was ROTFLMAO reading the description of the camping. I would quit scouts immediately and join some other group. I was in scouts for four years and really enjoyed it. I know some were in longer but I decided to play some sports instead of scouts after I turned 13 or so.
The Boy Scouts in the U.S. are pretty definitively non-denominational Christian (an oxymoron to many theologeans), so I don’t see this being an issue in the U.S.
Calling all Scouts!
Dear God! What is going on?!?!?!
That would be the Academy Award winner Susan Sorandon
I thought I'd spare my kids the experience.
The Boy Scouts was rooted in Christian morals and beliefs. If non-Christians have a problem with that, they can start their own organization.
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