Fat Old Guy

Moi-lin, your stupidity shows more and more each day. You whined, "But doesn't allow atheists, which is discrimination on the basis of religious beliefs" No, it isn't, it is discrimination on the basis of disbelief. Get it straight, dude.

Evidently it can, I see their picutures all the time and they are all wearing green pant. I think that the key is if the parents aren't willing or able to help out that the Charter Org identify others that will help. For example, I know a black fellow who became an SM because his pastor asked for his help in starting a troop. This guy has no kids and was never a Scout but had thrown himself into Scouting in a big way. Much of the help for the troop comes from members of his church who don't have kids in the troop.

"You said that there are no0 such things in Official BSA policy. I agree with that statement, but it sounded like you were implying that they don't exist." Please remember that to Bobo Blanco if something isn't written up in Official BSA manuals, it doesn't exist.

Bob White said, "She was close. the BSA would strongly request that the money be used for the benefit of a youth program if not a scouting program. BUT, the money is legally the church's." Ever notice that when Bobby is wrong, he never owns up but just changes the direction of discussion? It has been demonstrated with quotes from BSA documents that Bobby doesn't have a clue about money (let alone economics or accounting) but does he ever say, "Golly, I just learned something"? Nope, not our Bobo.

baschram, your statement only repeats what I've said. Bob contends that merit badges requirements can be changed. The only thing that can be changed are which merit badges are used for advancement.

"Having said that, I have had the pleasure of making freinds with 2 council executives that believe that merit badge counselors do haqve to use a little common sense. It is their opinion that many merit badges that have been earned in the summer camp environment fall short of the intended completeness" What do the two have to do with each other? Common sense doesn't enter into the equation. Either the requirements have been met or they haven't? If it says, "Swim a mile," it doesn't mean to swim as far as you can and call it a mile. I want to know why you are so desperate to cheat the system and give this kid a badge that he hasn't earned. Carrying him isn't hiking. Hiking is locomoting with one's own feet.

Bob White said, " If you had talked to Terry Lawson the Director of Boy Scout Advancement or if you attend leadership training, you will learn that, with a doctors verification of the medical condition restricting a scout from completeing a requirement a merit badge can be modified or replaced with an alternate badge in order to meet the advancement needs of the individual scout." I can't find anything about this in the Advancement Committee P&P book. Is it published in one of BSA's secret documents?

"Aggie may be in one of those misguided Councils which is making training "mandatory" in order to be registered in a position. " I don't know how misguided that is. Most of the time training is required for referees, umpires, teachers, and counselors. Why shouldn't training be required for a Scoutmaster?

"However, I suggest that FOG is wrong in his assertion that such rigidity is necessary to have a religion" Not rigidity, standardization. How can we share a religion if I worship Crom and you worship Baal? It just don't work. It sounds like the same sort of desperate cry by the homosexuals who claim that they are normal, the UU cries, "We are a religion, we just don't believe in anything." Tjhammer, would a boy be accepted on Soccer team if he stated loudly that he intended to pick up the ball and run with it at every opportunity? The answer is no. To play a game or to join an organization, you must be willing to abide by the rules. Pretty simple concept except to a few people.

" In one way, there is no mechanism preventing COs from using unit funds or equipment for whatever purpose they choose, under any circumstances. On the other hand, if the actions of the unit equate to actions of the CO, then unit leaders would have broad capability to do things that would bind the CO, or cause the CO to become liable for various things." We need the Man O'Steele to weigh in on this one. We were told locally that the CO cannot and may not touch troop funds, even if the troop folds.

Dunno. I'm not Bob White and I've never played him on TV but I've never seen or heard of such a thing. It strikes me that the patch is missing something that BSA says all patches or emblems must have and that is the FDL or "BSA" or "Boy Scouts of America" on it (although none of those are on patrol emblems, den numbers or troop numbers). Then again, I wouldn't worry too much about it. An unautorized patch isn't half as bad as authorized patches put on in a creative fashion.

" It seems strange that anyone could think that too much focus on religion is hurting the scouting program." Perhaps it is because church going in our society is growing less and less and people are embarrassed by the reminders that they have an obligation to a higher power.

So what I'm reading is that I should scrap my plans for the "Troop 97 IGA Supermarket and Pharmacy." Rats!

" There is something very wrong if children are learning religion from den leaders." It depends on the nature of the Charter Organization. If the CO is the American Legion then the DL shouldn't be preachifying because the Am Legion's reason for existence is not religion. However, if the CO is the 1st Baptist Church of Podunk and they created the troop and pack to serve as their youth group, then it is very appropriate for the DL to relate knot tying to scripture.

"I've been a Southern Baptist all my life. The Southern Baptists are the largest protestant denomination in the world. We don't have a creed." Sure you do, you just haven't been paying attention. Visit http://www.sbc.net/bfm/bfm2000.asp#i That's a creed if there ever was one. Simply saying, "I believe that the Christ is the son of God" is stating a creed.

Again Bob White shows that he cannot comply with the simplest of requests. Either he's LD or the Scout Law doesn't apply to Bob White. TP, I'm not an ASM but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn Express. I'm wondering what the number of beads that someone wears has to do with what type of person an SM is. Maybe in Bob White's mind, more beads means better person.

" a UU church, faithful to their beliefs" I don't know how that could be possible. I know more than a few Unitarians and from the way that they explain it, you can and may believe whatever you want and be a Unitarian. Also, they make a point of not calling it a "church," my Unitarian acquaintances call their gathering a "fellowship." I just went to the UU website and found that they describe themselves as " We are a "non-creedal" religion: we do not ask anyone to subscribe to a creed." How can a religion exist without a creed? A creed is not just a statement of faith but it also includes a system of beliefs and principles. A religion is a system of beliefs, values and practices based on belief in a supernatural being or the teachings of a spiritual leader. In short, a religion requires a creed.

Bob White, still showing that the Scout Law applies to everyone but him.

" The COR is the CEO of the scouting program in the unit according to the BSA." I dunno. I think that's a bad characterization. The CO owns the troop so the COR is the stockholder's representative; the CC is the Chairman of the Board, setting the direction of the company; and the SM is the CEO, responsible for producing the product in accordance with the wishes of the CC.

"FOG - Nope. Didn't say I agreed, just telling you what is happening here." Hmmmm. . . . someone needs to explain the charter to the School in that case. If the School charters the troop, they are as much a part of the school as the basketball team.

"I know that our schools are forced to charge rent to any organization that uses the building" Do they charge the basketball team rent to use the gym?

At a recent Roundtable, an issue was brought up that no one had ever heard of before. One troop's CO is talking about charging them rent for the meeting hall and the storage space that they use. May a CO do this? Has anyone ever heard of a thing like this before?

" We have a large group of active dads with about 20 to 25 on each campout." 20 to 25 adults on a campout are at least 15 too many.

" In this day and age that is unfortunate." You must find the LDS troop to be abhorrent.

"After your DE finds a new charter organization and they approve all your adult leaders, remember that the committee runs not by majority rule OR by consensus." That's in the Bob White world. In the real world, the Committe may run by majority rule or consensus or decisions may be made by hurling water ballons if the committee so desires.