RedFlyer

"needed"

I appreciate all of the replies. In general, they echoed my own thinking. I just need a little confirmation. -Jonathan

We are going on a "venture patrol" outing to the Grand Canyon early next year. All of our older boys who are interested have signed up. One of my older boys has a friend who is not part of the troop, but who really would like to go. He's willing to sign up for scouts to go, but this would be his only scouting activity as he's nearly 17. Personally, I don't have an issue with this, scouting is for the boys and if is this boy's only experience with it, so be it. However, my assistant Scoutmaster has brought up the point that, from an ethical standpoint, it doesn't feel right because the boy is basically signing up to be on the BSA's insurance. I would appreciate any opinions.

They are indeed "earned," we just have not "awarded" him his badges. In any case, the point about the counselor having record of the merit badge is well taken. In fact, I'm slapping my forehead and saying, "duh..." Why no one aware of the situation thought of that is kind of funny. I'll suggest to the boy that he call his counselors for a reissue of the badges. Thanks.

We have a situation in our troop where a boy turned his blue cards for several merit badges to our Advancement Chair and they have been lost. He handed them over during a camping trip, so that may have had something to do with it. It has now been about six months since this occurred and the boy has finally spoken up about the issue. It seems to me that the solution is simply to award him his merit badges without the blue cards, but I'm wondering if we should reissue him his lost blue cards so that he (and the Troop) have a record.

If we ban those whom we consider to not fit our definition of "morally straight," shouldn't we also ban those who aren't "physically strong?" Or those that aren't "mentally awake?" While I personally think homosexuality is immoral, I also think that so are liars, gossipers, and men who cheat on their wives. Do we kick all of the leader's who fit those descriptions out of Scouting? Really, who is more immoral, the committed, monogamous homosexual or the single, promiscuous heterosexual? (Promiscuous here meaning someone who engages in sex with many partners.) I think the Local Option is necessary. My boys and I would never join a troop led by a homosexual because we would feel uncomfortable with that troop's moral message. But, on the other hand, we have left troops that are full of backbiting, gossiping committee members because we were uncomfortable with their moral message. The BSA is being inconsistent.

Hmmm... it seems to me that the idea (not the word) of "rest" when it concerns the Sabbath is part of the issue. The Jews have codified what cannot be done on the Sabbath, for instance (and they observe it staring Friday night and go to Saturday night). Since different faiths have varying interpretations of what "rest" means, and even different times of observing the Sabbath, it shouldn't be a surprise that you encounter people who do not think of Sunday as any different than Saturday. The New Testament states that we shouldn't judge others because one man "esteems one day above another, and another man esteems every day alike." In my limited experience with "traditional" troops, the idea that a Scout is reverent sometimes simply means that they have a tradition of faith in their home. Thus, they often view Sunday as simply another day. When I'm on an outing that extends to Sunday, I take the view that I'm doing the work that God has called me to and that doing so on a Sunday is much like when Jesus healed the withered man's hand on the Sabbath. But, again, to original question, I would reply that having training on Thursday, Friday and Saturday is difficult to attend for many working people.

I am not opposed to holding trainings that don't include Sunday, only the lack of trainings that do include Sunday. Taking a four day weekend off from work is a different thing than taking a three day weekend. AS the majority of the troops in my area are LDS units, I expect this to continue and do not let it bother me too much, but it is a little irritating sometimes. While I respect the idea that Sunday should be a Sabbath, sometimes I wonder if the LDS Church has made it a burden in a manner similar to that of the Pharisees. Jesus did grant us the freedom to celebrate the Sabbath as we saw fit (though he never said we should abandon it). I find that some of my most restful Sabbaths have occurred in the wilderness surrounded by the wonder of creation. "Sabbath was created for man, not man for the Sabbath."