United Methodist Church

[packsaddle]

What was the reason for the Southern Baptists to split away and form the SBC?

[scoutingagain]

"BSA doesn't allow discrimination based on race, so presumably would not allow a church that discriminated on the basis of race to be a CO"

 

The BSA also does not discriminate based on religion, as long as one is willing to abide by the scout oath and law. However, some religious COs limit membership to their troops only to those that are members of their church, temple, mosque or whatever. So while the BSA does not discriminate based on religion, it does allow it's COs to do so. Individuals not belonging to a specific religious entity are not barred from scouting, just some individual units. They are free to seek membership in other units in the area or the lone scout program.

 

In some areas, ie. sexual orientation, the BSA requires that COs discriminate against those who avow their homosexuality, with religion, the BSA allows COs to discriminate. With respect to race, I doubt the BSA would openly condone such discrimination, but as FOG pointed out, I could see how it could happen as a practical matter through the allowance of religious discrimination, and I can think of situations where all races could be discriminated against membership of specific units, not just one.

 

As noted frequently. The BSA is a private organization free to set it's own membership criteria. It is not open to all that wish to join. And as Hunt points out, current national leadership makes those decisions. Not all members agree and those criteria may change.

 

 

SA

 

[Bob White]

The BSA does not allow councils to grant a charter to an organization that would disciminate based on race.

[acco40]

C'mon FOG, open up your blinders.

 

Your post: "BSA doesn't allow discrimination based on race, so presumably would not allow a church that discriminated on the basis of race to be a CO"

 

"Maybe if it was a white church. I know that AME Zion churches charter troops and I've been told by black friends that blacks who marry whites are not welcome in AME Zion churches. I'm not black so I haven't had the opportunity to test this."

 

reminds me of a riddle. A doctor delivers a baby. The baby is the doctor's son but the doctor is not the baby's father? Why?

 

 

You don't have to be black to test the AME Zion hypothisis. If you are white, marry a black and go test to your hearts content!(This message has been edited by acco40)

[Fat Old Guy]

"You don't have to be black to test the AME Zion hypothisis. If you are white, marry a black and go test to your hearts content!"

 

That might work for you but not for me. I'm married to a white woman so any test would only be valid if I was black.

[packsaddle]

What are the reasons for all the various Presbyterian fractures?

[Big_Dog]

This isn't a set-up question, but an "I'd like to know" question.

 

Are we assuming the BSA stance on homosexuality is based on religion? It wasn't all that long ago that society as a whole thought homosexuality was sexual perversion. Maybe our stance is based on that instead of any one religions teachings?

 

BD

[LovetoCamp]

If you can't hang with the Big Dog, get off the porch!!!

[SR540Beaver]

Packsaddle: What was the reason for the Southern Baptists to split away and form the SBC?

 

Pack,

 

I suspect you already know the answer to that. The short simplified answer to the question is that it formed over the slavery issue and not theological differences. The SBC was formed in 1845 basically because it was felt that the existing Baptist missionary organization would not appoint Southern slave holders to missionary positions. Obviously, a lot has changed over the last 170 years.

[Hunt]

There are many denominations for many different reasons--churches have split over doctrinal differences and social or political issues. In some cases, denominations exist in the US because they came over with a particular immigrant group. Others were started from scratch by people unhappy with existing choices. There have been mergers, too--for example, the United Methodist Church is a combination of the Methodist Church and the United Brethren.

[NWScouter]

UMC also is product of the merger of Norhtern and Southern Methodist Churches long ago.

[packsaddle]

SR540Beaver, Indeed I have read some on the subject. My rhetorical question is related to my search for a sense of direction among the various religious flavors in this country. Thanks to Hunt and NWScouter who correctly observed the unifying efforts of the Methodists. I add that the Unitarians and Universalists recognized their similarities and united quite a while back also. I marvel at how divisive some of us found "race" to be in the past (and continue to present, for some). Most religious flavors have made good efforts to recognize (if not practice) that racial prejudice is wrong.

A number of faiths led the way on that topic and they seem to be the same faiths that lead the way in rejecting prejudice against gays. I wonder if this will continue to be true, or will the Methodists (or Episcopals for that matter) split their organization over yet another prejudice.

 

BTW, are there any Quaker COs for scout troops?