What is an Atheist????

[Trevorum]

Hi Dan,

 

I don't believe there has ever been a BSA requirement to earn a religious award for rank advancement. Individual units probably have set their own requirements from time to time; I can easily envision a pastor COR decreeing that any scout in "his" troop WILL earn the religious award before he goes before an Eagle BoR.

 

I vaguely remember a story sometime in the early 90s (late 80s?), maybe on the west coast (?) about a pagan Eagle scout who had to appeal past his own EBoR. Sorry I am unsure of the details. Unless someone can verify the story, don't print it.

 

-Trevorum

[scoutingagain]

As a scout who earned his Eagle in the early 70's and didn't earn a religious award, and whose brother did the same thing in the late 70's, I know of no requirement to earn a religious award in that time period, or at any other time. However, the requirement to live the Scout Oath and Law was still there.

 

Dan, sounds like your friend was incorrectly advised. I personally don't know of any Pagan Eagle scouts, but don't see how that would prevent a lad from earning his Eagle if that were his chosen faith.

 

SA

[DanKroh]

I can't, of course, confirm my friend's story, and it is entirely possible that either he was a) mistaken about why he was denied Eagle or b) the denial came from a troop "policy" regarding religion and Eagle scouts that was not supported by national policy.

 

It sounds like that if he had known to appeal the denial, he would probably be an Eagle today, since I feel I know him well enough to say that he embodies the qualities of an Eagle Scout.

 

I know a couple of other pagans who *are* Eagle scouts, and they would have also been around that same time period, but I'm not sure if they were practicing pagans when they attained the Eagle rank.

[SSScout]

So, if a boy believes he is 'doing his duty to God' by NOT believing in him?...

 

Can Athieism be considered a... dare I say it...religion?

 

Try www.aeu.org

 

Now, understand,"ethics" is not the bare basis of my experience. but it is a place to start in the continuance of THIS thread.