The Pope and the Boy Scouts

[fgoodwin]

The Pope and the Boy Scouts

 

http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=11718

 

By Hal G.P. Colebatch

Published 7/12/2007 12:07:22 AM

 

It was good to read that Pope Benedict sent a message of support to the Scout movement on the occasion of its 100th anniversary. August 1 marks the centenary of the first Scout camp, organized by Sir Robert (later Lord) Baden-Powell on the island of Brownsea, in England.

 

Popes and Scouting do not seem to have a great deal in common at first glance. But Popes, especially Popes as formidably intellectual as Benedict, do not make statements on a whim. This pronouncement may be seen as part of the Pope's ongoing campaign against moral relativism, a campaign which he appears to have identified as the most important cause to be fought in the modern age, and a campaign part of whose target is inevitably Western decadence.

 

Boy Scouts, and the values which the Scouting movement inculcates, have attracted the admiration of great men from the movement's earliest days. Its beginnings were Edwardian, and it has preserved much of the best of that sunny and admirable period of Western civilization.

 

Baden-Powell, though not a senior commander, had become a popular hero by his skillful defense of Mafeking during the Boer War with about 800 men when it was besieged by a force twelve times that number. He had made searchlights from tin cans and soup from locusts, and resurrected an ancient muzzle-loading cannon being used a gate-post and pressed it into service to supplement his scanty artillery. With his many earlier adventures as a soldier and spy in wild parts of the world, and his relish for such sports as pig-sticking and hog-hunting, he was a living advertisement for the fact that West could beat the rest at their own games.

 

Kipling was closely associated with publicizing Scouting in its first days, though he seemed to see it as a military organization or a training-school for junior spies. Winston Churchill paid tribute to Scouting in 1938, saying:

 

The three most famous generals I have known in my life won no great battles over the foreign foe. Yet their names, which all begin with a B, are household words. They are General Booth, General Botha and General Baden-Powell. To General Booth we owe the Salvation Army; to General Botha, United South Africa; and to General Baden-Powell, the Boy Scout Movement.

 

In this uncertain world one cannot be sure of much. But it seems probable that one or two hundred years hence, or it may be more, these three monuments that we have seen set up in our lifetime will still proclaim the fame of their founders, not in the silent testimony of bronze or stone, but as institutions guiding and shaping the lives and thoughts of men.

 

In a letter addressed to Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, president of the French bishops' conference, Pope Benedict stated:

 

For one century, through play, action, adventure, contact with nature, life as a team and in service to others, you offer an integral formation to anyone who joins the Scouts. Inspired by the Gospels, scouting is not only a place for authentic human growth, but also a place of strong Christian values and true moral and spiritual growth, as with any authentic way of holiness.

 

The sense of responsibility that permeates Scout education leads to a life of charity and the desire to serve one's neighbor, in the image of Christ the servant, based on the grace offered by Christ, in a special way through the sacraments of the Eucharist and forgiveness.

 

The Pontiff encouraged the brotherhood of the Scouts, "which is a part of its original ideal and makes up, above all for young generations, a witness of that which is the body of Christ, within which, according to the image of St. Paul, all are called to fulfill a mission wherever they are, to rejoice in another's progress and to support their brothers in times of difficulty. I thank the Lord for all the fruits that, throughout these last 100 years, the Scouts have offered."

 

He encouraged Catholic Scouts to go forward on their path, offering "to boys and girls of today an education that forms them with a strong personality, based on Christ and willing to live for the high ideals of faith and human solidarity."

 

Benedict XVI's message ends with advice from Baden-Powell: "Be faithful to your Scout promise, even when you are no longer young, and may God help you to do so!

 

"When man seeks to be faithful to his promises, the Lord himself strengthens his steps."

 

I WAS NEVER A SCOUT myself, but I was active in a rather similar youth organization, and can testify that the value to me and those I knew was incalculably great. As well as teaching valuable aspects of character such as teamwork, self-reliance and friendship, scouting skills and discipline have saved many lives and enriched many more. As early as the First World War, Boy Scouts in Britain were serving as air-raid wardens, and Sea-Scouts are said to have manned some of the boats that went to Dunkirk. They were promoting environmental conservation decades before Greens were heard of.

 

I don't know if John Smeaton, the Glasgow airport baggage-handler who tacked the burning Jeepster Jihadist and later issued the memorable warning to terrorists: "Coom ta Glasgie an' we'll set aboot ye!" was a former Scout, but I am sure that Baden-Powell would have approved of him heartily.

 

It is an interesting exercise to imagine the attitude of latter-day world leaders to Scouting. I don't mean just in regard to the obvious Scouting requirement of being clean in thought, word and deed, which might trip up Bill Clinton and certain other politicians, but in terms of an overarching attitude of mind, a kind of innocent adventurousness and idealism. Ronald Reagan, I think, in some ways -- the best of ways -- never stopped being a Scout. I can imagine Australian Prime Minister John Howard taking an interest, even accepting honoury Scouting positions and occasionally donning the uniform.

 

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is much harder to imagine in the role -- he was too concerned with an up-to-date image, and discreet dinner-parties for the likes of "Sir" Mick Jagger were more his speed. Present British Prime Minister Gordon Brown seems too dour (Baden-Powell hated those he described as "Swots," which seems a reasonable description of Brown). George Bush? There is something Boy Scout-like about him, and I don't mean this as a derogation. Vladimir Putin? No chance, I think.

 

--

Hal G. P. Colebatch, a lawyer and author, has lectured in International Law and International Relations at Notre Dame University and Edith Cowan University in Western Australia and worked on the staff of two Australian Federal Ministers.

[BadenP]

Any message from Ratzinger aka Pope Benedict I would take with a grain of salt. The man was an active member of Hitlers Youth where they terrorized German Jews and destroyed their shops and property, which he has freely admitted to. Then he joined the Nazi army and now he is the Pope. Not a very good role model for our youth is it, or even all the Roman Catholics, I wonder what divine justice awaits him? The message was written by one of his underlings for purely political reasons. He is trying to mimic the image of his predecessor who was an avid supporter of youth, this guy is just an opportunist and nothing more.

[OldGreyEagle]

I disagree with BadenP

[lizzygo]

I disagree with you Braden P. The Pope was not a Nazi.

 

He was a young boy in Germany when the Nazi's were in power.

 

Nor is he an opportunist. He is a dedicated, brilliant, liturgical scholar.

[Trevorum]

My understanding is that during the 1930s and early 40s, most German youth were members of the Hitler Jungend. Wikipedia states that by 1936 , membership was mandatory, even if opposed by the parents. By 1940, there were eight million members. That's about twice the BSA membership of the time in a country with a much smaller population.

 

So I don't think membership in that organization means much.

 

[BadenP]

You can all disagree if you like but those are the facts, you can find them on line just google Ratzinger. OGE, Ratzinger has personally admitted his involvement in Hitlers Youth and being a member of the Nazi Army in interviews and even in one of his own books, and has claimed he made a mistake. So you can hide your head in the sand and blindly stay ignorant of the facts or you can become informed with the facts so you can see the man for what he is. In a recent statement, 7/12, the Pope has now declared that "All other Christian churches are not truly churches because they do not have a line of apostolic succession therefore the ordination of their clergy is not valid, and their traditions do not lead to salvation." The man clearly does not belong in the papacy and the College of Cardinals should be held responsible for putting such an unfit candidate into that position.

 

The people of Germany also thought that early in his career that Hitler was a scholar and the right man who was going to deliver the country out of its severe economic depression and look what happened he was made Chancellor and the rest is history, Ratzinger was one of those people, during WWII he was a young adult in his twenties, not a child like some have suggested.

[Trevorum]

My interpretation of your posts is that you seem to have some grudge against the man. OK, as long as we're clear. But I don't think that OGE or lizzy or myself have said anything that indicates we are "ignorant of facts". The fact is that young Joseph was a member of the Hitler Jungend. Very likely all his boyhood pals were also. Born in 1927, he was 12 (about 2nd Class age) when the Reich invaded Poland and was 18 when the War ended. I interpret his membership in the organization to be coerced and deeply regretted by him. your opinion may differ, of course

[Trevorum]

Joseph enrolled in the Hitler Jungend in 1941, after he turned 14. At that time, membership was mandatory of all teenagers. Reports say he was an unenthusiastic member and refused to attend meetings. His cousin with Down's syndrome was murdered by Nazi eugenics. IMHO, anyone who tries to label him a Nazi is pursuing some other agenda.

 

http://bc.edu/research/cjl/meta-elements/texts/cjrelations/topics/new_pope_defied_nazis.htm

 

[SSScout]

Herr Ratzinger was elected Pope by the Catholic hierarchy. Since I am not Catholic, anything I might say would be as an outsider, nicht wahr?

Be that as it may, Pope Benedict is the acknowledged head of his multi-national organization. As such, he is expected to make pronouncements about his organization. It happens to be a Church, which has as it's purpose, the definition of how its' members should (and why they should) worship God.

I think that virtually every religion on this earth, from Anabaptist to Zoroastrian, would admit, if pressed, that theirs is the best way to God (and, in the Christian definition, "salvation"). So the head of the Catholic Church proclaims it to be the best way to God? This is a surprise?

 

As the side show barker said, 'ya pays yer money and ya takes yer cherce'.

 

"It is a sad Reflection, that many Men hardly have any Religion at all;

and most Men have none of their own:

For that which is the Religion of their Education, and not of their Judgement,

is the Religion of Another, and not Theirs."

 

==William Penn==

 

"The Fruits of Solitude"

(This message has been edited by SSScout)

[BadenP]

SS

You need to read his 7/12 document, he does not state that his church is the best way he states the Catholic Church is the ONLY way to salvation and that ALL other Christian churches are not true churches and have NO hope for salvation. In addition he states the ordinations of their clergy are invalid. That IMHO is a very dangerous statement to make if he wants to keep ecumenical talks going.

 

Trev,

I admit that I do not like Ratzinger and that the Catholic Church made a huge mistake electing him as pontiff. As a former Catholic I find it intolerable that this man with his jaded past was elected in the fastest papal election in the history of the Church, and I truly believe that the Holy Spirit had very little to do with Ratzingers rise to power as the Church proclaims. Any leader of any major religious denomination that would make the kind of predujudical statements that Ratzinger has made would be branded a crackpot and would have no credibility with the rest of the world. Finally Trev., please dont paint Ratzinger as some innocent victim as he was a willing participant in many of the attrocities Hitlers Youth Group committed, that misinformation about his unwilling participation was a massive PR campaign pushed and promoted by the Vatican to whitewash his past deeds.

[Hunt]

I think it odd that having sinned in the past would disqualify somebody from being Pope. After all, I seem to recall reading the person reputed to be the first Pope actually denied Christ, not once, but three times.

[Novice_Cubmaster]

I was raised Catholic, but having converted to Judaism, I have no axe to grind one way or the other with the Pope. However, regarding:

"In a recent statement, 7/12, the Pope has now declared that "All other Christian churches are not truly churches because they do not have a line of apostolic succession therefore the ordination of their clergy is not valid, and their traditions do not lead to salvation."

 

This isn't news - that's been the official stance of the Catholic Church since the days of Martin Luther some 6-7 hundred years ago. Protestantism is considered heresy.

 

I, for one, applaud a religious leader who has the backbone to say, "We believe that we're right, and if you believe differently - you're wrong". (As long as you don't go killing anybody about it...)

 

NC

[packsaddle]

When my Baptist neighbors occasionally divert their attention away from their submitting wives...to remind me of the warmer climes I'm likely to experience in the afterlife (heh, heh, as Rooster7 used to mention here in these forums), I note that if a 'warmer clime' is my fate, unfortunately it is likely to be the result of things I DIDN"T do, sins of omission or something like that, I suppose. Somehow I feel I have missed out on so much...

 

Anyway, I confess that this includes the Pope. I have no strong feelings toward the guy personally (although I understand why many of my women friends feel diffferently). I couldn't care less what he did when he was 14 or what his view of scouting is.

Nevertheless, I appaud BadenP for airing his view. Even if some of us disagree with him, we have to admit that it is an open and honest opinion.

I suggest that if we had a stronger theocracy with greater control over this country and its laws, such views would be more likely to be held privately, possibly for fear of punishment. So I celebrate BadenP's ability to state his view without fear, even if I am indifferent to the content. This marks great progress for all of us in my mind because, at one time the Pope indeed had the ability to respond to such criticisms with great prejudice. This progress means that today, for me at least, those 'warmer cliimes' are merely fantastic possiblities for an indefinite future.

[jambo]

Godwin: I enjoyed your account of phylosophy of scouting, but with all due respect, I try to stay out of politics and religion. Scouting seems to me, is where I am coming from. jambo

[fgoodwin]

jambo: thanx, but where did I post my philosophy of Scouting?