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11 year old not allowed to join Scouts as atheist


AZMike

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Peregrinator writes:

Tell me more about this. Do you mean Christians on the Internet or in real life?

 

Last I checked, the internet IS real life.

 

Unprovoked, or after you push a couple of buttons?

 

Both. Did you miss this thread a few weeks back? http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=365004

Just search for the death threats.

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BSA24,

 

While I'm not a young earth creationist by far (I'm an evolutionist (biologist by education) as evolution is the best explanation for some of the stranger things in the living world), your argument about technology being science is a little bit strained. Besides evolutionary theory, most of the science in the world today can be explained without need of belief in evolution. Heck, most of the biology needed by an MD doesn't need evolutionary theory.

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As for "freedom from religion", that is one of those "labels" that I think don't contributes much to a conversation. In some cases it is used as a "self-label" and in others (including your post) it is used as a derogatory label. I'll leave the labeling to you.

 

Well, that's the term that the folks here who get the crches taken down and whatnot call themselves.

 

Scouting is an organization that requires a belief in God to join. So if you come in here proclaiming otherwise it is reasonable to accept vociferous disagreement. Being "tolerant" of someone's beliefs does not mean I have to agree with them nor refrain from expressing my opinion on them.

 

After all, I don't wander into the atheism or NAMBLA forums telling them they really should rethink what they believe in.

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Brewmeister writes:

Well, that's the term [freedom from religion] that the folks here who get the crches taken down and whatnot call themselves.

 

No, those are the people who file lawsuits; the ones who get them taken down are called "judges".

 

Scouting is an organization that requires a belief in God to join. So if you come in here proclaiming otherwise it is reasonable to accept vociferous disagreement.

 

I got that back in 2001 when my first post pointed out that public schools couldn't possibly legally charter BSA units that excluded atheists. There's a bit more agreement about that now.

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See, this is why I think it is too bad that religion has any part of BSA. Once you bring that many people together (actually it only takes 2 or 3) you are going to get people of all kinds of beliefs who lack the capacity to be civil when discussing religion or politics.

 

That's why I don't allow any religion in my den. We have several atheists and several religious folks. I told them all that I do not believe it is my place and should not be BSA's place to tell you how to teach faith to your kid, or even if you should. Leave it at home in the family. Everyone is in complete agreement. We have been extremely successful.

 

Are we ignoring BSA's policies? Probably. Would BSA just as soon throw us out, or at least half of us? Yup. Then there would be no program for the local boys and the membership and money folks at council get less of each. That's why they probably are happy to just ignore us. Which is good, we ignore them so it is mutual.

 

So BSA, you can (OGE here, the postor made a suggesiton to the BSA which is decidely not scoutlike) as I choose to instead focus on teaching kids respect, responsibility, leadership skills using the outdoors and community service as the classroom and allowing parents to decide how faith is taught. And hey, we ALL get along, of all religions and no religion everyone together having fun, learning, and accomplishing goals together. Imagine that.

 

I believe THAT is the lesson that should be taught to boys AND girls.

(This message has been edited by a staff member.)

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