Churches Evicting Troops, and a new organization

[Eagledad]

I see a lot of opinions of why folks are leaving the BSA for Trail Life and likely they are all correct depending on the unit. The local Trail Life near me organized as a result of the BSA membership decision. There was no thought of changing before. I know of a couple of Texas units considering Trail Life because the church has asked the BSA units to leave. I know of another boy run unit looking into Trail Life to get more freedom in there program. I don't think there is one main reason. But if Trail Life can get their feet under them, they might make a go of it. I don't feel Trail Life will hurt the BSA program. But it might keep them from going more liberal with membership like allowing atheist. Barry

[Kudu]

A friend of mine is hosting a "Trail Life USA Town Meeting" this Wednesday at 6 PM at the church which hosts our BSA Troop. I plan to attend.

 

The name "Trail Life" is promising but the slogan "Adventure, Character, and Leadership" is troublesome, since the BSA has used the slogan "Character and Leadership" to explain why they took the Adventure (and the "Real Patrol" Method) out of Scouting in 1972.

 

I will definitely join at some level if they try fill the vacuum left by the BSA's turn away from Hillcourt's Real Patrol Method, which was based on the "Trail Life" of Patrols.

[EagleScout441]

Our BSA Troop lost a fantastic leader, and his son, a fantastic Scout (best knot tyer in the Troop). The leader is now the "Troopmaster" (probably the equivalent of SM) in Trail Life Troop TN - 0122, here in Murfreesboro.

[Scouter99]

A friend of mine is hosting a "Trail Life USA Town Meeting" this Wednesday at 6 PM at the church which hosts our BSA Troop. I plan to attend.

 

The name "Trail Life" is promising but the slogan "Adventure, Character, and Leadership" is troublesome, since the BSA has used the slogan "Character and Leadership" to explain why they took the Adventure (and the "Real Patrol" Method) out of Scouting in 1972.

 

I have a feeling that Royal Ambassadors Outside isn't going to fill any voids.

[qwazse]

So for all purposes this organization was created, by people who already wished to leave and make a more faith based organization. Following that then they policy change was just an excuse to leave.

It's fair to say it's a little of both. There have been a growing number of Christian youth leaders who have been less comfortable with working in traditional models. The thought that "we can do something like this on our own" has been festering for a while.

[packsaddle]

Looking at 25-mile radius, I've found one unit of Trail Life and the CO evidently dumped the scout unit to start this one. The scouts, most of them, were not members of the church and most are moving to other units in the area. Here is an excerpt from a newspaper article about that unit:

"...adult leaders in the program will be Christian and must sign a statement of faith and submit to background checks. Both boys and adults will be required to adhere to a code of conduct. The full membership policy, Statement of Faith and Statement of Values can be read online at http://www.TrailLifeUSA.com. Membership in the program has both youth and adult elements.The adult applicant must also be at least 18 years of age and subscribe to and abide by the statement of Christian faith and the oath and creed of the program.The group welcomes boys whose parents are seeking a faith-based outdoor adventure program that places an emphasis on character development, leadership, and moral purity, and who aspire to live in accordance with the values expressed in the program’s Oath and Creed.The program is under girded by Biblical values and unapologetically reflects a Christian worldview. The group’s goal is for parents and families of every faith to be able to place their boys in a youth program that endeavors to provide moral consistency and ethical integrity in its adult leaders."

 

Now I realize this sounds a lot narrower than what I'm reading in this and related threads but I suspect that this particular rural church is narrowing the rules to suit its own particular needs. Anyway, it's the only Trail Life unit I can find. The little town this church is in is also where I have lived so I know the people fairly well. This church is a perfect fit for Trail Life.

 

So I Googled a line from the article and quite a few different web sites popped up indicating that this wording is being used fairly widely. I really enjoyed this site: http://victoriajackson.com/9771/new-boy-scouts

especially the comments

[moosetracker]

From what I understand, although excepting boys of all faith, and boys of little faith (as long as not atheist).. Their acceptance of adult Leadership is stricter and more intolerant.. If not serious Christians then you can not be an adult leader.. And they will not accept faiths like LDS as Christian because it doesn't strictly follow the bible.. I stumbled upon some discussion with an LDS mother who was upset with the rules, and many people who I assume were interested in founding TL's in their area, were trying to defend TL's rule on adult leadership became pretty nasty to her..

 

It might be a rule made in fear of LDS moving over and changing the program to be different as in BSA, but I think they could have easily prevented that by welcoming them, but making rules and making it clear that they would have to follow the program everyone else did..

 

Anyway, definitely not a secular organization.. The only reason I can assume they put out a welcome mat to the youth of other religions while barring their parents is some insane notion of trying to convert them.

[perdidochas]

I have not heard of a Trails life troop around here. The only flack I've heard about the whole membership issue is that an older lady told the boys selling popcorn how mad she was about the BSA decision, and we had a district executive resign over the issue (he's still involved as a a parent/OA member, just not as paid staff).

[Huzzar]

From what I understand, although excepting boys of all faith, and boys of little faith (as long as not atheist).. Their acceptance of adult Leadership is stricter and more intolerant.. If not serious Christians then you can not be an adult leader.. And they will not accept faiths like LDS as Christian because it doesn't strictly follow the bible.. I stumbled upon some discussion with an LDS mother who was upset with the rules, and many people who I assume were interested in founding TL's in their area, were trying to defend TL's rule on adult leadership became pretty nasty to her..

 

It might be a rule made in fear of LDS moving over and changing the program to be different as in BSA, but I think they could have easily prevented that by welcoming them, but making rules and making it clear that they would have to follow the program everyone else did..

 

Anyway, definitely not a secular organization.. The only reason I can assume they put out a welcome mat to the youth of other religions while barring their parents is some insane notion of trying to convert them.

I just looked at their statement of faith and it's actually quite broad from a Christian perspective.

 

LDS doesn't make the cut because they have scriptures not found in the rest of the world's bibles. Don't think it has anything to do with not wanting LDS to take over. Let's be honest here; until quite recently most people around the world considered the Mormons to be a non-Christian cult. Every denomination of every faith has things about it that make outsiders scratch their heads but LDS has far more than most.

 

The welcome to non-Christian youth is no different to my United Methodist Church sponsored Scout unit welcoming Jews, Hindus and Buddhists.

[Austinole]

We've lost a few COs but none that have switched over to TL as far as I know.

[moosetracker]

From what I understand, although excepting boys of all faith, and boys of little faith (as long as not atheist).. Their acceptance of adult Leadership is stricter and more intolerant.. If not serious Christians then you can not be an adult leader.. And they will not accept faiths like LDS as Christian because it doesn't strictly follow the bible.. I stumbled upon some discussion with an LDS mother who was upset with the rules, and many people who I assume were interested in founding TL's in their area, were trying to defend TL's rule on adult leadership became pretty nasty to her..

 

It might be a rule made in fear of LDS moving over and changing the program to be different as in BSA, but I think they could have easily prevented that by welcoming them, but making rules and making it clear that they would have to follow the program everyone else did..

 

Anyway, definitely not a secular organization.. The only reason I can assume they put out a welcome mat to the youth of other religions while barring their parents is some insane notion of trying to convert them.

As I stated, the not following the bible strictly is what they claim.. I just am wondering if there is more to not welcoming them. I mean Christian is religions that believe in Christ, which they do..

 

I guess a few units, may open to other children but not allow parents of other faiths to be leaders.. But that is not the rules of the BSA.. The scouts and the scouters can have any faith they wish, and their beliefs can vary from being very loyal church goers to not thinking much about it, and never belonging to an organized religion.

 

So if your United Methodist Church accepts scouts of any faith, but have adopted the rule that only UMC card carrying members can be the Adult leaders of the unit, you are a rarity and not the norm.

[boomerscout]

I watched about half of their 39 minute video. The program seems to be rigidly structured and adult led. With church membership declining, I don't see them as a growth area. I wonder if they're going to sell Trail's Life popcorn?

[Peregrinator]

From what I understand, although excepting boys of all faith, and boys of little faith (as long as not atheist).. Their acceptance of adult Leadership is stricter and more intolerant.. If not serious Christians then you can not be an adult leader.. And they will not accept faiths like LDS as Christian because it doesn't strictly follow the bible.. I stumbled upon some discussion with an LDS mother who was upset with the rules, and many people who I assume were interested in founding TL's in their area, were trying to defend TL's rule on adult leadership became pretty nasty to her..

 

It might be a rule made in fear of LDS moving over and changing the program to be different as in BSA, but I think they could have easily prevented that by welcoming them, but making rules and making it clear that they would have to follow the program everyone else did..

 

Anyway, definitely not a secular organization.. The only reason I can assume they put out a welcome mat to the youth of other religions while barring their parents is some insane notion of trying to convert them.

The problem is not that the LDS has additional scriptures but that they don't believe that God is a Trinity.

[Twocubdad]

 

Two troops near us have converted to TL. One was a small unit which dropped BSA all together. The other a larger unit, but about half the Scouts moved to another CO and are continuing with BSA. We've gained Scouts from both.

[moosetracker]

From what I understand, although excepting boys of all faith, and boys of little faith (as long as not atheist).. Their acceptance of adult Leadership is stricter and more intolerant.. If not serious Christians then you can not be an adult leader.. And they will not accept faiths like LDS as Christian because it doesn't strictly follow the bible.. I stumbled upon some discussion with an LDS mother who was upset with the rules, and many people who I assume were interested in founding TL's in their area, were trying to defend TL's rule on adult leadership became pretty nasty to her..

 

It might be a rule made in fear of LDS moving over and changing the program to be different as in BSA, but I think they could have easily prevented that by welcoming them, but making rules and making it clear that they would have to follow the program everyone else did..

 

Anyway, definitely not a secular organization.. The only reason I can assume they put out a welcome mat to the youth of other religions while barring their parents is some insane notion of trying to convert them.

If that's it Peregrinator, then it's a cop out.. I looked around & the LDS do believe in the trinity, they just call it by a different term.. Here is one explanation.

 

Do Mormons believe in the Trinity?

 

Mormons most commonly use the term “Godhead†to refer to the Trinity. The first article of faith for the Latter-day Saints reads: “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.†Latter-day Saints believe God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are one in will and purpose but are not literally the same being or substance, as conceptions of the Holy Trinity commonly imply.

 

 

Whether it be they don't follow the Bible exclusively, or whether it is not believing in the trinity.. It is a cop out.. Why not have Catholic denounce protestants as true Christians because they don't believe in saints or elevate the mother Mary to the heights Catholics do... Why can't Protestants denounce Catholics as a true Christian because of all the statues they kiss the feet of..

 

The definition of a Christian is one who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ Regardless of how they vary in the way they choose to interpret those teachings.