Mr. Gates Address At National Meeting

[moosetracker]

But continued dispute about that doesn't help scouting, or even illuminate the original issue of this thread.  You've done good work as a moderator in helping steer the discussion back toward the best interests of the scouts.  I wonder how much the "large movement" part of scouting is really vital. 

 

 

All I know is my guys got a large charge out of going to a camporee, more so a Scout-O or Jamboree that attracted multiple districts or people from different states.. Meeting other scouts & scouters they never met before and getting to compare and contrast their programs and swap stories they would come home with different ideas and new goals or new ideas on future events and how to implement them.. 

 

I am fine with wishing Trails Life good-luck while pushing BSA for change.. There is one major difference, Trails Life bills itself to being for conservative Christians rather then being non-denominational..  I have no beef with a religion's belief that is different from mine, as long as they don't try to force those not of their belief to follow it anyways.. I would not understand why a Jewish kid or someone from LDS or a Mormon would join the group, but if they do so they do so knowing that the program is going to push conservative Christian doctrine down their throats and not allow the adults to be leaders since a non-Christian is not a good role model..  This group should really only attract people with a common religious belief.

[angler]

Angler, I think you have a good point, and thanks for helping me think it through some more. It is inconsistent of me to suggest that Trail Life can sustain a program and set their memberships policy in the exclusionary ways that they have, while also suggesting that for the BSA (or for any group) such policy would be unsustainable due to that policy's discrimination against (my opinion) basic human rights.  I have to rethink my position on Trail Life (and I guess I already have). The fact that I hope that those boys and families have a good experience in their scouting endeavors should not affect my principles (especially when arguing principles!).  

 

Much obliged and good Scouting to you.

 

Adamcp I hope I would have half the integrity and intellectual courage that you demonstrate here.  I don't fault you at all for the apparent contradiction - you truly want what is good for scouts, whether in BSA or Trail Life.  You say above that your hopes should not affect your principles; from the other side of the divide, I understand and sympathize brother.  But it's no sin for your hopes to be free of your principles, when those hopes are for the good of others.

 

Clear principles unavoidably lead us to positions of absolutism one way or another; sometimes it's hard to balance those principles against a sentiment of basic decency for people.  The man who disagrees in principle with me but honestly (and publicly) engages in that struggle has my respect and goodwill.