LDS Youth Program for 2020

[MattR]

Thanks, @Saltface. I suspected it was something along those lines. There are aspects about it that I really like. Primarily, motivation from within, not some mythical award. Also, it's much simpler and easier to explain. No parents are going to get wrapped up in pushing there kids to get eagle. It's kind of like Venturing. Skills are nothing more than preparation for doing something you want to do. They aren't a check box to get an award.

On the other hand, many people, teens especially, don't know what they don't know so how do they get some guidance? I could see adults causing just as much trouble running the show.  I'd rather see more outdoor activity but nobody asked me .

Maybe if it works the BSA will take notice. Competition would be good.

[ParkMan]

3 hours ago, Treflienne said:

This is a complete aside.  But one of the things that really struck me, coming from GSUSA into BSA was how much more the boy scouts had in the way of resources that the girls scouts.  Money?  Local BSA troops seem to be sitting on back accounts with thousands of dollars in them.  The GSUSA troops start and end each year with no money.  Resources:  The BSA camp has motorboats, kayaks, canoes, new-looking life jackets, bicyles,  rifle range, a fancy archery range, etc, etc, etc.    The GSUSA camp has battered aluminum canoes,  faded old orange life jackets, and a small shed containing a few bows for archery -- and this is one of the premier camps in the council.   I have just been astonished at much money boy scouts appears to have. 

A big part of this is structural.  Since troops are owned by Chartered Organizations there is an inherent longevity that does not exist in the GSUSA.  Further, the GSUSA has a rule (as I understand it) that requires that troops carry over no money year to year.  On the flip side, pack/troop bank accounts are never seen by the BSA or local council.  Our council has no idea how much money is in reserve in our troop.  We actively maintain a reserve so that we can spend as needed instead of constantly chasing money. 

[swilliams]

I only got through 12 minutes before stopping (had to get my daughter from swim practice).  As soon as I heard “home-based, church-supported”, I cringed a little. Everyone will start with the best of intentions, but without a more concrete structure or plan I don’t see busy families creating something that will last longer than a few months at most.  Granted, there may be more laid out that I didn’t get to, but if that first twelve minutes is really all there is to it, I don’t see how it’s that much different than what a lot of us do with our kids on a regular day-to-day basis. 

[qwazse]

2 hours ago, Eagle1993 said:

Ha!  Now, if you said Wilderness Survival I’m all in!

Wilderness Survival was never on the required list for Eagle.

Bird Study, on the other hand, told a scout a lot about the environment he was in and how the actions of man impacted it. Which, I think, was the point of that MB being required in 1915 less than two decades after the passenger pigeon was declared extinct.

[The Latin Scot]

On 11/13/2019 at 11:45 AM, le Voyageur said:

My take (and yes, I endured this production to the end) is this...that their program is an exclusive for members only  in house program that is purposely crafted to insulates and protects  their youth from the real word, as well as to divide the genders into two separate and unequal classes.  The direct opposite of the Scouting USA program for inclusiveness. 

At least now, I thank I can sit around the campfire in quite discussions and ponder this with my fellow cohorts (but overall,  still somewhat baffled as to this wrong headed direction that I feel the LDS community is tacking into due to the political winds they feel are slewing their sails).

If you think we perceive men and women as unequal, then you are grossly misinformed as to what we believe about the divine nature of both men and women, and it would do you well to study your words before putting false accusations online. I worry you may have many incorrect perceptions about our faith which I would be happy to discuss at any time. However, this forum is not an appropriate place for you to express your opinions about our doctrines and beliefs.

[ParkMan]

4 hours ago, The Latin Scot said:

If you think we perceive men and women as unequal, then you are grossly misinformed as to what we believe about the divine nature of both men and women, and it would do you well to study your words before putting false accusations online. I worry you may have many incorrect perceptions about our faith which I would be happy to discuss at any time. However, this forum is not an appropriate place for you to express your opinions about our doctrines and beliefs.

I thought the LDS church only allowed men to hold the priesthood.  Seems like that's a pretty big symbol. to me.

[Cburkhardt]

I wish the Church well with its future program.  I also look forward to continued cheerful discussions of the BSA's future without regard or reference to what the Church or we might have done if its institutional engagement had remained.  The Church decided to depart and do something which looks quite different for its evolved needs.  It is clearly not Scouting-like and seems like the less-structured youth groups in many other churches. 

We are in a new and better programming and membership world.  After we get through the bankruptcy and related financial reorganization challenges we will be in a far better overall position. A temporarily-leaner organization prior to a robust grow-out of our female membership.

[The Latin Scot]

15 hours ago, ParkMan said:

I thought the LDS church only allowed men to hold the priesthood.  Seems like that's a pretty big symbol. to me.

You seem to put this fact (not symbol) forward as though it was something wrong or evil that our church was doing. I assure you, this incomplete generalization glosses over many other doctrines to which we hold that explain this fact, and again, demonstrates a misunderstanding of our beliefs and doctrines. 

Edited November 20, 2019 by The Latin Scot

[ParkMan]

1 hour ago, The Latin Scot said:

You seem to put this fact (not symbol) forward as though it was something wrong or evil that our church was doing. I assure you, this incomplete generalization glosses over many other doctrines to which we hold that explain this fact, and again, demonstrates a misunderstanding of our beliefs and doctrines. 

I apologize, this forum is not the place for a discussion of the LDS faith.  I just found some of the recent posts patronizing and was offended by them.  We should get back to discussing Scouting, not the LDS church.

[Oldscout448]

6 hours ago, Cburkhardt said:

 

We are in a new and better programming and membership world.  After we get through the bankruptcy and related financial reorganization challenges we will be in a far better overall position. A temporarily-leaner organization prior to a robust grow-out of our female membership.

You are certainly in a new world, that much is very clear.  Utopian  or  dystopian ? That remains to 'be seen.  Boyscouts was designed as an adventure for the boys, Scouts BSA looks like a family camping club with parents, siblings, boys, girls, and everything in between.

It has been said on this, and other, forums that the new wave of scouts and scouters are better off without the "old fogey" crowd. That sadly goes both ways.   I find myself pondering if I will be able to recommend that my grandsons join cubscouts in 5 years. Then I wonder if the organization will even still exist.  I'd say it's 50-50.