LDS exclusive?

[Gunny2862]

Are LDS members required/pressured in some fashion to join their or another LDS Troop?

 

Or are they free to join any Troop of their choice?

 

I have a Mom who is asking aobut her child joining our troop but I don't want any issues with the numerous other LDS Troops in the area. I don't know why she doesn't want her son in her ?Stakes/Wards? troop.

[GernBlansten]

We too have lots of LDS units. I'm not aware of any LDS scout joining a non-LDS unit. Nor have I ever heard of a non-LDS scout joining an LDS unit. I'm sure the mom is highly encouraged to have her son join the stake LDS unit. The LDS has customized the program to their religion and in my opinion, joining a non-LDS unit would not achieve their goals.

[Gunny2862]

And I think that may be part of the sticky point here. I don't know about LDS Scouting meeting the churches goal but I really don't know if the parents goals are in line with the LDS organizations goals.

 

Meanwhile the question stands.

[ScoutNut]

Scouting with LDS is DIRECTLY tied to their religion. It is used as part of their religious priesthood training. LDS his one of the few Charter Organizations who have taken to heart the concept of their ownership and involvement in the program.

 

Even if the Bishop is unhappy with the situation, it is not your problem, or your fault. It is the decision of the family how they raise their son and what activities they put him in. It is the decision of your Troop to accept a boy into your Troop, or not. I am sure the family will simply look at a different Troop to join if you turn them down.

 

If you are concerned you should discuss this with the family involved, they are the ones who would be able to answer your questions, we have no idea of their situation.

 

 

[GernBlansten]

Its my understanding that all male LDS youth are automatically registered in their ward's LDS scouting unit whether they participate or not. So if he chose to join another unit, he would essentially be dual registered.

[scouter-mom]

From my own first hand experience, this would totally depend on the individual COR (for that specific ward and church).

My sons and I are not LDS members, but were registered and participated with an LDS troop (and team and Crew) for years. That same troop still has many non-LDS members.This particular ward did not register every young male member of their ward. At rechartering they would drop those who did not participate, LDS member or not.

 

 

I have close LDS friends in our council who chose to not join their ward's BSA units, and joined a local non-LDS-chartered Troop. In their case, their ward's scouting units were mostly "paper only" and they chose another unit for that reaon. (Sometimes trying to redirect or rebuild from within is not a reasonable choice).

 

Within both the council and district that I serve, the LDS units vary just as much as all the other various chartered units.

 

 

[nldscout]

"Its my understanding that all male LDS youth are automatically registered in their ward's LDS scouting unit whether they participate or not. So if he chose to join another unit, he would essentially be dual registered."

 

A youth in Boy scouts can not be registered in more than one troop, its against national policy. BS/CS can only register one time.

 

[scouter-mom]

In regards to being registered in more than one unit: there is the option of dual registration (happens for a number of reasons). It is my understanding that one is limited to the number of units (2?). In the council that I serve many youth are dual registered in units. Some are registered in a Troop and Crew, in 2 Troops, or in 2 Crews. (This does not "bump-up" membership numbers, they are still just counted as one member.)

[Gunny2862]

Thanks for the input!

The only questions outstanding are further communication with the family and the registration issue.

 

Does anyone have a hard answer about what to do if the child is automatically registered through his church and they still want him to come with us?

[Trevorum]

Gunny,

Our troop has two brothers who tell me they are also registered in an LDS unit. They are active only with our troop because "we do cool stuff". Council has always accepted our registration paperwork; I don't see a problem.

 

[nldscout]

any council registrar that accepts a registration knowing that the youth is registered already in a similar type unit is violation nationals registration rules

[BadenP]

When I served as a DE the LDS units in my districts did not object if a non LDS teen joined their troop, they looked at it as an evangelistic opportunity, however if the boy did not show an interest in their faith after a year they were encouraged to switch troops. As others have stated here true LDS scouting is geared towards preparing the boy for his mission when he turns 18. If an LDS boy chooses to join a troop outside his troop, the LDS leadership will have strong words with the parents and if the parents decide to keep the boy out of the LDS scouting program they can be disciplined or even dismissed from the church. I witnessed this happen to five LDS families personally.

 

You all have to remember that there are several levels or degrees of membership within the LDS church, each with their own set of rules. Nld is correct when he says that a boy can not be registered in two different troops, however the LDS wards do automatically sign up every eligible boy each year, the applications are submitted for them, without their signature, a special allowance National makes for LDS scouting. So the question for me has always been which is the boys true troop, to me it would be the one he and his parents sign him up for, thats how the dual troop registration occurs. My personal feeling is that all LDS scouting should be a seperate program from mainstream scouting since its goals and purpose are so very different. I would like to hear input from an LDS scouter on this topic.

[Sprocket]

I recall reading somewhere that there is a provision for boys being registered in two troops. This most commonly happens when a boy's parents are divorced and he splits time living with parents in different cities or different parts of the country. He can then participate in scouting no matter which parent he is currently living with. It takes extra coordination between the parents & units, though.

[mdutch]

I, personally, am registered (as a youth) in 2 crews and a troop. Hasn't been a problem so far

[nldscout]

The restriction only applies to Troops and Packs is what we were shown in the R&R by our registrar. Being in a troop and crew is allowed without a doubt.