Values

[Eamonn]

My good friend Barry has over the past few weeks got my little gray cells working in overdrive.

As I hope he knows, I do respect him and do hope one day we can get the opportunity to meet.

 

I hope that I would never, ever put anyone down for whatever religion they hold as being their own or the values (To a point.) That they hold dear.

 

One great thing about being an adult in Scouting for me is that over the years I have felt safe.

I know that when I attend a Scouting event that the other people there will share very similar values to the ones that I hold.

We might not have them in the same order.

That is to say I might think that being kind is more important than say being reverent is.

 

Values are very important to me.

They shape just about everything I do, not just as a person in Scouting but as a person.

I'm not wise enough or clever enough to know for sure where all my values came from.

I can say that I know my parents and early childhood played a big part, so did my education and my being raised as a member of the Roman Catholic church.

I can't ever remember really ever talking about values with my parents. Things were the way they were just because thats the way things were!

They were both very devout Catholics, they seemed to me to be happy to accept the teachings of the church without question.

My Dad always voted for the Labour Party, while my Mother was a true blue Tory.

Both were from large families, Dad one of seven and Mum one of eight.

Some things were never ever discussed at home. I never really knew anything about our family finances, sex was never talked about. Adults did their thing and kids did their thing.

I'm four years younger than my older brother and seven years older than my youngest sister. So "Adult Conversations" just didn't happen.

When I first went to college I joined the Young Socialists. At that time I really did think that Socialism was the way to go and I seen the ideals of Socialism as being very close to what I seen as being true Christianity. I was more into the theory than what was being passed off as Socialism.

For a while I turned my back on my religion.

Looking back I think this had more to do with my parents willingness to just accept it without question than any real thought out reason on my part.

Today I'm more willing to accept that there are things that are a mystery and are beyond my comprehension.

I like to think of myself as not being a bad fellow!

I do at times get mixed up.

For example I'm never sure when HWMBO asks "Does this make me look fat?" If I should be kind and say "Of course not" Or be truthful and run the risk of what might happen. -Most times I choose to tell a lie!

I really dislike any form or type of violence. OJ thinks it's funny that I don't go to horror movies and close my eyes when anyone is getting shot or beaten up on TV.

Yet for work I'm trained in a lot of ways that will hurt others and given the situation I'm trained and expected to kill another human. I of course pray that the day never comes.

I'm on a Hostage Negotiation Team, where I might have to talk someone into being in a place where our sharp shooters can take a shot. I have looked and thought long and hard about this and I do think I'm willing and able to do this.

A lot of things I look at are things I know would not be right for me. Some things are just out and out wrong. But there are things which while I know I'd never do I can see maybe reasons why others might.

There are things and values that I know I have had a change of heart about over the years.

While I try to be a good Catholic, I'm no longer sure that the Pope is always right.

In Scouting I still believe that what we (I) do is very worth while. At times I think the "Powers That Be" do tend to lose sight of what this is all about. There has been and more than lightly always will be mismanagement at the local and National levels. Still I'm happy to move on with the ideals of what we are about as my guide.

While I happy for everyone who is less mixed up than I am.

I do at times think not having all the answers does help me help the Scouts I work with.

I can explain that at the end of the day only I know if what I have done was the right or wrong way and that sometimes the gray areas make this hard.

They each need to think about what is right or what is wrong for them.

None of us get it right all the time, but we learn from when we are or were wrong.

I would add that I didn't put this in the area about Politics. I hope it doesn't became an exchange about God in Scouting or gays.

Eamonn.

 

[NE-IV-88-Beaver]

Well said, Eamonn! In most of us, our early life has shaped the individual values that we hold dear. Whether that be from religion, education, our parents and family life, or Scouting, a whole range of ideas have come together to form our core value system. I have reckoned the Scout Oath and Law, similar to the Golden Rule taught in my early life, to provide important guidance in a value system that really isn't that complex. If you do the right thing, which may not always be the popular thing, you'll be at peace with yourself!

 

Now, if we could just stop worrying about how others think of us or view us, life would be much easier!

[Scoutfish]

Clapping!