Difference between revisions of "Talk:Boy Scouts of America"
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*Not the troop my son was in! [[User:Dpbsmith|Dpbsmith]] 07:51, 24 February 2007 (EST) | *Not the troop my son was in! [[User:Dpbsmith|Dpbsmith]] 07:51, 24 February 2007 (EST) | ||
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| + | I think that the comment about Christian morality can be interpreted in a couple different ways. In a nutshell, BSA is based upon Christian morality, even though there is no "official" requirement within the program that Scouts be a Christian. (Although I did have to switch troops because one troop would not let me advance because I was a Baptist rather than a Nazarene.) Religious emblems are awarded to Christians, and for other religions as well. I know that the religious emblems aren't given out by the BSA, but the BSA literature did reference the pamphlets for the other one. I remember that my troop brought in a speaker once who talked about the twelth point of the Scout law and said that it didn't matter what you believed as long as you believe something. I did come across Jewish and Mormon troops (I know the Mormons have strongly embraced the Scouting programs). | ||
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| + | However, it's undeniable that the BSA's principled are strongly based upon Christian morality, even if there are a number of non-Christians within the program. [[User:MountainDew|MountainDew]] 02:30, 5 March 2007 (EST) | ||
Revision as of 07:30, March 5, 2007
Scouting and Christianity?
Baden-Powell may well have said "Scouting is applied Christianity," but I am not so sure that the modern BSA should be associated with Christianity, as in the sentence
- As a result of their strong adherence to traditional Christian morality...
It seems to me that the Boys Scouts are better characterized, not as Christian, but as embracing the sort of "generic religion" espoused by Benjamin Franklin. The BSA mission and vision statements mention God and reverence, but make no reference to Christianity. BSA fact sheets include titles such as
- Scouting in the Buddhist community
- Scouting in the Islamic community
- Scouting serves the Jewish community
Dpbsmith 22:20, 23 February 2007 (EST)
Interesting points, but this seems to be on the fringe of Scouting. Christian schools often welcome non-Christians also. In the U.S., Boy Scouts tend to be overwhelmingly Christian.--Aschlafly 22:29, 23 February 2007 (EST)
- Not the troop my son was in! Dpbsmith 07:51, 24 February 2007 (EST)
I think that the comment about Christian morality can be interpreted in a couple different ways. In a nutshell, BSA is based upon Christian morality, even though there is no "official" requirement within the program that Scouts be a Christian. (Although I did have to switch troops because one troop would not let me advance because I was a Baptist rather than a Nazarene.) Religious emblems are awarded to Christians, and for other religions as well. I know that the religious emblems aren't given out by the BSA, but the BSA literature did reference the pamphlets for the other one. I remember that my troop brought in a speaker once who talked about the twelth point of the Scout law and said that it didn't matter what you believed as long as you believe something. I did come across Jewish and Mormon troops (I know the Mormons have strongly embraced the Scouting programs).
However, it's undeniable that the BSA's principled are strongly based upon Christian morality, even if there are a number of non-Christians within the program. MountainDew 02:30, 5 March 2007 (EST)