fgoodwin

Choosing my religion http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/15277246.htm Posted on Tue, Aug. 15, 2006 Shopping around for a family church - when the parents aren't regular attendees - can be intimidating, but experts say it's never too late to start keeping the faith By GAILE ROBINSON Star-Telegram Staff Writer The Cub Scout troop was swirling around the front door of the old California mission. They were there to satisfy a badge requirement but were acting like it was a trip to the amusement park. They moved inside, a vibrating mass of boy energy. The 200-year-old church was dark; in the gloom of the long, narrow sanctuary, the pews were barely visible. The only illumination was at the far end over the altar. There, a bright light spilled down over a huge crucifix and a larger-than-life wounded Christ figure, blood dripping from underneath the crown of thorns. The Cub Scouts were awed, and for a brief moment, silent. Then, this query: "Whoa, what happened to that guy?" I recognized the loud voice of my son at the same instant I experienced one of those whiplashes of profound parental guilt: "Oops, should have gotten the kids some religious education." It had been on the to-do list, somewhere after toilet training and instructions on table manners; we just hadn't gotten to that particular chapter of child-rearing yet. Neither my husband nor I was aligned with a church at the time, although we both had gone as children, albeit to very different ones. Our parents had done their bit; now it was time to do ours. In an ideal world, couples should negotiate this issue before picking a china pattern or a wedding date. Mary Hildebrandt, director of Christian Education at Peace Lutheran Church in Hurst, says: "The topic should be in there with 'What do you think about marriage, money, having children, and where do you want to live?' . . . That way when you are blessed with children you have a game plan going in." Of course, that would have made it so simple, but it was not a conversation we had ever had. And we were not atypical. For parents who are not churchgoers, choosing a church for the purposes of religious education can be quite daunting. How do you find one that is agreeable to everyone in the family? For that matter, is it important that everyone agree? How do you know that what is conveyed in the adult service is echoed in the Sunday-school program? When is a good time to begin a child's religious education? Is it ever too late? Did we miss the ark? The answers from the professionals are reassuring. So, which church should we attend? The denomination's name is not the issue, the religious education directors say. Choosing your faith-based community matters more. There is a difference, often quite distinct, between churches of the same faith. Parents struggle mightily with religious appellations; putting too much emphasis on "what church are we?" when instead they need to find a church family where they feel most at home. "One of the most important points of religious education is to find a community of faith. Faith, whether it is Christian, Jewish or Muslim, is found in community," says Russell Dalton, associate professor of Christian education at Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. "All great faiths are built around community. You learn about being a Christian by being around Christians of many ages. So I would say the biggest challenge is going around to many churches, synagogues or mosques." Once there, "You need to ask yourself, 'Is this a church that will help me become a better person?'" says Brett Younger, senior pastor at Fort Worth's Broadway Baptist Church. "It doesn't take long to get an answer. If you find a community that will challenge you that way, it will do that for your children, too." Some parents who come from different church backgrounds never do agree on a single church for the entire family. "They alternate churches," says Walter McDonald, pastor at Fort Worth's Baker Chapel AME. "One is committed to one church, the other another, but the children primarily attend one church." This may send a mixed message, but it's not one of confusion, says McDonald: "The important thing is that the parents are led by the Holy Spirit and their spiritual needs are being met in the church." Where do we begin? Talking to friends, neighbors and co-workers is one way to narrow the search, Hildebrandt says. She says that a large proportion of Peace Lutheran's new members, fully "80 to 90 percent who come and stay, are there because somebody else has invited them." Often a crisis precipitates the search. Then families turn to their most immediate and trusted resources -- friends or co-workers. Robin Stillwell of Trinity Vineyard Fellowship in Fort Worth says she knows of two families who have done that. "In one family someone had passed away and it threw the family into a crisis," Stillwell says. "That mom started looking at her son's friends. She knew who went to church and who didn't. She asked one who seemed like a nice kid where he went, and she began networking that way." If you are really unsure, check resources on the Web, says Amanda Robinson, director of religious education at First Jefferson Unitarian Universalist in Fort Worth. She says her church has had several families land on its doorstep after visiting www.beliefnet.com, an online multifaith community, and taking one of its interactive quizzes that help narrow the search for faith affiliation to those that best match one's beliefs. Armed with that speed-dating kind of information, the religion-seeker can further research religious philosophies and pinpoint compatible local churches. Obviously, some footwork will be involved; several trips, in fact. The first visit will suggest one of two responses: definitely not, or maybe. You will know fairly quickly if it is not right for you. Is this the right Sunday school? All churches should have written material that outlines their religious education programs. Ask for a copy. If you are not sure that the message being delivered in the adult service is the same one presented in the Sunday school, drop in the classrooms for a visit, Stillwell says. Or, "talk to the director of religious education, volunteer in the classroom, talk to the children who have been attending," Robinson says. The education directors do send up cautionary flares about the location of Sunday school classes. If the classrooms are in a separate building, that might be a sign that children are kept sequestered from the adult group or older and younger children. There should be integration among the ages in the church family. "Having the biggest, shiniest preschool building is not the best sign," Younger says. "Children's ministers struggle with the tension of making this look like church or a Disneyland. There is an integrity issue in marketing to children. If you are trying to attract 6-year-olds with the shiniest toys, you're not teaching a 6-year-old what church is about." Parents should look for the church that will help their children become the kind of adult they want them to be. Children need to be integrated into the church family. "Make sure there are opportunities for youth and adults to be together," Dalton says. See how children are treated in the adult service. Are they welcome? Are they included? "I feel like children should feel welcome in service, and sometimes that's hard to do, but it is very important," Robinson says. Dalton suggests asking these questions: Is the service designed in such a way that they realize kids are going to be there? Is there anything in the service that is directly addressed to them? Are there songs that have a rhythm or a beat or are sung in such a way, with hand motions, that are engaging to children? During prayer times, are the prayers concerns of adults or are there things that might be of concern to children? Do the sermons include illustrations of how this can be meaningful in a child's life? Are there any children or teens helping to lead the service? Did we wait too long? Adding another time commitment to the schedule of a school-age child seems cruel to the entire family, which is why adding regular church attendance is best if begun early. Unfortunately, not everyone gets the wake-up call during potty training. A friend of mine figured it out when her fifth-grade daughter was packing for camp. As the girl read off the list of essential gear, she announced, "Says here we need a bibble. What's a bibble?" From most church staffers' point of view, religious education is best when started early. "It's one thing to wrestle with a 2-year-old, but I will take a 2-year-old over a 12-year-old any day," Hildebrandt says. "The younger they are when you start, the easier it is to lay the foundation," says Brenda Tyler of Christ Chapel Bible Church in Fort Worth. If you wait till the problem years, that time in the family development when the parent-child relationship is at its most corrosive, there will be opposition. "If we press religion on a rebelling child, the resistance is magnified because we are initiating it," Hildebrandt says. Often teens will want to find their own church family, away from the church of their parents. "Some kids might be looking for answers and be struggling with issues," Tyler says. If a child is experienced in searching for these answers within a religious framework, she says, parents should trust their children and allow them their explorations. They may fall away from the family church, but often this is the one they return to as adults, when it is time to educate their own children. Many times, new parents will instinctively find a church where the ritual, schedule and visual presentation are ones that they recognize from their youth. They look for the familiar, says Tonya Langston, children's pastor at Bethel Temple in Fort Worth. "They don't often analyze curriculum or content of lesson. They base their choice on whether or not it feels like the church they went to when they were little." What do the kids say? You've made the rounds; you've test-driven services, checked out Sunday schools. You think you may have found the family's church. But weigh in with the kids. Ask them about their experiences. Are they comfortable? Are the Sunday school lessons positive? Dalton says ask them, "'What do they say about God?' Are they scaring children with images of wrathful God, teaching a God of love, or whatever it is that is important to the parents?" Even the size of the class matters. Some children don't have the experience or socialization skills to slide into a new group with ease, Robinson says. They might prefer a smaller group. When they get older, they might want to be part of a large group. Hopefully the parents will be rewarded for their search for a fitting family church with positive results. Children, though, have a way of interpreting the lessons in their own way. On the way to school one morning, after having picked up the other carpool kids, one friend heard her daughter, Nicole, giving a tour guide's spiel about the neighborhood. She pointed out the family's church to her friends. "That's our church," Nicole said. "The one with the plus on the top." TEST YOUR FAITH Not sure where to start? The nondenominational site www.beliefnet.com has a quiz that will help narrow down your choices. Answer a list of 20 questions on the concept of God, afterlife and spiritual beliefs, then rank how important each concept is in your value system. The site will analyze your answers, then provide a list of religions, from mainline Christianity to Judaism, Islam to Buddhism, that are most compatible with your answers.

Jamboree documents released http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149189981384 http://tinyurl.com/jbstc Army: Witnesses did not recall seeing signs about power lines before four Scout leaders died BY KIRAN KRISHNAMURTHY TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Tuesday, August 15, 2006 FREDERICKSBURG -- Three witnesses to the electrocution of four National Scout Jamboree leaders did not recall any signs warning of high-voltage power lines in the vicinity, according to investigative documents. However, a photograph included in the documents does show the presence of a sign. And one Boy Scout from the Western Alaska troop stated he noticed the overhead electrical lines before a metal tent pole touched them on July 25, 2005, the first day of the quadrennial event at the U.S. Army's Fort A.P. Hill in Caroline County. "We did not think about them," the youth said in a sworn statement. The Army released the documents this month in response to The Times-Dispatch's continued federal Freedom of Information Act request for materials from the military's criminal investigation into the accident. The Army previously found no criminal wrongdoing arising from the accident. The supporting documents, which include accounts from witnesses and emergency personnel, also detail the severity of the injuries sustained by the Western Alaska leaders. Witnesses say the four adult leaders were electrocuted when the center pole of a large canopy they were helping a contractor erect touched overhead power lines. Boy Scouts of America officials say the organization provides individual troop leaders with a diagram suggesting how tents can be placed but that individual troop leaders decide where to put tents within their campsites. Kenneth Schoolcraft, a lawyer for the family of one of the dead leaders, said last month that he does not know whether any lawsuits will be filed in the accident. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Tents & Events for two "serious" workplace-safety violations; the company paid $3,000 in fines. OSHA officials also said they would have cited the Boy Scouts of America for a violation if any of the Alaska Scout leaders had been employed by the organization. OSHA said it found "significant" safety concerns with the Boy Scouts of America. The National Scout Jamboree has been held at Fort A.P. Hill since 1981, though its future at the Army base is the subject of a federal lawsuit alleging religious discrimination by the group and its use of federal property. --- Contact staff writer Kiran Krishnamurthy at kkrishnamurthy@timesdispatch.com or (540) 371-4792.

Unless the Webelos is eligible to join the Troop then and there, I'd say merely talking to visiting Webelos wouldn't cut it. And note there are three parts to the requirement: (1) tell; (2) invite; and (3) tell again. "Inviting" someone who is already there hardly meets the spirit of the requirement. "Inviting" someone who isn't eligible to join certainly fails to meet the requirement.(This message has been edited by fgoodwin)

The G2SS is mentioned in New Leader Essentials, and each position-specific course, as well as the outdoor training courses, emphasize the importance of conducting the program safely. But those courses don't go over the G2SS in detail. Back in 1998 (I think), BSA National released a Health & Safety training syllabus (part #19-100). I don't believe its been updated. The syllabus relies heavily on the G2SS, but oddly enough, the "Health and Safety" booklet itself is never mentioned!

The Dangerous Book for Boys http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20058973-5003900,00.html http://tinyurl.com/or3b2 Christopher Bantick 12aug06 The Dangerous Book for Boys By Conn Iggulden and Hal Iggulden HarperCollins, 400pp, $39.95 UNAMBIGUOUSLY blokey, The Dangerous Book for Boys will have many fathers, or even grandfathers, remembering their days with crystal sets and billycarts. But are such things dangerous? According to the brothers Iggulden, who have in place of an introduction a piece called I Didn't Have this Book When I Was a Boy, boyhood "is all about curiosity". But the kind of curiosity here is of a certain age and time. There's nothing wrong with a fair swish of nostalgia or with a kind of conspiratorial companionship between fathers and sons as they build tree houses or look for fossils, but the authors are unabashed in their criticism of the techno world that many dads and sons inhabit. "In this age of video games and mobile phones," they hold, "there must be a place for knots, tree houses and stories of incredible courage." While the book is very English in its feel, with just a hint that it would be the kind of tome every self-respecting male member of the Secret Seven would own, another agenda is at work: the subtle but unmistakable sense that somehow boys have missed out on the jolly good fun that used to happen in grandad's youth. Oh halcyon days! Dangerous as the book may be in terms of getting boys to do unfamiliar stuff with their dads or by themselves, there is another kind of danger, of presenting a certain kind of boy-based cultural and hobby literacy. Mindful of how the book may be viewed, the authors say: "Is it old fashioned? Well that depends. Men and boys are the same as they always were, and interested in the same things. They may conquer different worlds when they grow up, but they'll still want these stories for themselves and their sons." There is a folksy wisdom in their comment, "When you're a man, you realise that everything changes, but when you're a boy, you know different." Maybe. Apart from an overuse of the imperative must, as in "These tales must be told and retold, or the memories slowly die", the book is an engaging read and contains some excellent information. Chapters on understanding grammar sit comfortably with advice on how to make a bow and arrow. The section on timers and trip wires will have readers taking delight in booby-trapping their house. Beyond this, a tone of muscular Christianity pervades many of the pages: the Ten Commandments are included, and battles for God and king are many and extensive. The good guys win. And, as much as it is hard to imagine some savvy and sassy texting 13-year-old really bothering with morse code, the chapter on spies, codes and ciphers does not date. The book has a strong educative theme that comes not just in the grammar pages and Latin sayings, but in the space given to the solar system and questions such as why the sky is blue. It is also a cornucopia of rules for games (poker no less), coin tricks and how to get yourself out of sticky situations with a little thought, a catapult and a nifty clove hitch. Biggles would undoubtedly approve. Christopher Bantick is a Melbourne-based writer and reviewer.

I went to our district's "Back to School" Nite training last nite, where our DE announced a new BSA mission statement, something about seeing that all youth had an opportunity to grow into contributing citizens (he read it so quickly I was unprepared to write it down). He said he got the new mission statement while at PTC for training. Does anyone have the language for the new mission statement? This will impact New Leader Essentials training, where an introductory segment (and group exercise) goes overthe mission, aims and methods.

While I don't agree with Berkeley, I can understand why they are taking the position they do -- its a legitimate difference of opinion, and unfortunately, it will once again have to be settled in a court of law.

RETURN OF THE BOY SCOUTS http://news.yahoo.com/s/ucjk/20060810/cm_ucjk/returnoftheboyscouts http://tinyurl.com/qhsq2 By James J. Kilpatrick Thu Aug 10, 12:52 AM ET After a six-year absence, the Boy Scouts of America are back in the high court again. This time it is their brother Sea Scouts who are asking the Supreme Court for a lifeline. The case of Evans v. City of Berkeley is a close one. These are the facts. Eugene Evans joined the Sea Scouts in Berkeley, Calif., in 1957. He was then 13 years old. It is not especially relevant, but he has served as skipper (the equivalent of a scoutmaster) of the Sea Scout ship Farallon for the past 35 years. The vessel serves as the equivalent of a BSA troop. Over the years, hundreds of teenagers have benefited from training in sailing, seamanship, engine repair and other maritime skills. The value of the Sea Scout experience is not questioned. Seventy years ago the city began giving the Sea Scouts a free berth at its marina in exchange for rip-rap from a Scout-owned quarry. Everything went along without incident until 1997, when the Berkeley City Council amended its policy: Since then, as a condition for free occupancy, the city has required tax-exempt users of the marina to enter into a formal written pledge: Access to the facility cannot be predicated on a person's "race, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, disability or medical condition." The Sea Scouts were prepared to go along with everything except "sexual orientation" and "religion." Like land-based Boy Scouts, the Sea Scouts exclude avowed homosexuals and atheists. In an effort to preserve their berthing privilege, they filed a formal statement expressing their view: "Sexual orientation is a private matter, and we do not ask either adults or youths to divulge this information at any time." This was not good enough for the Berkeley City Council. In May 1998, the council formally cut off the Scouts from their free berthing privileges. The Scouts and the city have been in and out of court ever since. Last year the California Supreme Court ruled 9-0 in the city's favor. Now the Scouts' appeal is pending in the high court here in Washington. The Scouts argued unsuccessfully in California that the city had denied them their constitutional right to freedom of association. Their controversial positions on religion and homosexuality may be unpopular in certain quarters, they concede, but the positions are not unlawful. More to the point, the Scouts' right to advocate at least their opinion as to homosexual membership has been constitutionally protected since the Dale case of 2000. That was the case that involved Eagle Scout James Dale, an avowed homosexual and public advocate of gay rights. After the Scouts expelled him for his public apostasy, he sued for damages. The Supreme Court, speaking through Chief Justice Rehnquist, rejected his position 5-4. The effect of that opinion may be that Berkeley cannot withhold from the Scouts certain benefits to other nonprofit organizations. Then, again, it may be that the facts are sufficiently different in the case of the Sea Scouts. In their petition to the Supreme Court, the Scouts allege that in April 1998 the city's Waterfront Commission attempted to impose particularly onerous conditions: In order to receive free berthing, the Scouts would have to "disseminate, advocate and proselytize Berkeley's viewpoint on sexual orientation in an effort to change the BSA's national policies regarding gays and atheists." The council refused to impose this requirement, but it lingers as a reflection of the municipal attitude. The California Supreme Court rejected the Scouts' position across the board. In its view, the city had not penalized the Scouts for exercising a right of free speech or association; the city had not prohibited the Scouts from doing anything; it had not demanded "adherence to or renunciation of any idea or viewpoint." The city had merely refused to accommodate the activities of an organization engaged in invidious discrimination. We heard essentially this same argument advanced from another quarter two years ago. Then the Department of Defense was engaged in a running battle with some of the nation's most prestigious law schools. The issue was whether the armed services, which banned homosexuals, would be able to recruit graduates on the same basis with other potential employers. The universities, hoity-toity, at first refused to extend more than the most minimal courtesies to Army recruiters. After they were threatened with loss of federal aid, they came around. My guess is that the City of Berkeley has much greater leverage on the Scouts than Yale and Harvard had on the U.S. Army. Pipers still call tunes, and Berkeley is calling this one. (Letters to Mr. Kilpatrick should be sent in care of this newspaper, or by e-mail to kilpatjj@aol.com.)

Forget The Beanie-Weenies, Upgrade Your Campfire Cuisine http://www.rocktownweekly.com/flavor_details.php?AID=5718 Posted 2006-08-09 By Martin Cizmar Editors note: This is the first story in a three-part series about campfire cooking. Long metal forks, suitable for skewering hotdogs or marshmallows, are the top selling camping item at Stover Mill Spring General Store in Mount Solon. For most of the folks camping at nearby Natural Chimeys, a fork is the only cooking gear needed for a weekend in the woods, says the stores owner, Charles Evins. "I cant keep marshmallows in and Ive got one graham cracker [package] left," said Evins. Of course if you went camping once a month, 12 months a year, like Boy Scouts do, youd probably get sick of weenies and smores. Thats why Dan Dreelin prefers to make pan-seared oysters with wild rice pilaf when hes spending the night under canvas. Dreelin, a leader with Troop 28 in Penn Laird, says theres no reason you cant do the same thing the next [time] you wake up in a sleeping bag. "Anything you can cook at home you can cook at camp," he says. "You just might need to do a little adjusting." There are, of course, a few tricks to the trade, which Dreelin and fellow Scouter Mickey Moore, a leader with Boy Scout Venture Crew 83 in Mount Clinton, are happy to share. This week, youll get the basics: how to cook a quality meal in tin foil. Tune in next week, youll get the low-down on the Dutch oven, the secret to going gourmet on a weekend in the woods. A Meal Fit For A Hobo Most methods of cooking on an open fire are obvious: you can use a griddle, frying pan or pot the same way youd use it on your stove at home. Thatll get you pancakes or chili but for things that need to be baked or broiled youre out of luck. Thank God for aluminum foil: when it comes to camp cooking, its a miracle-on-a-roll. Dreelin and Moore say the scouts they work with are fond of Hobo Dinners, foil-wrapped meals that arent too much different than moms pot roast. "If you dont want to carry a bunch of gear, you can carry a roll of aluminum foil and be done with it," Dreelin said. To make a Hobo Dinner you wrap seasoned meat and vegetables together in a double layer of heavy-duty foil, then set it in a bed of coals for 45 minutes. Its as easy as it sounds, says Dreelin. The biggest challenge is making sure everything cooks at the same speed so nothings over or under done. Dreelin makes both beef and chicken Hobo Dinners, using a chicken half or a half-pound hamburger patty along with potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, green peppers and a half ear of corn. Sometimes, the boys Dreelin works with shy away from the veggies. "You have to talk them into using the vegetables but thats where the flavor comes from," he said. "A wad of ground beef tastes like a wad of ground beef." Getting the right flavor isnt difficult though, Dreelin says. Although he brings a bag of spices with him on campouts, he says a few shakes of Montreal Steak Seasoning are all you need for a flavorful foil dinner. The toughest thing to get right is the potatoes, he says, since they take the longest to cook. He uses small red potatoes, halved with chicken or cut into quarters with the quicker-cooking beef. Meal In A Roll Once hes got the veggies cut and the patty packed, Dreelin rolls up the edges of the foil. Rolling, rather than crushing, the edges is important, he says, because it makes it easy to check the meal. If a rolled meal isnt done, you can put it back in the fire without tearing holes that let the juices out and the fire in. "When you go to camp youll see people mangle these things," he said. Moore takes his foil dinners to the next level, substituting salmon for hamburger and rice for potatoes. Youve got to pre-soak the rice in water for 15 minutes before cooking it, which doubles the cleanup: you have to throw away a ball of foil and a plastic bag. "And its a fairly balanced meal," he said. Of course no meals complete without dessert, and Dreelin says theres an easy way to do that in foil too. He just cores an apple, stuffs it with raisins, sugar, cinnamon and butter, then wraps it in foil. After a half-hour, youll have a golden brown dessert. It tastes a lot like apple pie, which is good, says Moore. "Kids wont eat it if it doesnt taste like something." And if a foil apple isnt good enough for you, you could always bake a real apple pie over an open fire. Find out how next week. And for the most hard-core back-packers, we tell you how to dry your own fruits the following week. Contact Martin Cizmar at 574-6277 or mcizmar@dnronline.com

Finding God on the Mountain http://www.beliefnet.com/story/197/story_19711_1.html A scoutmaster discovers he had to get lost in order to find what was missing from his life. By Tony McIntosh I'm a scoutmaster for a small Boy Scout troop in my town. This summer during camp I went along with two of the older scouts--my son, who is 14, and another boy, 15--on what's known as "The Adventure Trek," a 28-mile backpacking trip that includes two days of white-water rafting. Our troop had gone backpacking in the past but never like this, so it was going to be a challenge for all of us. The first day of the hike we covered a little over 14 miles, reaching two summits that were 4500 to 5200 feet. We were in a group of 26 hikers, some of whom had hiked 50-mile treks before, while others had only been on five- or seven-mile day hikes. We were in the latter group. As the day wore on, we started breaking up into smaller groups. My little group was bringing up the rear. After our last rest stop, we were to get instructions from another scoutmaster in the group as to where our camp would be that night. There were other groups on the trail, so if we ran into trouble, we knew where help would be. We passed our first two reference points on the trail so we knew we were following the directions properly. Then we came upon another trail. I remembered something being said about this trail, but I couldn't remember whether we were to take it or not. With about two-and-a-half hours of daylight remaining, I made the decision to take off down the trail. As we walked, I noticed that the trail didn't look worn, which should have been my first clue that something was wrong. We had gone about a mile and a half when we came to a creek. I then realized we must have taken a wrong turn, but without a map I wasn't sure (the guide in charge of our group was holding the map). At this point I became concerned. It was getting dark, and we were down to a half-liter of water for the three of us. We made a plan to go to the trail intersection where we had made the wrong turn and camp out there for the night once it turned dark. If we weren't in camp, I knew they would come looking for us, so the best place for us would be at the cross trail. As we were going back up the mountain, I started blowing my whistle, hoping someone would hear it. As I blew, the wind picked up as if a rainstorm was coming. The more I blew, the stronger the wind became. The only thing on my mind was getting these two young men and myself into camp as soon as possible. As we traveled up the mountain, I stopped to rest. I leaned my head on my walking stick and said silently, "God, what do I do? Where am I going?" All of a sudden the wind started blowing to the west. Because wind comes over mountain peaks in what is known as thermals, it was odd to get that much wind where we were on the trail. Nevertheless, I felt compelled to follow it. We turned around, walked back to where the trails intersected, turned left and headed west. We found our camp only 200 yards down the trail just as darkness was setting in. Luckily, our guide, who had backtracked over six miles and back to search for us, arrived safely back at the camp as well. The more I thought about this experience, the more I realized this was not just about getting lost in the woods. I know I sometimes take God for granted and fail to realize He's always with us. I had been feeling separated from God for some time. As I've gotten older I have strayed from Him and haven't been as spiritual as I once was. I've realized sometimes you have to get lost in order to find what is really important in life. On that day, I learned God speaks to us in different ways. And on that particular day, he guided me with the wind. He helped me to stay calm, and I realized that I was never really lost. God just needed to get me aside and tell me something--that He is everywhere and there when we need Him the most. God was on the mountain that day, and I found Him again. --- Tony McIntosh is a Beliefnet reader from Cave Spring, Georgia.

Teen Life: No one knows about Scouting http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060807/REPOSITORY/608070321 http://tinyurl.com/hm2aa By Lori Duff Monitor staff August 07. 2006 8:00AM I really don't know how I got sucked into Scouts, actually. I went into Cub Scouts, and I was having a blast. And right before I went into Boy Scouts, I read this article about a boy who got his Eagle Scout at 14 - that's wicked young - so I wanted to reach that goal, too. It's a great atmosphere because in Boy Scouts everyone's trying to make everyone better. Your friends are in it, too. We have all sorts of kids. We have popular kids, uncontrollable kids. We have some not-so-popular kids. It's all over. If you're at school and somebody finds out you are a Boy Scout, people are like, "Ha, ha. You're a Boy Scout!" I don't know why they say this, because it's a blast. There is nothing stupid about it. I think that they think it's more of like Boy Scouts is some lame thing where you just go and do crap. No one knows about Scouting. It takes hard work. It is sometimes a little harder than you would want. In a way, it's like a second school. If I didn't have Scouts, I would definitely have time to play more video games, and I could play outside more - because it takes up a lot of weekends. But I probably wouldn't be camping as much, and I'd probably be really bored. I think Scouting was one of the first times I went camping. I would never be able to touch a gun or use a knife if I hadn't done Boy Scouts. They teach you what to do if you get lost in the woods. That's one of the main focuses. It teaches you how to be a leader. It kind of goes with the independence and being able to keep your cool. It also builds character - kind of puts some backbone on you. We went on a sea kayaking trip a couple months back. Me and my dad (who is an assistant Scout master) had tipped over the kayak. We were a good hundred yards offshore, with probably a good 3-foot swell, and the water was, like, only 40 degrees - and I did kind of lose my cool. I was like, "Oh my God, get me out of here." I was like, "I want to go home." I kind of went crazy, but I listened to the guy in charge, and I was able to follow him. Being a Scout is not just about leading, but learning to follow. The guide showed some Scouting skills. He didn't lose his cool. I think he was in the Army. When I was coming to camp as a Cub Scout, I was having a blast, so I was like, "All right, I'm having so much fun I'm going to come back here as a den chief and have more fun." As a den chief, I'm responsible for the kids. You help them. You get them going. You basically make this whole camping thing possible. We have different duties - like there's latrine and waiters. (The kids are in charge of) cleaning the bathrooms. The den chiefs sort of have it sweet. I even have my own "backyard"with a hammock behind my tent. I roped it off with duct tape. It's good (that there's no girls in Boy Scouts) because it gives you time to be away from everyone, just with your pals, and you can just be yourself - and like goof off without having to worry about where you are changing and where you go to the bathroom. I had to take this one kid up to the nurse because he had a blister and it had sand in it. While we were waiting, the nurse came out and made us repeat after him "not to wear wet shoes and socks and not to get dirt in them." The blister had popped open, and the nurse said he was going to pour alcohol in it. We were looking forward to the screaming - but it didn't happen. I like just being outdoors with my friends. It's nice, and you get to do stuff you can't do at home. You get to have fires. We get s'mores. Then, we roast marshmallows. I'm definitely doing better (as a den chief) this year. Last year, I was new to it, and this year, I'm used to it. I'd rather have (the campers) be able to do their work without bossing them around. But I'm kind of the one that gives them the extra push to do stuff. (They look up to) me and Heath, the other den chief. They just follow us around. They do what we do, and they're always hanging around. We have to do stuff that's Scouting appropriate because if we do something wrong, then that's the green light for them to do it. Scout law is a series of 12 different things that every Boy Scout is supposed to be: trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. The inventor of Boy Scouts also thought of having a 13th one, which was "a Scout is not a fool." But he decided against it. --- Colby Thivierge, 14, of Concord (center front) salutes the flag with members of Troop 86 at Camp Carpenter in Manchester, where he was serving as a den chief. Thivierge has been a member of Boy Scouts of America and Cub Scouts for 8 years.

While it may be a wonderful experience for your son, and not trying to be a killjoy, still I wonder how those boys who've been on waiting lists for over two years and won't be able to go might feel about his good fortune?

Effective January 1, 2006, requirement no. 11 reads:Tell someone who is eligible to join Boy Scouts, or an inactive Boy Scout, about your troop's activities. Invite him to a troop outing, activity, service project or meeting. Tell him how to join, or encourage the inactive Boy Scout to become active.How does your SM (or whoever is signing off on First Class requirement) verify that this requirement has been achieved? Are you taking the Scout's word for it? The requirement doesn't say the friend or inactive Scout actually has to attend the meeting nor does it require that the Scout produce an application from the friend; any of those, if required by the Troop, would be adding to the requirement as written. Some of the boys who crossed over last spring are probably wrapping up their Second Class by now, and I was curious your Troop handles this?

According to this article, Mr. Walker is alive and well at 90 years old: Walker, who at 90 still leads quilting classes in the church's fellowship hall, was scoutmaster of Troop 15 in Griffin. Wright was 12 when the Boy Scout group went on a father-son campout at nearby Camp Buck Creek. He remembers the loneliness he felt when Walker instructed the boys and their fathers to set up their campsites."It was the first time I remember feeling that about my dad," Wright said. "Deacon David put his hand on my shoulder and said, 'Larry, you're coming with me.' It's something I've never forgotten."http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/073006cphallwrightlede.158558b.html http://tinyurl.com/l8ojl

Another Scouter on SCOUTS-L sent me this quote from Rayfield's induction speeach:Mr. David Walker, my Boy Scout master,who always taught me to be prepared.http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.jsp?release_id=2181

Did anyone happen to watch the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Saturday? Dallas OT Rayfield Wright was the second inductee to speak, and among the many people he thanked, was his Scoutmaster (it happened so quickly I didn't catch the SM's name, perhaps Mark Warren?). According to the article above, Wright is an Eagle Scout, so he is at least one example of an Eagle Scout who made it to the HOF; there may be others. A fellow Scouter from SCOUTS-L suggested to national that Rayfield be awarded the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award -- that would be great! Fred Goodwin, UC Alamo Area Council

A disconnect at camp http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1154728213922&call_pageid=970599119419 http://tinyurl.com/mb4ox Kids are OK with new no-cellphone rules, but not so for some of their parents Aug. 5, 2006. 01:00 AM FRANCINE KOPUN FEATURE WRITER Ali Goodwill, 14, spends three hours a night on her cellphone. "I usually have to gossip with my best friends, and I just talk with random people for another hour. ... I love my cellphone so much. ... It's my baby." So you would think there would have been tears, tantrums, perhaps a smuggling incident, when the Grade 9 student was asked to hand over the phone at the gates of Camp Tawingo, which has a strict no-cellphone policy. Not so. "It frees me," says Goodwill, who will spend three weeks at the Muskoka camp. "Don't get me wrong. Like Toronto is my life by far, but when I come to Tawingo it's a whole different world. You don't care what you look like, you don't have to be anything, you don't have to try, you don't have to worry about gossip and reputation. "I can't talk to my closest friends, but all of them are at camp, too. They all had to give up their cellphones. I think people sneak their cellphones at Manitou, but you didn't hear that from me." Overnight camps remain one of the final cell-free frontiers in the lives of tweens and teenagers for now. Camp directors are meeting resistance, sometimes from parents who can't bear to be out of contact with their offspring. "We're confiscating them all the time," says Ben Lustig, director of Camp Winnebagoe, of cellphones. The Muskoka-area camp has banned them, saying too-frequent calls home foster homesickness. Besides, the summer camp experience is supposed to encourage independence in children. "If they could be on the phone with mummy and dad every few hours, it's really taking away from the experience," says Lustig. "I think most parents would agree with our policy, but certainly there are some who would love nothing more than to be in constant communication with their kids while at camp." At Camp Muskoka, executive director Scott Creed says parents have threatened to pull their kids out if they can't keep their cellphones, although none has ever followed through on the threat. "I would say 75 per cent of parents completely understand" while the remainder either agree begrudgingly or will go so far as to smuggle phones in to their kids, he says. "It's a matter of sort of talking parents off the ledge." Most camps hand back the cellphones at the end of the summer, but Camp Manitou, also in Muskoka, has started keeping the phones it confiscates. It's written into the contract that parents must sign. The confiscated phones are donated to charity. "On the first day when we ask kids to give them up, we usually get five or 10, but there's usually another 10 out there that we end up having to take and not give back," says co-owner Mark Diamond. "The truth is, if we didn't, kids would just keep on bringing them up." It's a long way from Walden Pond, but then not all summer camps are what they used to be. Campers still retreat to the wilds each summer for the typical activities: Swimming and canoeing and beading necklaces, but they can also sign up for a four-week course in how to be a CEO. So it should come as no surprise that when it comes to other personal electronic devices: iPods, MP3-players, Discmans, DVD players and video games, camps are all over the map. Some ban all personal electronic devices, but even at Ak-o-Mak, a sports-wilderness facility for girls in the Almaguin Highlands, 300 kilometres north of Toronto, campers are permitted to bring iPods and MP3-players, because many of them are joggers who like to listen to music when they run, says director Jane Lawrence. Although Camp Winnebagoe bans cellphones, campers are allowed to listen to their iPods and play their DVDs and video games in their cabins during free time. "In this business, you have to pick your battles, and there are just some issues that are just not, frankly, all that critical to our operation," says Lustig. Others disagree with the idea of personal electronic devices at summer camp, saying they interfere with socialization another hallmark of the summer camp experience. Tia Pearse, who owns Camp Tawingo with her husband, sent her 9-year-old son to a camp in Quebec this summer, and although he had a good time, she was disappointed to learn the camp had a movie night. "Kids go home and remember the trip where they camped out for two nights and took their own food, they don't remember: "Oh yeah, and then we watched Ferris Bueller," says Pearse, who also represents the Ontario Camping Association's public awareness committee. Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, is opposed to the idea of cellphones at summer camp, but feels that when they are found in the possession of campers, they shouldn't be removed in a punitive way. It needs to be explained to campers that the alternative fully experiencing nature is worth giving up a cellphone for. He says parents also need to examine their own behaviour, and ask themselves whether they are too reliant on technology. Louv recently took his 18-year-old son on a fishing trip to Alaska. They left behind their personal electronic devices, including Louv's laptop. "It was as much withdrawal for me as it was for him. I'm used to working all the time, to being online all the time," said Louv. Fishing in a stream one day, they were rushed by a bear that popped out from behind a distant ridge. Says Louv: "Nothing concentrates the attention more than a bear. An iPod just doesn't compare."

Dangerous occasions http://www.theage.com.au/news/books/dangerous-occasions/2006/08/03/1154198267699.html http://tinyurl.com/oaq6r August 6, 2006 The Iggulden brothers' instructions make short work of children's fears. By Frances Atkinson. It's a miracle the Iggulden brothers survived their very "dangerous" childhood. First Conn fell through the garage roof, then he made his little brother, Hal, jump off it. Moments before take-off, Conn told him, "If you yell out, 'Fly like an eagle,' when you jump - it won't hurt." "It was a lie, of course," says Conn talking from his London home. "But it did teach him about fear and a bit about not trusting his older brother quite so much." Growing up in the north London suburb of Eastcote, the pair pretended they were the children from Swallows and Amazons or the more mischievous William Brown, of Just William fame, a Ginger Meggs-like character who was always getting into trouble. Now in their 30s, with limbs still intact and their eyes in good working order, Conn and Hal were more than qualified to write their book, The Dangerous Book for Boys. "We would have loved this when we were kids." They're not the only ones. The first print run sold out in early June and the book jumped straight into bestseller lists in Britain, where it's been a fixture. They are hoping for the same success in Australia. A handsome, red hardback, with gold-embossed lettering, the book is based on the Boy's Own annuals popular in the 1950s. It's full of How To diagrams, historical feats and facts, stories of courage, survival and instructions on how to build a treehouse, juggle or make a periscope, scientific projects, astronomy, the rules of football and even a bit on girls. "Rule number one of the book was that we had to make everything properly. If we couldn't make something work, then it couldn't go in the book." The Igguldens had six months to write 82 chapters, which included building everything from scratch and making sure experiments such as Making Crystals actually worked. "Basically, we worked from dawn to dusk. We'd make it during the day and write it up at night, but we survived," Conn Iggulden says with pride. "We didn't even come to blows." The construction of the treehouse was almost their un-doing. It took them 72 hours to build and Conn had to enlist his brother-in-law's help. "It was bloomin' hard work! We had to tie each other to the tree to stop us from falling out." Not quite so dangerous were test runs for Wrapping a Parcel in Brown Paper and String, a chapter Conn enjoyed enormously. "That's the whole point - you can't be fantastic at every single thing, but you can be competent at a lot of things." A former teacher and bestselling author of historical fiction about the life of Julius Caesar (The Gates of Rome, The Death of Kings, The Field of Swords, The Gods of War), Conn enjoyed researching stories of brave deeds and battles. "I can't believe these stories aren't taught in schools, but they're not. How the hell can anyone make history dull? God knows, they do." Both brothers hope The Dangerous Book for Boys will encourage fathers and sons to spend more time together, bonding over projects. Conn also wants the book to teach children a little bit about fear. "There's a school around here that's banned children from making paper planes - just in case someone loses an eye. People are so terrified of the world. The safest place for a child is a cage - but what sort of an adult would they turn into?" Speaking of fear, there's one subject in the book that doesn't get a very big entry. "I'll be honest, we put everything we knew about girls and it came to a page. We decided to stick with what we knew, instead of going off into the wilds. I think it's good advice. Keep clean and don't be vulgar." Both brothers agree that there's something almost magical and, at the same time, intrinsically nerdy about some of the old-fashioned skills featured in the book, but Conn adds, "At the end of the day it's healthier than sitting in front of a PlayStation." But then again, computer games are less dangerous than another story about Conn's boyhood hijinks. "I did shoot Hal once with an air rifle." He'd asked Hal to hold up a piece of the garage roof (the same roof Conn had already fallen through) and took aim, accidentally shooting Hal in the shoulder. "I know, I know," he says with little regret. "I look back and still have a laugh. Hal - he doesn't." The Dangerous Books for Boys by Conn Iggulden & Hal Iggulden is published by HarperCollins.

Scouting survives: Even in high-tech age, youths learn to 'Be prepared' http://www.herald-mail.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=144116 Sunday August 6, 2006 by CANDICE BOSELY candiceb@herald-mail.com TRI-STATE - These are a few of their favorite things: Cell phones and cookies, iPods and pop-up tents, video games and wilderness badges. Seeing teenagers - and children even younger - talking or sending text messages on cell phones, fiddling with mp3 music players and playing video games are common sights. Girl Scouting and Boy Scouting might almost seem pass, given the associated images of camping, surviving in the wilderness and sleeping in wooden cabins at camp. But it's not antiquated and is just as relevant, if not more so, today as in the past, local Scouting officials say. Anastasia Broadus, 13, of Hagerstown, admitted that when she first joined Girl Scouts six years ago she wasn't too keen on "the outdoorsy stuff." Now, though, she said she likes sleeping in a tent - even without her digital music player and computer. "I don't take any of those things when I go" on Scouting activities, she said. Daved Paddack, 12, joined the Boy Scouts when he was a first-grader, in part because of his father, who works for the organization. "He said it was a great experience," said Daved, of Hagerstown. He said he's into sports and also has a computer, PlayStation game system, a portable Game Boy and an iPod digital music player. Although he enjoys using and playing with the latest technologies, he's also always excited to go on Boy Scout trips, said his mother, DeeDee Paddack. Daved said his favorite Boy Scout activities are rifle shooting, archery and swimming. He goes to camp once a week in the summer, where he works on merit badges. "I really want to become an Eagle Scout," Daved said, believing it will help him have more choices getting into colleges and with his career path. "It just teaches you a lot about life and stuff," he said. Cooking and how to survive in the woods are a few of those life skills Daved said he has learned. "The cutest thing," his mother said, is that Daved learned how to make barbecue chicken. Values, ethics and ... fun When Boy Scout representatives visit schools, camping is still the No. 1 reason boys express interest in the organization, said Don Shepard, Scout executive for the Mason-Dixon Council of Boy Scouts of America. The Hagerstown-based council serves boys in Washington County and Franklin and Fulton counties in Pennsylvania. "In a time when more and more of our societal changes are heading in a technological direction, there are still a great number of kids interested in the outdoors," Shepard said. The local council grows 1 percent to 2 percent a year, evidence boys are still interested in the traditional programming offered by Boy Scouts. It's a misconception, Shepard said, to believe that today's video game systems, computers and large TVs will cause children to want to stay inside all the time. Crafts Those gadgets keep children busy, but when introduced to other experiences, they become involved and interested. If given a choice, most children will choose to do something they've never done before. White-water canoeing, spelunking or going on a long mountain bike ride are activities most boys wouldn't be able to do without Boy Scouts, Shepard said. "Our goal is to instill in them values and ethics while having fun," Shepard said. "I'm a firm believer that it takes parents to birth a child and it takes the community to raise them." The Scouts' motto, "Be prepared," refers not only to being prepared for wilderness survival situations but being prepared for moral and ethical decision-making as well. "It's being prepared for life," Shepard said. The types of merit badges available to Scouts reflect the old-and-new mentality. Boy Scouts can acquire as many as 120 merit badges in areas including canoeing and computers, geology and graphic arts, engineering and entrepreneurship, nature and nuclear science. "As kids have evolved with computers and technology we have continued to come out with additional merit badges," Shepard said. The number of boys who seek merit badges in new categories such as graphic arts and nuclear science is small, but many work to obtain merit badges in computers because the work can be done in school. Mostly boys seek badges in more traditional programs, Shepard said. In the summer and other times, Boy Scouts can spend time at Camp Sinoquipe, a 500-plus-acre camp in Fulton County, Pa. There they can complete the hours needed for outdoor-related merit badges as well as take part in activities designed to be fun. Leadership skills also are honed. Camping is a popular activity for local troops, either in the form of backpacking, camping in a cabin or "troop trailer camping" - in which supplies are hauled in a trailer and unloaded at a campsite. "We like to consider the outdoors our classroom," Shepard said. Typically, Scout masters prohibit cell phones, Game Boys, music players and other gadgets from trips into the outdoors. Shepard, 37, registered to be a Cub Scout when he was 7 years old. He advanced through the ranks and eventually obtained the highest possible rank, Eagle Scout. Boy Scouts, he said, teaches life skills to those who might not be able to learn such things at home. Given the situation with many of today's busy families, children might not be able to learn how to cook at home, for example. They can with the Boy Scouts, Shepard said. Those skills often carry them into adulthood. Seven out of 10 former Boy Scouts have indicated that something they first were introduced to in Scouting became either a lifelong hobby or a career, Shepard said. Crafts, cookies, camping and more One of the emphases of Girl Scouting has been and remains today the idea of leadership development. Entertainment devices can occupy a girl's mind, but learning leadership skills and what each girl can and cannot do are important, said Ellen Murphy, program and property manager for Girl Scouts of Shawnee Council. Based in Martinsburg, W.Va., the council serves girls in 15 counties in the four-state region. When Girl Scouts was created in Savannah, Ga., in 1912, women's roles were limited. The idea of girls playing basketball in bloomers was radical, Murphy, said. In the 1940s, when World War II caused so many men to leave their jobs behind for the military, women learned about careers. Today, girls are encouraged to pursue whatever career interests they have - whether it's to become a nuclear physicist or to stay at home and focus on family, Murphy said. "Girl Scouting is fun for them, but parents are interested in their girls learning things," she said. As with Boys Scouts, the merit badges a Girl Scout can earn have adapted to the times. Some of the earliest badges focused on homemaking and emphasized farm skills, such as pasteurizing milk. Today, girls can earn badges that emphasize technology and medical careers. And, the staple. "The out-of-doors is still a constant," Murphy said. Selling Girl Scout cookies, making crafts and camping remain part of the Girl Scouts program, but the true traditional programming is molding young women into adults with courage, confidence and character and who make the world a better place, Murphy said - paraphrasing the organization's new motto. Anastasia joined when she was a second-grader. She said she enjoys going to Camp White Rock for a week or two in the summer, and said she plans to one day work as a counselor. Typically, girls with that goal start out as program aides, but Broadus said she was able to skip that and start as a counselor-in-training. "There's a lot of opportunities," she said of Scouting. Girl Scouts requires that girls take on leadership roles - putting the needs of other girls before one's own needs, Anastasia said. "There are some girls who like to be out on the streets. I'm not one of them," she said, saying that her mother, Monique Broadus, deserves credit for being there for her. "Most girls don't have someone like my mom." When attending Camp White Rock, which is in Capon Bridge, W.Va., girls are asked to leave their electronic devices at home, Murphy said. It's done not only in principle, but practicality. "Things like cell phones simply don't work here," Murphy said from the camp, where she said there is no reception. --- By the numbers Number of boys served in 2005 by the Hagerstown-based Boy Scouts council: 1,534 Cub Scouts 750 Boy Scouts 180 Venturers Number of boys and girls who participated in the council's Learning for Life program: 1,310 elementary, middle and high school students 96 career explorers The Mason-Dixon Council of Boy Scouts of America serves boys in Washington County and Franklin and Fulton counties, Pa. Number of girls served by the Martinsburg, W.Va.-based Girl Scouts Council: More than 5,000 in programs from the Daisy Girl Scouts, for girls 5 and 6 years old, to the Senior Girl Scouts program, for those up to 17 years old. Girl Scouts of Shawnee Council serves girls in 15 counties in the four-state region, including Washington County, Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan counties in West Virginia, and a portion of Bedford County, Pa.

Philadelphia Gets Tough on Violators http://www.theeveningbulletin.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16968717 07/26/2006 By: Michael P. Tremoglie, Special To The Evening Bulletin Philadelphians are being gunned down in record numbers - mostly by people who were previously convicted of violent crimes, or acquitted of violent crimes, by one of Philadelphia's legendary lenient judges. The Street administration's response to the carnage was a typical liberal one - blame gun laws. Never mind the reams of evidence that state that more guns owned by honest citizens deter crime, the Street administration follows the failed liberal Democrat doctrine to reduce crime - ban guns. Never mind that the perpetrators are mostly those with criminal records who are not in jail as they should be because the court system in Philadelphia is user friendly for violent criminals. They either do not lock them up or, if they do, it is not for long. However, the Street administration - in astunning reversal of policy - has decided to get tough with at least one group. Yessiree Bob, hizzoner is going to crack the whip with one group. The mayor is going to show that he will get tough on people who violate Philadelphia's laws. What nefarious group is the mayor got in his sights? Why it is that notorious band of desperadoes - the Boy Scouts. They are going to be evicted from their rent free digs on Logan Circle. Since 1928 the Scouts have been provided with rent free offices at 22d and Winter Streets courtesy of the Philadelphia City Council. Why, you may ask, is the mayor taking such drastic action? The mayor is taking this draconian step because the Boy Scouts are dangerous. They are subversives. They are --- discriminating. Yes, citizens of Philadelphia, the Boy Scouts are deemed to be bigots because they do not allow gays to be scout leaders. This is not illegal by the way. The US Supreme Court ruled in 2000 that it is legal for the Scouts to do so. This policy upsets Philadelphia's very influential gay community. Therefore the city of Philadelphia creatively interpreted a city ordinance concerning "fair-practices" which prohibits discrimination in "employment, housing, public accommodations and the delivery of City services." They applied this to the Boy Scouts rent-free office and said the Scouts were violating the law and they would get tough on them and throw them out. One would think that if the Boy Scouts were a group of hit men they would probably be enlisted to work in Democratic Party election campaigns. The problem is the Boy Scouts upset a key Democratic Party constituency. So they have to go. A guy who is arrested for shooting someone is acquitted and subsequently murders a cop. Don't get tough on him or the judge that acquitted him. Another guy with multiple prior arrests tries to kill someone and kills a little kid instead. Don't throw the book at him. Members of city council and the Street administration are convicted of corruption. Don't get tough on them. Nope, Philadelphia's liberal media, Philadelphia's liberal Democrat leadership, and Philadelphia's ruling liberal elite are understanding and compassionate towards murderers, corrupt politicians, crooked lawyers, and robbers. Yet if you are a philanthropic organization who crosses Democrat campaign contributors look out. They will throw you out into the street. Maybe Philadelphia should put a sign on the approaches to the city. You have seen the ones currently in place that say, "Enjoy our past, experience our future." Maybe the city should change that to read, "Boy Scouts Go Home" or "Boy Scouts need not apply". Yeah, Philadelphia really has its priorities straight (no pun intended) when it comes to cracking down on violators. Next thing they'll do is pass an ordinance prohibiting the sale of Girl Scout cookies. Let the book burning begin in Rittenhouse Square.

Packsaddle writes:BSA is quite aware of this and the fallout from their win at the Supreme Court, in essence, affects the revenue flow when funding agencies (the customers) turn away.Are you saying BSA membership policies have led to a decline in membership? I've read that more than once. And I've also asked more then once for any real evidence of a cause and effect. Because Scouts Canada has no policy against homosexuals or girls (altho they might still refuse membership to atheists -- I'm not sure), yet Scouts Canada's membership declines are even worse than BSA's. Packsaddle, how do you reconcile those two sets of facts?

THE SCOUTS' SIDE http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/news/opinion/15177671.htm Posted on Wed, Aug. 02, 2006 By MARK CHILUTTI I READ the Daily News' July 26 editorial about the Boy Scouts' building and felt sick. As an Eagle Scout who gained so much life experience by working as a volunteer in that office, it was sad to read your one-sided piece. I'd like to recap some of the circumstances that led up to the current situation. In January 2004, the Cradle of Liberty Council held a meeting with the city solicitor and mayor's office. An agreement was made, and Boy Scout council adopted a non-discrimination policy, with language suggested by the city, which was accepted by the city and the national Boy Scouts organization. (It can be read at www.colbsa.org.) Since the 2004 meeting, no official negotiations have occurred between the council and the city solicitor's office. The council has offered to meet with the solicitor. That is why the city's eviction notice completely bewildered the Boy Scouts. In 1928, City Council adopted a resolution allowing the Boy Scouts to use the property at 22nd and Winter in perpetuity as long as what was built there housed scout-related programs. The Scouts built the Bruce S. Marks Scouting Resource Center there, the first scout headquarters constructed in the nation. The Cradle of Liberty Council pays $60,000 a year for maintenance and upkeep of the property. In 1994, the council made $2.6 million in renovations. So how could you say "the Council has been working with the city to try to find a way to stay in its building under the current lease and stay within the Boy Scouts organization? That hasn't happened." The facts above show not only that the council worked with the city, but believed, based on the written understanding with the solicitor, that the issue had been put to rest in January 2004. Why wouldn't we? The truth is that our city needs scouting more than ever, and losing this building would be an unfair blow to the more than 40,000 youths that the Cradle of Liberty Council serves. The kids involved can't do anything to change a policy that some don't like. Why should we punish them? If you've never been a scout, you can't imagine how much better it is to fall asleep at night hearing birds instead of bullets. The bottom line is that the directives of the 1928 City Council resolution are being followed by the Boy Scouts. Why shouldn't the city hold to its end of the deal? --- Mark Chilutti of Northeast Philadelphia is an Eagle Scout, Class of 1982.

Hunt, its a question worth exploring -- what exactly does BSA offer that can't he had elsewhere? Camping, hiking, nature & the outdoors? Outward Bound and the Sierra Club, for example, offer outdoor experiences that in some ways may equal or exceed what BSA can do. Citizenship? Boys' State (American Legion) arguably does a much better job at that. Health & fitness? YMCA and Little League clearly have that as a central mission. Character development? Most schools now have "character connections" as an integral part of their curriculum, and of course, good character ought to be something that results from chuch and Sunday School attendance. So, while I don't see a single organization that brings all of these components together like BSA does, it certainly isn't the case that BSA has a monopoly over any of them. So, for those who complain, what is so magical about the name "Scouting" that you want to co-opt it? Create your own program, and come up with a name for it. In fact, try calling it something along the lines of "Outward Bound" or "YMCA" and see if their lawyers come calling . . .

Hunt, this author introduces the issue of federal funds flowing to the city of Philadelphia and how those funds may be affected by application of the "Support our Scouts" Act. I hadn't seen that nuance in other article, but perhaps you have?

Nick, I'm glad you feel the Scout Law is one of the "timeless values" (to borrow a phrase) that should not be subject to change with the vagaries of society and culture. But why limit it to the Scout Law? Do you agree that the Scout Oath should also not be subject to change? I don't see how you could support the Scout Oath as currently written ("Duty to God") and still support the inclusion of professed atheists? Or are you suggesting that the Scout Oath be changed? Because if that's your position, then I have to ask about the inconsistency in how you would treat the the Scout Law (unchanged) vs. the Scout Oath (subject to change)?