Fuzzy Bear

I have carried my half of a pup tent before and slept in it on the ground going down hill, so I guess I agree with fgoodwin. I am most thankful to now have a little skeeter netting and a bit of plastic flooring. I have even slept on some rocks but they were more uncomfortable than hot. All I can say for cold weather is that the ticks and stingy things generally stay home. I have slept in clothes, long underwear and my shorts during cold snaps. I have wrapped myself up in my sleeping bag until I couldn't move and slept on foam, air and on cots during cold weather. I wouldn't try a heater, candle or brick lay in my tent due to the probability that it would light off like a Roman candle on the fourth. Since, it is cold and you can't stay in the bag until noon, then I recommend preparing your mind for being cold. Put a few sticks of wood and kindling under a tarp the night before and hope for the best. If you have to go during the night, just keep your boots so you can find them. It is cold. fb

Dont cry for me Argentina while I wear the clothes of a princess, while I spend your money as if it were water. I thought of you often as I did so.

The bigger picture is that every step that we take is for or against something. We may think that our vote doesnt count or that we can get out of jury duty but we are only sidestepping the issue that we are the government. Downloading or not downloading is not the issue as much as that we are setting policy on how we want to be governed. We set laws by our actions or inactions. We cannot get away from being part of government. Being disobedient, sitting quietly in a corner watching TV or casting that one vote defines government.

The boy run Scout Troop is a good example of government in miniature. The Dictator can be thrown out, as in a superpower such as Russia. Liberation can be brought to the masses as in South Africa. Where people were silenced, they may now speak, even though limited as in China. Individuals are important even if the war has not been won or the vote miscounted or even if votes were thrown out. Government is a form of the beliefs of those governed and where it is contrary to those beliefs; it will manifest itself in one way or the other. fb

Triple S implied something about the Totin Chip when writing about the DRP.

This got me to thinking about giving each Scout a DRP and that each time that they disavow God that we tear one corner off. When all four corners are torn off, then the Scout must be retrained in whatever religion that he says that he belongs to at that moment. If he disavows all religions, rocks, clouds, gods, God, etc., then he must make something up on the spot or suffer the consequences and possibly a trip to the Supreme Court to learn a hard lesson. fb

(This message has been edited by Fuzzy Bear)

What you have done is truly inspirational.

When I learned to sit down, shut my mouth and do my job was when the Scouts learned to do their jobs. That was also when several adults believed that I had quit being SM. fb

Close is better because it is easier to develop resources and manpower. Distances tends to make both more difficult to achieve.

The idea is to bring both home to the units/Scouts. fb

I go the movies about once per year because of the high prices. I purchase VHS tapes from Garage Sales and watch them at home. I have to wait for a while to see first run movies (several years) but that hasn't kept me from my viewing pleasures. I do not participate or encourage anyone to steal movies. My one vote against the high prices may not bring down Ballywoo but I am sure that the market place has been trimming the fat from around their loins or they wouldn't be aligning themselves with Scouting. fb

fb said .....if belief in God becomes the litmus test for being a Scout, then all of the other precepts become meaningless

I respectfully disagree. Belief in God is fundamental to BSA membership. A scout agrees to live by the Scout Oath and Law to join BSA. How can he do his duty or be reverent if he doesn't believe.

I suggest the BOR meet with the lad and a minister and determine his belief system. He doesn't have to be a member of any particular religion or church, he must however believe. Gonzo1

Gonzo1,

Thank you for stating your position respectfully. An alternative opinion may alter either of our insights allowing for an improved perspective for one or both of us.

I believe that the BSA unwittingly altered their approach to Scouting with the DRP. I still believe that each of the twelve points of the Scout Law is vital to being a Scout. I believe that each part of the Scout Oath is vital to being a Scout. I do not exclude any part of it. I do not emphasize any part of it. The total of the Law and the Oath allows for growth in Scouting. The key word is growth. I can assure anyone here that if the Oath and the Law are kept in balance that a young person will make great strides toward the three aims of Scouting, to build character, to foster citizenship, and to develop fitness. I can say this without exception, which includes Buddhists. fb

Belief in God is important but if belief in God becomes the litmus test for being a Scout, then all of the other precepts become meaningless. There are those that would love to single out the one ideal and forget the rest but Scouting presents us with a balance of ideals. If a Scout fails in any one area, then by default he must be gaining in other areas. If one area lags, then it is only time that the one lost will be found out. Scouting is a process that I believe brings an individual into focus and allows a person to become well rounded. I doubt that any Scout will ever be a total reflection of all of the ideals but they will have struggled with all while they remain in the program.

This idea is not original. It is a religious idea. It comes from God.

fb

If he takes more than 6 hours to complete the lawn he might be considered for the Hornaday Award as well, probably only the first level though. If he mows the other side of the sidewalk, this might also qualify for the Historic Trails award. If he changes a spark plug that has rusted over, this might get him a small engine repair mb. I can also foresee such things as the Home Repair mb if he sticks a piece of downspout back on after it disconnected during the winter. There are more than just a few possibilities. Let's keep mentally alert! fb

Your Church's proclamation is not condoning homosexual marriages or homosexuality but they are affirming pastoral care for all that enter. The BSA and the Church sponsor still must approve all leadership in any Scout unit. Obviously, homosexuals are not allowed to be leaders in your Church or in Scouting. The only difference has to do with if you can accept those that are different. fb

Historically, in Homers Odyssey, Ulysseus entrusted his son to Mentor who was to be a counselor, guardian and guide while Ulysseus traveled the world. Mentors job was to help the young prince understand and embrace the difficulties that was to be his one day.

Today, mentoring refers to a relationship developed between an experienced person and a less experienced mentoree/protg. Mentoring may be informal friendships or formal mentoring with assigned relationships to develop newbees. The goal is to share good information, examples and advice.

These relationships can be developed between Scouts and between leaders. It is a great method to show others the way in Scouting. fb

The Falkland and Gulf Wars were not wars but superpowers stomping out small fires. General Scharzkopf came the closest to being a hero. He wrote a book and went on the lecture tour instead of founding the Boy Scouts. fb

The implication of a frozen drop of water expanding has more to do with the size of the cup holding the ice than with any explanation about God, unless there is some type of metaphor. It is a principle that even engineers can appreciate. I would imagine that the chemical engineer that told that one had a warm moist tear in both eyes.

Try proving the existence of mankind using the General Theory of Relativity. It may be that people are more of an illusion than someone's ideas about God. If the young man is confused and has found a great mystery about God, then he may be standing in a long line with many others waiting for a rational answer concerning God, mankind and the meaning of life.

Being that we always seem to have experts on most any subject, lets challenge each other to explain the existence of God in rational terms without falling on the sword of blind faith. If we find it the least bit difficult, then it may be that giving a break to a young man that is just beginning to ask the difficult questions, would be a consideration. Being smart and young has it disadvantages but if he were to struggle through to find an answer with great merit, we may find a worthy Scout and future leader that has something to share. fb

Young man, Hello BP. How are you doing?

BP, I am doing fine but for the life of me, I cant figure out what rap music is all about.

YM, Well, dont worry about that because it is only a secret code for cussing. You know, kids will be kids.

BP, Ok, so people are speaking their minds?

YM, Yep, they're letting it all out.

BP, Ok, so do you want to be a Scout?

YM, What is it to be a Scout?

BP, Camping out and having meetings.

YM, I dont think so, we have cars and girls. Can you top that?

BP, Uniforms?

YM, I dont get it.

BP, Sorry, it was just a thought.

fb

(This message has been edited by Fuzzy Bear)

Prejudice is taught from birth by parents and friends in the most unusual places and for all types of reasons. Children generally accept authority and are not given a chance to do otherwise. Trying to establish if prejudice is environmental or genetic is unnecessary but kids/people show prejudiced thinking most of their lives in spite of reason.

Prejudice is way to exclude others and to make room for ones own kind. I suppose scientists should show that prejudiced thinking is a natural way to gain an advantage for the group in gathering food as well as establishing homosexuality as being a natural way. Prejudice is also a natural way to bring about conflict. Check out the history of religion and correlate it to war, it is a natural; it may even be genetic. Eliminate the enemy, take their resources and make room for your own, which is the way of the world.

It makes sense to me to teach people to get along no matter if they divorce, marry, are homosexual or heterosexual or if they are religious or desire nothing. When I survey the results of prejudice thinking, it seems natural that we would want to get along with each other instead of fighting. We now have some sizable weapons to use on each other. I think it is time to learn restraint and patience and tolerance and loving kindness for our fellowman but then it may be just me or maybe it is the cold weather coming on. fb

Once a WB'er is in training, singing is generally required irregardless of the location or the situation. I can remember being asked to sing with a bunch of Bob Whites once even though I am a Bear. I carefully considered what I was doing even though it probably looked kind of funny. It just takes a while to get in step when one is kind of clumsy. fb

My first BS meeting started sometime while I was a Cub Scout and before I ever attended one Troop meeting. My Dad was the SM and my older brother was a Scout. My brother did well and advanced rapidly to Life Scout. They would come home and talk about what happened and how they could do better. I was impressed by what I thought of as that which was the best and it was all just waiting for me.

My Dad left Scouting and my brother soon followed as we moved to another town. I read Dads SM Handbook, his Fieldbook and my brothers BSHB and PLHB. I began by memorizing the Scout Law and the definition of each one. At that time, it was required. I also started memorizing the Morse Code by using the small to larger/easier to harder word/alphabet helps in the Fieldbook. I had the Scout ideal firmly fixed in my mind when I finally walked through the door my first night.

It was a new Scout unit and we were meeting in the elementary school building. Patrols were formed without much thought. My PL was older and he didnt take his job very seriously so he left soon after without doing too much. Our first campout was scheduled the next weekend and nothing had been planned, meaning we didnt have any food. I was disappointed because I expected guys to want to be Scouts but that just wasnt the case. It was a bad beginning for high expectations but it didnt stop me because I knew something wonderful was just beyond.

One further comment: The new BSHB had just been approved when I started and they dropped the memorization of the definitions of the Scout Law. What inspired me were those definitions. It affixed the ideal in my mind of what Scouting was all about. It was like a star that guided me during those first few years when I met several problems and a few failures. It gave me a way to go beyond myself and to reach heights that I couldnt have reached otherwise. I still think about those principles at the most unusual times and places. fb

I couldn't access it.

Let me clarify the act of delegating. It means that a person will need to take the time to recruit someone. Once they have agreed to sign-up, then they will need to agree to do the task that you could have already done. Once they do the task, it will need to be done again and/or their mistakes will need to be overlooked which takes learning patience. As a mentor, it will take time to train the person enough to get them excited about the Scouting program. The outcome is the making of a new friend, expanding resources and reducing your own workload by one job. The long term effect is that you will gain a large circle of friends that will be doing large amounts of work but your sacrifice will be to relieve yourself of personal perfection while keeping your life balanced.

Once again, one job per person but use your enthusiasm to learn to delegate. I assure you, it will be worth the effort. fb

I know that this will fall on deaf ears but I would like to share something that I have learned the hard way in the Scouting program that at times I loved too much.

There are only three skills/duties that defines an outstanding Leader in Scouting.

Knowing how to delegate and then doing it.

Knowing how to recruit and then doing it.

Knowing how to be a quiet mentor and then doing it.

If a person added these three to the list of duties for the one job they have in Scouting, they would have plenty of time left to truly enjoy it. fb

I suppose that the enlightened Intelligent Design Enthusiasts are now all up in arms about someone messing up their Church teachings in the schools. Homosexual dogma may now be corrupting their ideas about truth. I am wondering how many one parent family members were in the crowd mad as a Billy goat about not teaching family values. Kids should not be told about or try and understand the world around them. They are too dumb to understand what may be happening right in their own homes. We should wait until they get to be 12 and pregnant before we let them in on life's little secrets. We should be teaching a strict code of intolerance, just like our forefathers. fb

3 Things that Scouters love that are derived from our Council are:

The Council Camp- a refuge from the world that is different than the world that we inhabit the rest of the year.

The DE's- mainly for emotional support. People feel loved when patted on the back from someone with a title.

Meetings for people with titles to figure out plans for people that won't use them. fb

I once was in a Council in Texas with 5 camps. Selling any of the 5 was not acceptable but they sold the lesser one which still felt like they had gutted us of one great camp. I still think of it. I realize it was landlocked but it had facilities, which nobody comes by easily.

I am now in a Council with two camps, both are a long drive. I haven't camped at either one but when we want Day Camp or Camporee camping or Cub Adventure camping or any number of kinds of camping, we don't go. It is a shame not to have something because this area should have hundreds of places to go. It is a problem every single time.

The good thing is we get to know people with property and then we get to know the people with the tractors and brush hogs and then we rent big dumpsters and large numbers of port-o-potties, then we cart in large amounts of wood, food and cooking gear and all kinds of program things. Well, there has to be trade offs for an area that has one of the best recruitment programs in the country with one of the best FOS campaigns and a place with lots of wealth. I think I can see where our leadership is coming from and where we are going. I think. fb

Thanks,

FB

FB - No possible way to win a religious war? Maybe you're right, but when the people are free and have democracy, they will be free indeed and then WE ( USA and their civilian population) win. Fightin' ghosts? no, we're fighting animals who refuse to "play by the rules" Before all you enemy lovers say that we don't, keep reading. The USA plays by the rules of war and ethics of war. We don't hide in hosptials, museums, places of worship, we don't transport combatants or weapons in ambulances, we don't hide in cemeteries or schools AND THEN SHOOT AS AMERICAN FROM THOSE PLACES like they are doing. Gonzo

Gonzo,

It is their religious war and they are not proposing Democracy. Freedom is the antithesis to their religious goal and would only inflame them even more so. We can't win no matter how the war is played.

My understanding of those that hate us has nothing to do with what you are calling "enemy lovers". I regret that you regard any opposing ideas with disdain and without merit. Remember that we are Americans and that everyone (we) has the right to think differently. Having everyone think one way is what the enemy is fighting for if you care to look a little closer. FB