Glenn

I'd also like to join in on the wish. I hope everyone's holidays are safe and enjoyable.

For those of the Christian faith, have a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year.

For others celebrating a different holiday, have a Happy holiday season.

How many boys registered? 47

How many boys active? 38

How many Patrols? 6

Does your troop go to summer camp in or out of Council? In

Does your troop go to Dist/Council Camporees? Most of them

Does your troop support FOS? Yes

Does your troop sell Popcorn? If not, what are your fundraisers? Yes, We also direct cars to park at a festival.

Does your troop use NSP, FCFY method? Yes and Yes

Does your troop have a Venture Patrol? No

Does your troop have a feeder pack? No

How does your troop recruit non-Cub Scouts? We dont

Has your troop seen your Unit Commissioner in the past 6 months? Yes

Is your Unit Commissioner helpful or a pain? mostly helpful

Does your troop leaders attend Roundtable? Yes

How many members are on your troop committee? 12

Is your troop boy led? Not enough but moving that way.

Now this one I couldn't resist:

Fat Old Guy: I do know a Scouter who has mannequin of a Scout in his family room, the dummy is wearing a 1920's vintage uniform.

Me: Who has the 20's uniform, the Scouter or the mannequin?

I remember reading some comments on this forum when discussing the controversial subjects that stated, "If they don't like the Boy Scout policies, then start their own". I agreed with this sentiment at the time I read it and still do.

It looks like some people are doing just that. I say let them. And yes, they are legitimate.

TwocubDad,

"Interesting, Eisley, that you read it and were bothered that they were trying to create a local option. I read the same thing and was bothered that they were being dishonest about the policy. "

Isn't this the same thing? I read it and thought that the local council was circumventing the national policy. This meant they were both trying to create a local policy and being dishonest about BSA's national policy.

Terry,

Just wanted to also post my thanks for all your effort you put in to make these forums work.

I agree with Mark. Many times I have chucked a whole post thinking that my main idea is good, but I can't put into words what I want to say without possibly insulting someone.

Oh well, English was never one of my better subjects!

Congrats! And tell your son congratulations also. I'm still hoping for my son to make it!

Bob,

If you do not post your answers on the forum, those of us who like to read answers to other's posts to learn the official program will not be able to.

Please reconsider your current position.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll have to pick up a copy of that one.

I just finished "On My Honor - Boy Scouts and the Making of the American Way" by Jay Mechling. I wish I could give it as good a review as you gave Scout's Honor. But the Boy Scout camping they describe violated multiple rules. And the author seemed to think Boy Scout camp was the place for adolescent boys to discuss/discover their puberty and such.

Has anyone else read this book and what did you think?

Rooster7,

I decided to private message my response to you since it does not concern the majority of the forumites.

I am not sure if the email address I used to register to this forum still works. So if you reply and get a bounce back, could you post somewhere to let me know. Or better yet, does anyone know how to look up our email address registered to this forum?

Packsaddle,

I am not sure what you are questioning in my post. But I do agree with you that we should not condemn what we do not understand. In fact, there was a Catholic bishop (Bishop Fulton Sheen) that stated that "few Americans hate the Catholic Church, but millions hate what they mistakenly think is the Catholic Church." So I try to never discount another person's faith.

However, I do understand and know why some Christians believe in sola scriptura (the belief that the Bible is our only source of Christian truth) and sola fide (faith only). I know this because I actively participate in two Catholic forums (Yes Mark, I am Catholic) and have defended my beliefs for the past three years against Christian fundamentalists (or evengelicals or whatever). These are the beliefs of another's faith that I cannot respect because they are un-Biblical.

Do I understand everything they believe? No. So you are correct in saying that I cannot and should not try to state what they believe and then argue against it.

Anyway, this isn't a religious forum and I do not wish to discuss various belief systems. I truly respect your approach to how you view other people's faith and wish that all religious persons did this.

Mark,

You use the term doctrine synonymous with discipline. I use doctrine as synonymous with dogma. To be honest, I am not sure which is correct. Probably you. I looked the terms up in the Catholic Encylopedia (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/), but doctrine was not defined. Well, it was defined as catechesis, or teaching. So I'm still confused.

In any case, it matters not. Dogmas cannot change. Disciplines can.

Rooster7 and Packsaddle,

You two bring up good points. I also have a problem with stating that I respect the beliefs of others when I believe they are false. But I do respect the person's right to believe what they do as long as they are not harming anyone or anything. If a person's "religion" believed in animal sacrifice, then I feel it is our duty as God's citizens to not allow that practice.

Rooster7, thanks for pointing out the differences in the two "Reverent" points. I was not aware of the previous wording. I too prefer the first version. Can you start a write in campaign?

RooSter7,

I guess your spelling Glenn with one "n" was a payback? Just kidding, an overly common mistake due to the two spellings of my name.

You asked how the Catholic Church's teachings relate to your situation. I'll speak here as a lay Catholic but again, only you and God know your heart.

Since you do not know/believe the Catholic Church is the Church started by Jesus, then this falls in the invincible ignorance teaching. Those that are invincibly ignorant, are not held accountable to leaving the Church. The term "invincibly ignorant" is not saying the person is "stupid", but is not aware/does not believe the Catholic Church is the Church Jesus stated.

If one is aware and believes that the Catholic Church is the one started by Jesus, but chooses to leave it because of not believing their dogmas and disciplines, then these are the people the quote was referring to.

Also, the dogmas/doctrines of the Church have never changed. In fact, they cannot. Public revelation ended with the death of the Apostles. There may be a formal declaration of a dogma (like the Immaculate Conception - Mary being born without sin), but this was always taught by the Church. Only when there is a heresy or discussion about a topic will the Church dogmatically declare it.

You may be thinking of the disciplines of the Church. These are simply teachings of how one should act and can change based on the times. Examples of this would be the celibacy of priests, abstaining from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and observing a penitential act for all Fridays (yes Mark, we are still supposed to either abstain from meat on Fridays or perform some other act of almsgiving, prayer, or fasting to remember Jesus' sacrifice for us).

Hope the above is more clear to you. I'd recommend you read the early Church Fathers (from the 1st three centuries). You might be surprised at what they taught.

Rooter7,

I still don't think you understand what the Catholic Church teaches. She teaches that all salvation will come through Her, being the Church that Jesus established. When you quoted some of the website:

"Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it."

Please note that it says that one who KNOWS the Catholic Church was founded as necessary is required to enter and/or remain. Those people who through no fault of their own do not believe this (i.e. never taught correctly, born and raised Protestant, etc.) are NOT condemned by the Catholic Church.

Finally, the Catholic Church teaches that all non-Catholic Christian churches teach some truth, but only the Catholic Church has the fullness of faith.

As for receiving Jesus in the Eucharist, since this is the greatest sacrament we Catholics partake of, it shows our community of faith to receive it. Therefore, as mk? said, only Catholics or the Eastern Orthodox may receive Jesus in the Eucharist.

Our troop continues to meet once a week and at least one outdoor campout each month. I'd like to see us throw in day treks (hiking/biking/canoeing) on Saturdays once in a while. We tried last summer but could never arrange the bike transportation.

Try this document: http://www.usscouts.org/clipart/scoutdoc/troops/trooppositions.doc

I agree with the idea that if the boy and/or his family decided to attend the merit badge pow wow, then it should not count as a troop/patrol activity. If the troop or patrol organized it, especially with transportation, then it should count as troop/patrol activity.

I'm a software designer/analyst.

We do it similar to the above suggestions. We give out the merit badges and rank badges immediately after the scouts earn them. However, during the Court of Honor, we bring up in groups the boys that earned Tenderfoot, 2nd Class, etc. Also, if there were any special awards earned (like the religious awards), these boys are brought forward and congratulated.

I'm sorry I never saw this thread earlier. My prayers and wishes for a full recovery go out to Michael Lahoff. The senseless violence in today's world sickens me wherever and whoever it affects. God Bless Michael and all other victims of violence.

Eisely,

I'm surprised you never heard about Cracker Barrel, the restaurant chain. I thought they were nationwide. I guess they haven't gotten too far west yet.

In any cause, I personally think these restaurants serve good food at a reasonable price. They serve country style food. They always have a store attached to them that sells a lot of old fashioned items. I recommend you try it out if you ever see one along an interstate.

Laura,

Just wanted to let you know that what you are planning on doing (Outdoor activity coordinator and ASM) can be done. I have been doing that for a year now. Sometimes it gets hectic, but it is worth it to me to be able to work with the boys AND fill a position the troop needed.

Pamalean stated: . One evening they used a rope to tie the handle of the door to the stair railing so that the boys inside the room(the entire rest of the troop) could not get out.

This situation is not a simple practical joke. If there was a fire or some other type of emergency, then the people in the room need to get out fast. Having your door roped shut would prohibit this.

As others have stated, the SPL needs to be supported by the Scoutmaster. If the SPL feels that these boys should lose their leadership positions, then he needs to stress this point to the Scoutmaster. The Scoutmaster should back up the SPL in this regard.

Bob White, do you feel revoking leadership positions is a punishment? I think this is definitely the responsibility of the SPL and Scoutmaster. If a scout is not earning his leadership role, then he needs warned once about the consequences. If he fails again, then it is not necessarily punishment, but the scout's failure to earn his leadership role.

Once again, thanks for all the replies. I emailed our Scoutmaster with this thread address and I am sure we will use your suggestions.