berkshirescouter

Last year one our scouts passed this story to me. His tent mate at summer camp, who was from another troop, woke him telling him there was a bear outside the tent. He proceded on telling him it was only me snoring.

The Carpenter

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the

house-building business and live a more

leisurely life with his wife enjoying his

extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to

retire. They could get by.

The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if

he could build just one more house as a personal favor.

The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that

his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy

workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way

to end a dedicated career. When the carpenter finished his work the employer came to inspect the house. He handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you."

The carpenter was shocked!

What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.

So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then with a shock we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we'd do it much differently. But we cannot go back.

You are the carpenter. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erecta wall. "Life is a do-it-yourself project," someone has said.

Your attitudes and the choices you make today, build the "house"

you live in tomorrow.

Build wisely!

To the world you might be one person,

but to one person you might be the world.

acco40

Your question is a good one with no easy answer. I have been at a service that was nondenominational but was so Christian that my Scoutmaster who is RC was taken aback. I have seen a nondenominational service that was so bland no one liked it. I have also seen several where several prayers of all faiths were said. This seems to work. I agree you can't ask what a persons religion. In this area you just can't please everyone. Our summer camp did an RC service, a non denominational and a time for quite refection for all others. This seemed to work.

The answer is try to do the best for everyone. I hope my ramblings made sense.

You are correct.

I was in the Navy and their policy was to remove hats indoors. I believe the Army is different. The only issue would be to keep a hat on for religious reasons or medical (loss of hair due to chemo).

Our troop removes hats indoors.

I must comment on this.

I agree in part with most comments. I am Jewish raised Orthodox but now Reformed. I used to feel uneasy when I am present at a Christian prayer service however I no longer feel that way. The reason is that I have no right to expect tolerance of my religion if I do not show tolerance to others. I make a point to teach this to my son.

I expect a service at any function that is said to be non-denominational be just that not non-denominational Christian. In this service I would expect to hear Christian prayers as well as others. The balance is what I am seeking.

If enough people are present then a specific service should be offered for that faith as well.

Back from summer camp and my son is now a Star Scout!!

Paul

Rooster7

You hit it right on with the last post. I think the line of political correctness needs to be drawn somewhere and it might as well be here.

For those who want to parse words 'I know you think you understand what you thought I said but I am not sure you realise that what you heard is not what I ment.'

May you all have a happy fourth. I will be away with the troop for summer camp for the next week or so. So I will miss reading all the great comments on all subjects.

Thanks to everyone for the advice. My son also realised he can't do both jobs. Now to find a pack that does not meet on the same night as the troop.

My son who is 15, soon to be Star and is a Patrol Leader wants to be a grade school teacher (grades 2-4). I was thinking of getting him involved as a Den Chief in a Wolf Pack, just to let him know what to expect. To you Cub Scouters would a Den Chief be useful to you, or get in your way?

This decision though wrong was the wrong question to ask at this time. This High Court could simply change the lemon test, which would then get more people upset. This whole question comes under the topic of things you don't want to ask because the answer once given may not be what you expect or really want. Everyone should try to solve their problems at the local level. The person who raised this question should have explained to his child that this is what other people believe. You can't make for a sterile environment someone will be upset somewhere. Now to answer those who ask if it were a Christian Prayer and a Jewish child. That is specific to a religion not general as in this case, in my opinion.

I received this today and thought the list would like it. It is slightly off topic but makes a good Scoutmasters min.

An American

The following was said to have been written by a dentist in Australia.

"You probably missed it in the rush of news last week, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American. So I just thought I would write to let them know what an American is, so they would know when they found one.

An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German! , Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani, or Afghan. An American may also be a Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans.

An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them chooses. An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.

An American is from the most prosperous land in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes the God given right of each man and woman to the pursuit of happiness.

An American is generous! . Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need. When Afghanistan was overrun by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country. As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan.

Americans welcome the best, the best products, the best books, the best music, the best food, the best athletes. But they also welcome the least.

The national symbol of America, The Statue of Liberty, welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed. These in fact are the people who built America. Some of them were working in the Twin Towers the morning of September 11, earning a better life for their families. [i've been told that the World Trade Center victims were from at least 30 other countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aide! d and abetted the terrorists.

So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did General Tojo, and Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung, and every bloodthirsty tyrant in the history of the world. But, in doing so you would just be killing yourself. Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.

Pass this around the World

OGE

Looks real good. What are you using to write the pages?

I have updated our troops web page it is at www.t12.ma.bsatroops.org

Tell me what you think .

Hi

I had a discussion with my district exec about this awhile back. His comment was he wanted units that would be around a while, churning new units as not the goal.

Paul

Here is an added question; If you don't report it, at least to Council, are you libel if it happens again and someone gets hurt? I don't know but its a good YPP/Roundtable question.

Paul

The people who write history look at the way people felt at the time. They would read letters written. We as a society do not write letters. E-Mail is deleted. We are loosing current history. How about a scout project to collect oral histories from family. With video cameras or just a tape recorder this could be done. It might also be a good topic for a merit badge. The scout would understand events because he would talk to people who lived it.

When I was a kid I sought out holocaust survivors and had then tell me what happened. I now can give an account to counter the deniers.

Let me add two more.

Harry Truman - When a decision had to be made it. He didn't take a pole he looked at what was good for the country, not for him politicaly.

John Wayne - Some of the best family, westerns and War movies ever made were made by him. Also a great friend of Scouts.

Don't forget to file your paperwork with your council.

We did 12 mi down the Ct. river last summer no white water but the boy enjoyed it.

I was on the pickup team.

Paul

Rooster

You make good points however how do you teach analysis of the 'dry facts'. That to me is critical thinking. You must have all the facts for this to work and if they are not provided then it is as you say, indoctrination. I was made to find my own facts. That was lots of resurch, footnotes and the like. The point was take a position and defend it. In the example I gave not only was the decision based on the facts but the facts at that time. I still believe Truman made the right one but it is based on what followed, the cold war. Stalan saw the results of the A-bomb and felt it was not a good idea to push too hard, though push he did.

Paul

OGE, I think an example of critical thinking might be how Truman made the decision to drop the A-Bomb on Japan. That whole question goes to what was to be expected from Japan if invaded, however it was only based on intel. The question then is, what if the intel was not accurate. I am not taking sides here only giving an example. VH, as the history expert, is this what you ment?

Paul

Isnt the BSA stance really against people who want to make their alt lifestyles public where BSA moral stance (from late 19th century) is that certain things are private and should remain that way? The example of the Alcoholic could be if he is not known (Not avowed) there is no problem. Now a case could be made here, that for safety, this is a problem. But now people are looking into private behavior. I think that is why avowed is in the policy. Other personnel behavior could be gambling, swinging, nudism amoung others all if kept discreet should not be a problem, but if flaunted would not be positive role models to scouts. I'm rambeling here but I hope I have made my point

Paul

Amen

Interesting story. Proves that if followed and inforced the boys are safer in Scouts.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/apr02/37618.asp

Paul

I think that Scouts should attend something. Our councils summer camp has a true nondenominational service not just nondenominational Christian. Which I think would satisfy all. I think it is a little too watered down but thats another thread.

This should be the service for your 'not affiliated' scouts and hold it at the lake if thats what they want. Now a discussion or quite time would that be ok?

That is also a question, what is a service? I have seen the books that national puts out. Comments?

Paul

I was able to edit my profile GREAT!!!

Thanks

Paul

"An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth soon we are all blind and toothless." Tevia from Fidler on the Roof.

The compromise may be how a council defines avowed.

Paul