Scoutfish

Seattle, Did you actually read my post? The very first thing I said was: "SEattle, I pretty much agree in that I am either not into, or do not believe in nor do I follow the ideas of homosexuality, Polygamous marrages, , Bisexuality, non monogamous marrages or relationships, or even orgies for those not in any type or relationship. " So when you say : "There is really no end to the perversity that the sexual liberation movement has and will champion. There is no place to stop. Perhaps that appeals to you, but not to me I wonder what you mean. How could you say that something might appeal to me when I said it doesn't at the very beginning of my post. I said I was NOT into that, and you accuse me of championing it. " But varying denominations are free and entitled to decide for themselves what they will teach as sexual morality. They are free to interpret the Bible according to their own lights. It's not something YOU are entitled to do for them. " I never once said I was deciding for anybody else. I didn't even suggest that my views might be right because they were durable and had been around for two thousand years. All I said was that I had to be fair and offer a counterpoint to the other side because their veiws are just as durable because they had been around for just as long. Technical thing, that's all. I mean, just because a view has been around a long time doesn't make it the right view. Especialy if other veiws have been around just as long. Not saying your view or opinion doiesn't count, juts that the time it's been around isn't a factor if all the other veiws have been around just as long. And again, I DO NOT follow , sucribe to, or participate inpolygamy, homosexuality, orgies, non-monogomus marrages, etc.... But I am open minded enough to know that my opinions, my beliefs, my point of views are not the only ones or the best just because aloty opf people follow them or because they have ben aropund for a long time. Especially when I know that my personal beliefs have been around no olonger than others belifes or that amajority of the world population doesn't share them. Matter of fact, it ought to be pretty obvious to anybody who reads my posts that ...while I have a certain set of beliefs, I do not look down on, discriminate against, or show contempt to those who have other beliefs. I respect everybody else beliefs in the same way I want them to respect mine. Basically, I am saying you can't call seniority of beliefs based on age of those beliefs when other beliefs are much older. But I never said your beliefs were wrong or less worthy. I never questioned the validity of those beliefs. I only said that they cannot be considered the most correct - because they were 2000 years old - when other beliefs are older. That would be like having my 10 year old son say he is superior in scouting to a 17 year old Eagle candidate because my son has been in scouting since he was 7.

SEattle, I pretty much agree in that I am either not into, or do not believe in do I follow the ideas of homosexuality, Polygamous marrages, , Bisexuality, non monogamous marrages or relationships, or even orgies for those not in any type or relationship. But I do have to argue ( surprise , right? ) a counterpoiint to something you said: "The values of Christianity at the time were the recognizably those of the Catholic Church today. It's amazing how durable they have been now for two thousand years. (just as an example, sex was seen as a utilitarian act to conceive children rather than something done for pleasure). " Yeah, but the other sexual values have been around that long too. Personally I don't see much to recommend the sexual license that is increasingly the values of the day. It has wounded or destroyed immense numbers of families and killed off more developing human beings than Hitler and Stalin killed off --- combined. So has the premis of any one group or religion thinking and acting on the idea that their religion, or religious idea were the only "right" ones. MOsr wars are due to conflicts of relgions or religious views. THis religion wars with that one and many, many people die. People are routinely killed just for being the wrong religion. Pretty much all of our terroristic woes are due to different religious beliefs. Look at the middle East or anywhere along the Gaza Strip. Look at African nations fighting over who's values or spiritual beliefs are to be followed. And in the south, people will use the bible to defend racism and bigotry . Again, not saying I disagree with the vaulues that you have. I think I even sher them too. But for arguements sake, I have to bring out the flaws too.

So Basement...what's your point? LOL! You know, one thing I always try to do is see the new people's perspective. I still remember joing to the sign up night at the school with my son. It was a very dauntinmg experience. I almost turned it down. Matter of fact, I was going to turn it down but my son insisted. I relay that to all new and existing parents and scouters at our orientation meeting. I make sure our experienced leaders are aware. Yeah, the woman targeted you, put you on display and made fun of you. Eagler material she is not! I can't say I blame you for not liking RT. Our RT might have been like that once, but luckily for me, it's not that way now. WE dio have one lady who thinks everybody wants to hear every single detail about what her kids are doing and what honor group they are in...but she doesn't compare them yo ours..she just braggs.

it is SUGGESTED that most dens are from 8 to 9 boys until they are Webelos , then it is suggested that a den be 6 to 8 nboys. Now back to the real world. Our pack made a rule that a Den will max out at 14 boys , and if two dens of the same rank have less than 3 boys each, they will merge. Now, if a den has 15 boys and the DL has 3 ADL's and everything is running smoothly...we will not do anything. So basically, we have a size in mind, but will look at each case openly and competantly. The whole reason we did this was because we had a Den with 24 boys in it and the DL and his wife were adamant that they "Just couldn't " split up the boys. Problem was, we had to split the boys into three groups just to get anything done. Boys would be missing some awards and pins because paperwork was a train wreck. My son earned his Bear rank 3 times! How's that for keeping up with advancement? I'd say as long as the DL and ADL are comfortable, things are progressing smoothly and there are no issues or problem...then size should be up to the DL.

Basement, the guy might have been in it for a long time, but the rest of the current memberships hasn't. And no, not everybody will tell you if something is wrong and suddenly comes up..especially if it is a private medical problem or even mortally intensive. Some people will blab about every single issue they have. Others will not tell you if they are on the last week of their 6 months to live. My dad had a bad, bad heart condition. Part of his heart was dead and he was living on borowed time. One day while fishing, he fell over dead. He knew it was imminent, my mom knew too. Myself, my two sisters and nobody else knew. Why? Cause my dad lived his li9fe to the end, and had the same type of relationship with his family and friends to the end instead of having people fawn and worry over him, or having those people worry themselves to no end every time my dad did anything. Having had years to think about what my dad did...I think he did a great thing b y keeping it to himself. No, I am not saying that is what is happening in this case. Might be he thinks the CC is a jerk. Maybe he thinks scouting has changed way too much since he was a youth and couldn't bear the thought of advancing one more kid through a crock of a system. Maybe a DL acted in a way as to cause him to quit. Maybe he sold his buisness and plans on spending the rest of his life sipping margarittas while watching women in thongs splash in the ocean down in some South American tropical village. Who knows. The thing taht makes me wonder..not determine why he did it..is that it is pretty sudden anbd coincides with his retiring from work. Maybe he's dying, maye he's fixing to go on vcacatuion, maybe he decided that todays society is just a bunch of selfish peiople and he's tird of all the crap. Your guess is as good as mine. But, not everybody reacts the same way as you or I. Not everybody will find and train a replacement.

Speaking of book of Leviticus ...I was just reading some interesting stuff the other day. According to the book of Leviticus, I could sell my daughter into slavery..if I had one, I could stone a neighbopr to death for working on the Sabbath, I could kill somebody for cutting the hair around his temples...I should be killed for touching a pig, my clothes had better be of only one fiber ...UH oh! Wearing the moisture wicking blend scouts shirts is a sin! And several generations of men in my family are doomed as we had garden with more than one crop in them..which is clearly a sin. So, Do you follow Leviticus and Exodus strictly and specifically? If so, I'd imagine you would not only be in jail, but would also be an outcast of your church.

"Our pack is listed in the same location as 3 other packs. None of which are in the location the pin is at " You need to add more info for your packs address. Ours used to be shown about 3 miles away from wher our pack really was and on a completely different hiway. Problem was our pack's location was listed as Hampstead, NC...not as 12345 Hiway 17 N. Hampstead, NC, 28443. AS soon as I listed a numerical adress with actual street - our pin moved to where it was supposed to be.

I totally agree Basement. Every person I know at RT's were total strangers when I started going to RT's. I met every one of them at or through RT.

The scouts had a blast when I did it ......and as far as I know, the scouts have all finished their therapy and the 3 lawsuits have been dropped! (This message has been edited by scoutfish)

Any of you familiar with the story "Stone Soup" ? http://www.michaelppowers.com/prosperity/stonesoup.html I'm planning on doing this as an aside to our dinner at our pack campout next month . Every scout or family bring one item to toss in the soup. We'll use 2 or 3 pots depending on what is brought since you don't want to mix some things with others. Anyways, I thought it would be a great theme since it is about joining together, cooperation and teamwork and being thrifty while accomplishing great things!

OwntheNight, " serving the boys of x,y, and z schools for over 30 years " WOW! That's a GREAT idea! I put in something along the lines of saying that even though we were chartered to a United Methodist Church, we were a non denominational pack. I am glad we have the growth as it shows we must be doing something right, but I hope we don't outgrow what we are able to do and handle. So...do you own a tutu by any chance?

Oh....after these past two weeks.....I'd trade my cell phone for a goat if I could. It has rung off the hgook and I have been charging it at least 2 or 3 times a day. Of course, that is pretty much over until roundup next year.

Nah,. I don't need to edit my pin...I did that when it came out. Our pin lists my name and does have me as a contact. It just doesn't give my e-mail adress when people opt to contact me. Kinda like messages in this site. It sends it to me, it just doesn't give you mt e-mail address when it does. My unit lists it address and website. It's the other 3 local units that have a generic pin that lists our council as info and adress and has bsa.org as a contact. JUst wondering if this gives us an advantge even though I have onbly had one or two e-maiuls from it. I wonder if people choose us because they can actually read about or see our pack instead of just default BSA or council info.

I'd definantly hold a dinner in his honor at the pack. So you say he just retired from his job? Might be he has had long ago set out plans after he retirted, that he is ready to impliment and maybe he won't be able to perform well enough to be the advancement chair. At his age, he may have just found out about or have just been diagnosed with some medical issues and this is why he just stepped down without notice and just retire from HIS law firm. I just discovered that one of our ADL's is going on dialysis and getting on a kidney transplant list. I had no idea, never heard her talk about it, and you'd never know by looking at her. I am not going to say anything as she didn't tell me directly on purpose, but I got an unintended message from her by way of a facebook glitch. Apparently, she is not ready to discuss this outside of family, so she also may "suddenly" step down from the pack...and it might just coincidentally happen after a small arguement, or after what someone may percieve as a bad campout, bad meeting, her son not getting an award, etc.. Point being, we could make a connectrion that isn't there. Might just be coincidence. BUT...... If this CC is causing this guy to quit, find out wether its bad chemestry, bad communication, or maybe a 78 year old scouter looking at all the yougins ( adults) and just deciding it time for a change of guard.

Do any of you use the be a scout web search that BSA provides? I have been thinking about why we do so much better during roundups and sign ups that the other local packs. Maybe we are goofier? Maybe we have a better program? MMaybe kids or parents just like us more? I mean, during school signup nights, I do act a little different than the other CubMasters in that I talk to the boys and let the parents listen in instead of talking to the parents and letting the boys listen in like the other leaders do. I also act a bit more goofy and I walk around and ask questions while the other leaders tend to sit at a table and wait for people to sign up. BUt then we have parents who avoid the school sign up and come straight to our pack. Some are word oif mouth because of friends ands neighbors. Others ...well...I don't know why. But then I thought about the Be A Scout search. I typed in my area code ( 28443 if you want to try it) and I noticed that under my packs listing,it lists my CO's address, my name listed as contact and a link to e-mail me in the same manner that scouter,com lets you send messages, and we also have a link to our website. But all the other local units list Cape fear Council as an address and scouting.org as contact info. Makes you wonder in this day and age of people looking things up on their own- how many people might have joined or sealed their decidion because of this? So, what are your experiences with this? Does the Be a scout help your unit or do you even know?

Well, I admit, there are those RT's that are centered on popcorn, and recharter. At l;east the recharter is informative and helps. The popcorn RT is a joke: The guest speaker will tell us that cub scouts and their parents just cannot wait to go out and sell to the public which is made up of people who cannot wait to buy $16.00 a handfull for popcorn! Then it comes down to the deal closer: Sell $28,000.00 of popcorn, and you get a plastic spider ring or a SpongeBob temporary tattoo! But we do hold an ice cream social at our June RT and we, the attendees decide and vote on next years RT topics. And maybe that's trhe difference> Our RT commissioner and DE let us pick what kinds of things get said, done or explained at RT. Afterall, RT is for us, not them! \

Well, I will bet you that our district will be rogue because we will keep having RT's WE enjoy them. A one hour meeting always ends up being a 45 minute meeting and then another 45 minutes of hanging out with friends. Maybe National will create an adult laziness award knot: 1st requirement: do as much council and district interaction as you can will sitting in your own house while at a computer. Of course, it won't really be a square knot or any knot at all. it will just be a pile of rope that nobody tied into a square knot because nobody showed up- because they wera at home on a computer.

Great question! Kinda like advancement and working on Eagle: Some scouts might not even bother to put their video games or phones down long enough to show up to a meeting. But the scouts who actually did work and show up and who had self discipline would be the real standouts! , Uniform? LOL! Dirty jeans and a smelly wrinkeed t-shirt with the latestly cool retro band on it! Those who are pushed into it will probably drop out. Those who really like it might raise the bar.

Now, a polygamous relationship is just beyond me. My wife watches that show "sister wives" on occasion. I think the guy is nuts. So how many doghouses are you in if all 4 of your wives are mad at you? I can't always handle being married to ONE woman. ....but 4?

" (it just gets too crowded). " Well, that depends on your lifestyle , right? LOL!

I'm not saying anybody should push the scout into walking the 5 miles. But if the scout wanted to, I would have a few leaders as wel as a parent accompany him and offer encouragement. I said that I'd allow a whole day because he may want to take many breaks. I also mentioned that the pace would be affected by arm and armpit sorenes. But I never ever said a the troop should push or dictate. Of course, I hope everybody understood that this would be something that was up to the scout....not anybody else.

One more thing: You said I only used Christians in my thread. That is wrong. I also used heterosexuals ( in general) and my neighbors too as well as a gay couple that lives a block over. Point being not all Christians act it, not all heterosexuals are great "normal" people, not all neighbors act neighborly, and not all gays are horrible and b=rak down the neighborhood. Every type, group, and demographic of people have their good people and their bad people. Some have great character that is truely worthy of being a scout leader , and some shouldn't be allows to even say the word scouting in public. But their religious, ethnic, sexual, and economic status has nothing to do wioth it.

Barry, You misunderstood what I said, I even went so far to state: " Now, notice I did not just say Christians or people who worked hard and are well off because of it. I am talking about the elitist snobbish "better than You" types " And here's the thing...A true Christain does not judge because God say that it is not our place to judge others. Also, I an not, did no, and do not mean Chjristinas ina general term. I said those that look down their nose and who find fault everywhere without seeing any good qualities. You know that type. You have seen them yourself. They look around and see every bad quality in every person they meet. No matter what anybody does, they instantly know that the person in question is up to no good..even thoiugh they don't even know what the person is doing. They see all the bad in other people, automatically know that everybody else are heathens and never for a minute try to see the good in anything. Yet they themselves will tell you in a heartbeat about how good and better than you they are. Just like in scouting and every other facet of life. There are great scouters and those who will prejudge a Tiger Cub';s entire scout carrer based on what neighborhood that scout lives in or where his dad works. Now is it a judgement statement? Sure is! Was it about all Christians? Nope, sure wasn't. Do I believe? Yeah, I believe more than alot of so called Christians do because I do not judge by skin color, economic means, neighborhhod or last name. I take each person on their own merit and actions. I am not predjudiced, bigoted, or racist. And I do not look down on others when in fact , my Christian Bible tells me that I am a sinner too and that all men are brothers under God. Now, the biggest problemn here is this: You saw the word Christian, and then decided you knew everything I was going to say and mean, and decided that I did not believe. Fact is, I called out those who claim to be, but don't act it. Surely you did not think I meant you!

5 miles isn't very far at all. I figure that the average person walks at a pace of about 2 to 2.5 miles per hour. I probably walk 3 MPH because of my long legged gait( I'm 6'2" tall). So I'm guessing that a scout could do it in 3 hours tops. With crutches? I'd guess 3 1/2 to 5 hours depending on how sore his arms and armpitts are due to the crutches.

Yeah...gotta agree with Basement and Voyager here. I could add to that list, but they might not be what you expect: Christians who sit back and judge everybody and find a million faults and openly state them - but never look for the first good quality. Heterosexual marrages where the parrents are " the social elite" and everything in life is judged by how much your car costs, how much your salary is and what neighborhood you live in. Also related to the "my kid is in the honors/band/math/science club- what does yours do? " parents. My inconsiderate "normal " neighbors who decide that since they are on vacation, it's okay to invite 35 people over and scream and holler until 3 am because if they are off ...then EVERYBODY else must be off and not need sleep either. Now, notice I did not just say Christians or people who worked hard and are well off because of it. I am talking about the elitist snobbish "better than You" types. NOw that gay couple that live 2 blocks over? Never had any issues due to or because of them, They wave, they smile, they keep their yard clean and their dog does not run loose pooping in everybody elses yards. So...if EVERYBODY checks their own lifestyle at the door, it doesn't matter as long as they are good leaders and the scouts like them and have a great time while advancing they way they should.