SSScout

Ev: Traditionally, Quakers eschewed using the "usual" names for the days of the week (and the usual names of the months, too) because they were named to honor pagan gods (and pagan Roman emporers). Instead, they quite logically numbered the days (First day, Second day, etc.) and numbered the months. So, Not getting too much into the eclesiastical problems the church created in the calendar(we no longer "rest" on the seventh day, but on the first?), suffice to say that the Religious Society of Friends ( a religion), in more formal situations, refers to days by number rather than by name. ALT

Well, Nike is spot on about BSA's situation. evmori doesn't see things as I do here, and maybe I can't convince him otherwise, however... If my son's school has a class in "World's Religions", and requires the students to study and be knowledgeable about various faiths (no one in particular), that is not a religious organization. If my son participates in his First Day School class and learns about his birth-right faith, which he may/maynot accept or reject ultimately, that's a religion. If he joins a group that asks him to "do my duty to God" but does not define what that duty is (l

The whole shebang boils down to: 1) the BSA is a "religious" organization but NOT a religion. 2) Folks that join are reminded about this (a)with the not-so-fine print on the application and (b)with conversations with leaders and © the reciting of the Cub Scout Promise and the Scout Promise and the Scout Law and (d) various well publicized court cases and (e) by overly zealous folks that wish to make BSA one kind of "religious" organization rather than another (which the rest of us have to do damage control about). 3)Those that join and participate are, 99.9% self selecting. They part

The BSA is a religious organization, by definition. But it is NOT a religion (contrary to how some Scouters may treat their activities!). We've been thru that before. As to the PoA, it IS a requirement that a Cub Scout needs to KNOW the PoA, but it is NOT a requirement to recite it, if it is counter to their religious belief. I may know the tenets of Das Kapital, but that does not mean I agree with or support it. Jehovah's Witnesses, Quakers, some Mennonite adherents, and other religions have qualms about repeating the PoA and back that up with their faith in a deity that requires them to no

Ditto jet526. Cubs are not included in Scout watercraft activities except as G2SS allows. But Boy Scouts... Ordinarily, Canoeing has to wait for summer camp. So: Recruit one or more experienced adults as Canoeing Merit Badge Counselors. Include that in your canoeing program. If the boys have mastered the Canoeing MB, they are ready for medium rivers and ripples. Real white water is another thing again. Canoe rescue practice can be done in the community pool, with advance arrangements. Ask to use the pool way before regular hours and make sure the boats are CLEAN before you enter the poo

Check with the Cubs' school. See if there is a project that the boys could do, either individually together or as a team to benefit the school. Bird houses and feeders in the courtyard. Planter or bench out front. Simple shelves outside the office. Boxes for the boy's teachers. MiF KiS YiS

I'm sorry. I guess I thought that was obvious. "Barred from Cubs for not swearing allegiance to the Queen"

check out www.tubachristmas.com and the Harry Phillips Foundation. So are actions more important than mere words? Does the WAY we declare our loyalties (to God, Country, Queen (see other thread), truth, and/or family and Community) matter more than how we DEMONSTRATE them?

**big sigh** 1) No tour permit is needed to go to a local store. Check mileage requirement in TP instructions. 2) Cubs selling P/C should always be accompanied by parents and/or adult leaders with parent permission. Door to door or to uncles or to friendly nieghborhood car garages. 3) I believe adults are encouraged to HELP sell p/c too, notably to business associates, office mates, grandmoms in Montana, church members, etc. 4) It would have been good manners and ettiquette to tell the p/c CC about your plans. Such an idea might even inspire others to go to other stores and thereby

Emb021: Not quite true. I have a chart in front of me listing the members of the WOSM as of 2000. I admit to not fully understanding the differences, but France has six seperate types of "Scoutisme Francais" listed and Denmark has five "Fallesradet for Danmarks Drengespejdere" for instance, and there are several other nations with what seem to be multiple seperate Scout organizations under their flag.

"when I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean...neither more nor less." = Humpty Dumpty, in "Thru the Looking Glass"

Thank you for calling the controversy hotline. Your call is very important to us. Unfortunately, all of our debaters are presently busy with other chatroom discussions. Please hold on. One of our resident debaters will take your call shortly and then make you angry. ((elevator music... Meliquino Strings Tribute to Cream)) Please continue to hold. You have...three-posters-ahead-of-you... ((Meliquino Strings Do Disraeli Gears)) Hello? So the problems are 1) the definition of "enemy" and "sovereign" and 2) whether the DoI allows folks to remove the government they are unhappy with

Advanced Pioneering at the National Jamboree: Merry-go-Rounds, Tensegrity structures (Buckminster Fuller), et al... http://fredericksburg.com/community/features/jamboree/ Any one else know any other pics of the Pioneering Area?

oops... forgot: http://www.ushistory.org/documents/creed.htm

But Pack, we're not talking about closed, natural systems here. Not negative entropy, but CHOICE. Even Maxwell's Demon has choice. The coffee cup HAS to cool off, and approach equality with it's surroundings, but for the CHOICE of the demon, yes? The person has to CHOOSE to follow the GR. It is NOT a entropic thing. Tigers do not CHOOSE to be nice and encouraging to the waterbuffalo in front of it's hungry eyes. ("eat up and get fatter for me, ummmmm.").

So as Scouts we promise (?in an "oath"?) "On my honor..." And we are asked , as citizens, to promise ("pledge"?) allegence to a piece of cloth and a nation... And in some religions, one is expected to declare agreement with certain "beliefs" (the "Nicene Creed" comes to mind). I would posit , for your perusal, The American's Creed: by William Tyler Page I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed, a democracy in a republic, a sovereign Nation of

May I mention the name John Woolman (1720-1772). Went so far in his distaste for slavery that he would only wear undyed clothing. Seems the usual dye in those days were made by slave labor in the Caribean. His "Journal" is good, if slow going, reading.

Trev: Thank you. Correction: It was late when I wrote that and I missed this: Make that 300 to 400 "Scouts... that had that 'problem' ". Decimals. Scouting is used by some faiths as 1) basis of their youth ministry 2) an addendum to their total ministry or 3) an outreach to the greater community. I have met (altho it is rare) Scout charter sponsors who are rather proprietary about the Scout program, feeling that it is THEIR program and hence one MUST be of THEIR faith to join. When I point out that other faiths sponsor Scout units and other faiths CAN be Scouts, it sometimes is a h

Outdoor and Adult stuff::: Need ::: Paper Match Book, Straight pin , Aluminum foil, Big paper clips. Cut out a small 2" by 2" piece of foil. Tear out a match. Place and hold straight pin on paper match so point is on match head and pin lies along paper stock. Carefully wrap foil around match and pin so match head is covered in two layers of foil and paper stock is only partially covered. Crimp around pin to make a channel. Carefully pull pin out. Make a Launch rack out of paper clip to hold up match rocket, head up, tail down. Angle about 45degrees up. Aim away from people, face, in

Make the "rocket"... Take TP tube, or paper towel tube. decorate wih fins, etc. Bend paper clips appropriately and tape to tube. Stretch smooth strings the length of your room. Place a looong balloon in the rocket tube and blow it up. Hold on to the open end. Hook paper clips over the strings, aiming the rocket tubes down the string. Let go the open ends. Stand back. Repeat as necessary.

*sigh* The only reason to question a Scouts religious belief is because it seems to be REQUIRED during the Eagle process. Scouting has to be self selective, so faith is personal and an avowed athiest will have an automatic problem promising to "do my duty to God", unless he thinks that that duty ,for him at least, is to NOT believe in him/it/her. I am again reminded of my time as a Chaplain at the 05Jamboree. I met at least 10 Scouts who had to tell me they "weren't sure about that God stuff." Extrapolating to my fellow chaplains, maybe 30 or 40 Scouts out of the 35,000 in attendance had t

Check with your DE. Parades are an ongoing possibility and it might be good to have an alternative ready for any Scout unit. I agree with the bad aspects of candy throwing. Adult leaders and Cubs can hand out Cub Scout labeled games or post cards with sports pictures on them or little game books (our council has big newsprint handouts with mazes and games in them,why not a smaller one?) Have fun!

Like an uncle of mine usta say, there's nothin' like a good belt... Seriously, seems like an improvement.

Speaking of unknown, inexperienced VPs, Howbout that Harry Truman?? Uh Huh Uh???

Scouts come in all flavors. I would make sure he gets all the opportunities he can. Not every Scout will LIKE or PARTICIPATE in every activity. That is his choice. I think there are enough possibilities in Scouting to include your boy. Let him find his own level. Camping is a big part, but not the end-all be-all, surely.