Trevorum

and back at'cha!

Wouldn't that be like ... monkey jerkey? Blah!

I've worked with barns, and I can tell you that pulling the strong side works a lot better than pushing the weak side. Same with people.

On page 7 of this thread, aquaticeagle said, "That's why the BSA doesn't affiliate with UU anymore. Apparently the BSA doesn't like tolerance or open-mindedness. Your information is out of date. In February 2004, BSA signed a Memorandum of Mutual Support with the Unitarian Universalist Scouters Association (see http://www.uuscouters.org/memorandum.htm) and since 2005, the Unitarian Universalist (UU) Living Your Religion award has been available to Boy Scouts and Venturers.

Earlier today, I sat at a redlight and noticed a young panhandler with his iconic cardbard sign. I realized that I couldn't give him a handout because I didn't have any cash, and in fact, I never carry cash at all anymore. Since our family now uses debit cards for all transactions, my wallet has been 100% cashless for over a year. It was a mild shock to me, realizing I had entered a new status quo (sorta like when we realized we all had cell phones and so we cancelled our land line), but I can't really see needing to carry greenbacks any more. The times, they are a' changin'...

I never cease to be amazed at how slowly grind the wheels of bureaucracy. However, I am VERY glad to finally announce that the Unitarian Universalist (UU) religious award is now listed on the national BSA website. See http://www.scouting.org/applications/religiousawards.aspx Unfortunately, some of the contact information is wrong, including the website and location for ordering pamphlets. That should be http://www.uuscouters.org/ Note that the BSA approved awards include Living Your Religion for Boy Scouts and Venturers aged 11-17 and the Religion and Family for Webelos aged 9

This is not really unique - I know many troops do this - and it's not really an award. Each year during the first several months after cross-over, we devote a meeting to leatherwork. The fellows are provided leather blanks (or scrap leather) and create/stamp/stain their own troop fob/crest to be worn on the belt. These are pretty creative. Then, during the year, each troop activity earns each scout a bead which is worn on the leather thongs hanging from the fob. These are awarded by an ASL on the Monday following the activity. All the beads are color coded (regular campout is grey, se

The current standard guide for CSPs is available for $25 but if you only have a small collection, it might not be cost-effective for you. Plus, it doesn't list JSPs (an irritation for many of us) but there are several other, older guides available for JSPs. If you know the issues, PM me and I'll be happy to look them up for you.

I am a bad parent. Well, at least according to some people on these forums simply because my religious faith is different from theirs. Now, this type of nonsense just rolls off my back. But I am genuinely concerned about the impressionable youth who might be exposed to this brand of perfumed bigotry. Holier-than-thou evangelism simply has no place in Scouting. Moreover, any Scouter who conveys to a youth - either directly or indirectly - that he believes that his religion is better than that of the youth is worse than a "bad parent", he is guilty of committing emotional abuse o

"I do not know of a single religion that says (officially) 'our faith may not be the best way to God.'" I've never met a single Unitarian Universalist who says "Our faith is the best way to God" or who claims that our faith has all the answers.

Barry, generally only the agrarian monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) view homosexuality as a sin. Most of the other religions in the world are more tolerant of such naturally occurring human diversity.

"Have tens of millions died for it? Have generations lost their personal liberty?" I daresay that Native Peoples would answer, "Yes."

What about the millions of people who were slaughtered - both directly as well as through biological warfare - as western European Christian nations conquered North America, South America, Australia, and New Zealand? Not a shred of communism in their ideology. The point is, you are confusing economic systems with politics. There are lots of American who today would swear that capitalism is evil, having lost their jobs, pensions, and homes to capitalistic greed.

"Jewish parents ... are bad parents" ... I don't know who I feel more sorry for, you or your children.

"From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs." Yes, that's pretty evil, I suppose. Many people believe that Jesus would have been perfectly comfortable with communist thought.

"Communism is an evil ideology." You clearly have very little idea what communism is all about. This is the same kind of hyper simplification that parents teach their 5 year olds.

I disagree about GIS-GPS. Orienteering is just one small component of this field, not the other way around. I know some fellows who will be totally pumped about the SCUBA merit badge.

Sorry about the shouting. Never works anyway. And you're right about the DRP

Homosexuality is NOT A "LIFESTYLE CHOICE".

skeptic, I completely agree that it's the adults who cause the problems: to wit, note the current thread, "Atheist in the Pack," where some of the adults on this forum counsel telling the Cub Scout in question he can't continue because he says he is an atheist. And I also agree that the organization will "evolve". That is inevitable. But I'm sorry that you think it's "nonsense" to have to tell a group of 15 year old Scouts that BSA thinks that homosexuals can not be the "best type of citizen", while full well knowing that some of those boys will eventually discover that THEY are hom

"Our boys need to be taught by us, in lesson and example, the openness, the acceptance, the opportunity that is endemic to the American Way." Except of course for those minority groups BSA doesn't like. We're told it's OK to deny them the Scouting experience.

I had a similar discussion recently with a friend who was absolutely convinced that Pagans were atheists. Simply because they did not believe in the Judeo-Christian God. (This is clearly not the BSA's useage of the term.)

You're wrong. Here in Texas at least, we didn't "conquer". We rebelled, threw off the yoke of tyranny, and declared independence. Remember the Alamo!

I'm very glad the Scout is doing better. Suicide is the leading cause of death among American teenagers.. As we work with youth, we all need to keep that in mind. I suspect that the trouble at home is far deeper than you unit leaders imagine. In fact, this sounds very much like an attempt to assert control in a situation where the boy felt completely powerless. If that is true, there may be little danger to the youth or to others while he is engaged in Scouting - in fact it sounds like Scouting may be the only place in his life where he feels he has any control at all. If the event

Welcome!