DigitalScout

In my opinion, faith, philosophy, and religion are highly personal and should not be scrutinized or debated by the unit leadership. If the family says they fulfilled the requirement, that should be good enough.

I know some troops that only have 2-4 car camps per year and don't do any backpacking at all. Most of their outings are field trips to museums or ships, air shows, model rocket events, etc. I'm lucky to live in an area where there are a variety of troop types to suit just about anyone's interests.

I've had issues with parent's "misunderstanding" about achievements. My favorite was when a parent requested 28 belt loops and pins prior to one pack meeting. I asked her for details about the horseback riding belt loop and pin she requested. She said the family went to horseback riding in Hawaii two years prior (before even joining Cub Scouts). Really?!?!?

I've noticed that our scouts bond the most while camping outdoors. The fact that your son doesn't want to attend monthly campouts or week-long summer camps means he is missing out on a major experience in Scouting.

What is your son's goals and motivation for being in scouts? Does he only want to be with his two friends? Why does he want to achieve Eagle? Does HE want to achieve Eagle or is it because his parents or college guidance counselor want him to? These are important questions to ask your son.

Of course we are only getting 50% of the viewpoint so hopefully I can provide insight to the otherside.

As SM, I had a boy who joined scouts only to be with two of his friends. He didn't want to work on any merit badges, learn skills or attend any troop meetings. The few troop meetings he attended he was very disruptive and disrespectful to the SPL and only wanted to yuk it up with his buddies.

​And when he went on our camp outs, he didn't have any skills, didn't know what to do and would argue with the PL whenever he was asked to get water or do KP. Basically the boy was a distraction to what the other scouts were trying to achieve. I had a heart-to-heart with the parents and explained that they needed to get engaged with the Scouting program or find something else to do or another troop. They decided scouts wasn't for them after all and everyone is now much happier.

 

Where did you find those "rules", DigitalScout? I am not aware of any BSA rules or policies that name specific religious groups as being permitted or prohibited. Although it's a little difficult to know exactly what the policy is, my understanding is that if you believe in a higher power you are eligible for membership, otherwise, you are not. I don't know whether that necessarily includes or excludes any of the groups you name - except for Satanism. I guess Satan would be a "higher power." But keep in mind that a Scout also needs to subscribe to the rest of the Scout Oath and Law, not just the Duty to God and Reverent parts. I suspect a true Satanist might have difficulty complying with some of those points.

You are right, the BSA does not call out specific religious groups as being permitted or prohibited. The BSA Religious Principles are very broad and does not define belief in God or religious practice or require membership in any religious organization. And The BSA respects the "constitutional freedom to practice religion as individuals." In that light, UFO and Lucifer worshippers would qualify.

Ironically the BSA rules permit Satanism, Voodoo/Vodu and UFO religions such as Scientology and Raelism. But a run-of-the-mill atheist is rejected? I don't get that.

Eliminating the discrimination against gay youth was a baby-step. The next step is to stop discriminating against gay adult volunteers. Then corporations and the public can once again start supporting the BSA without controversy.

I think a big part of the decline in participation in Boy Scouts and other activities is the increased opportunity costs of participation.

 

Kids today are chauffeured everywhere, they don’t travel on their own. Look at any elementary school today, where are the bicycle racks? When I was a kid, my school had huge bicycle racks that held hundreds of bicycles everyday. Why? Because we rode our bikes or walked to school. That very same elementary school no-longer has those racks because the kids are driven to and from school by their parents. The line of urban assault vehicles (SUVs) waiting to pick up their kids at the end of the day stretches for blocks. Same thing for little league, boy scouts, etc. - we usually got there under our own power (unless it was across town). I am amazed at how much time parents today spend shuttling their kids around. In our cub pack we have lost several boys over transportation issues.

 

Many extracurricular activities today require complete commitment. Want to be a cheerleader at your high school? You have to attend a summer camp just to be allowed to try out. Want to play soccer? Be prepared for a year round activity. It used to be if you wanted to do multiple activities, it wasn’t that hard. Now many groups expect you to pick just one and spend all you time with them.

 

One thing I have observed that is probably related to the transportation thing, is that the circle of friends that kids have today tend to be much more geographically distributed. When I was a kid, I could walk or ride my bicycle to the house of virtually every one of my friends. We all lived in the same neighborhood and went to the same schools. Now with most of the children of my friends, that isn’t true. One of the reasons they have to be chauffeured to “play dates†instead of simply getting together with their friends under their own power.

Since the Civil War, the downward spiral of increased federal government power, decreased state power has taken its toll. Unfortunately, it is exactly what our Founding Fathers set up the US Constitution to avoid. It gave a few powers to the Federal government and ALL THE REST to the States! The Founding Fathers would be appalled at what the US has become. The American Dream is over and each year that passes it will be that much harder to reverse the declining spiral we are in and have been for quite some time.

 

Stosh

Now that smoking marijuana is legal in Colorado, let's just say I am glad I am not a unit leader in Colorado.

"The Atheists are destroying America" is just another make-believe monster created in the minds of conservatives. For instance, all American students can pray when they wake up, at the breakfast table, before leaving for school, in the car going home, during family dinner and before bed. That's called religious freedom in America. But when secular schools don't have Christian prayer time in the secular classroom, some call it religious persecution. I just don't get that. I'm a Christian and I pray every day with my family. I'm hardly being persecuted because my son can't pray in school.

Well AZMike, your examples of Christian business owners being told by the state they have to provide services for LGBT weddings is simply a matter of businesses being considered public accommodations. They can't refuse their services any more than someone whose religion objects to mixed-race marriages, or mixed-religion marriages could refuse to do business with couples of mixed races or mixed religions. You can argue against public accommodation laws, but I'm in favor of them.

 

As for Catholic adoption agencies, if they take state money they have to follow the rules for accepting that money. They could still discriminate if they want to forgo state money and be an entirely private adoption organization, but they decided not to do that. I see nothing wrong with the state having requirements for their adoption funding.

 

For atheists suing the IRS, all nonprofits, including churches, are prevented from endorsing political candidates. Some churches have been violating this law, so the atheists sued the IRS to make them apply the law. Of course, if you want to be completely private and not get nonprofit status, churches can endorse political candidates.

 

About the HHS fight, it's not atheists doing that.

 

Military chaplains aren't supposed to insult soldiers in military service, and writing the old "no atheists in foxholes" does just that. Such insults are an actual violation of military regs.

 

The Santa Monica situation was where Christians had preferential treatment for 60 years; when the city had to change it to a fair system, atheists got most of the spots. So now you're complaining about a level playing field.

 

And sorry, you can't take public school students to a church to see them put on "A Charlie Brown Christmas" as a play. Besides the religious problems, the church was violating the law because the owners of the rights weren't allowing it to be performed anywhere as a live play:

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2012/11/27/a-separate-legal-issue-about-that-church-putting-on-a-charlie-brown-christmas/

 

And the atheist monument is in a public forum. Again, atheists are being treated the same as anyone else. Got a problem with that?

 

For student clubs, that's only if the groups want official recognition (which often includes some funding). If they want to be an entirely private group without official recognition, they can do that. If you think it's a violation, file a lawsuit.

 

Am. Atheists sued over the 9/11 cross because not just Christians were killed in the attack.

 

"Government officials have misused their powers to deny business licenses to those whose religious beliefs differ from those held by the government officials on LGBT marriage:"

 

Well, now you can't read. The mayor of Boston said that, and he was reprimanded by the ACLU, and NO business license was ever denied:

http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/07/boston-mayor-backs-off-chick-fil-a-aclu-warns-politicians-to-avoid-threats/

Also, where's the atheist in this story? The mayor of Boston isn't an atheist.

 

As for the Camp Pendleton cross, the US isn't a Christians-only country, there's no reason to have government memorials just for Christians.

 

And same for firesighters.

 

As for city seals, no, you do not have a "right" to have your religious symbols on city seals.

 

"I could go on and on, and on, but the fact is that atheists, and those pursuing secular goals, have attempted to impinge on the religious rights of Americans"

 

Sorry, what you call "rights" are not what I call rights. Some of what you are complaining about above are actually Christians losing special privileges and atheists finally being treated equally, such as the Santa Monica story or the atheist monument (which was put up in response to a ten commandments monument on the same public property).

It's good to hear that you have had such a excellent experience health insurance. For me, my rates jump 10% per year which means I need to change to higher deductible plan with fewer benefits. When I see a doctor, I'm lucky to get 5 minutes of his time so he can make his 12 patients/hour quota. I don't think so highly of that system.

The way the system was heading, only the rich would be able to afford healthcare. With ACA, now every American regardless of income has access to healthcare.

Moosetracker,

 

Since you seem to be a fan of the ACA, please sell me on it. I would really like to know how this piece of legislation is going to make health insurance affordable for the anywhere from 20M to 50M folks who currently do not have health insurance.

Moosetracker,

 

Since you seem to be a fan of the ACA, please sell me on it. I would really like to know how this piece of legislation is going to make health insurance affordable for the anywhere from 20M to 50M folks who currently do not have health insurance.

I would really like to know how this piece of legislation is going to make health insurance affordable for the anywhere from 20M to 50M folks who currently do not have health insurance.

Low income individuals and families (e.g., families of four with incomes under around $33,000) now qualify for Medicare. Others will get a subsidy to help pay for their new healthcare insurance.

Just because someone doesn't have healthcare insurance doesn't necessarily mean they can't afford it. It may be that they can afford insurance but choose to use the emergency room for healthcare which is a terribly expensive taxpayers expense.

Stosh - would you mind sharing your education background (e.g., public, secular private, religious, homeschooling) and religious background (e.g., Baptist, Pentacostal)? I think it would help us understand where you are coming from. One tends to assume that we all have similar backgrounds, attended similar churches and learned in the traditional education system. I may be completely wrong but I'm assuming that you were taught in a non-mainstream education system.

Theory of Evolution (no scientific evidence to support it) assumes things continually improve as time goes on.

 

Natural Law of Thermaldynamics (scientifically proven) says things continually disintegrate as time goes on.

 

So, how's that political evolution thingy working out for you?

 

Stosh

Theory of Evolution (no scientific evidence to support it) assumes things continually improve as time goes on.

 

Natural Law of Thermaldynamics (scientifically proven) says things continually disintegrate as time goes on.

 

So, how's that political evolution thingy working out for you?

 

Stosh

I'm hesitant to call Creationism a "theory" because that suggests that it is a scientific theory. Creationism is a religious belief, not a scientific theory as one can't measure it's effect using scientific principles or techniques.

I have now seen pigs fly. I tried to find this on Fox News, but they seem to have missed it.

What has happened to Marco Rubio? He's been awfully quiet during all this. Oh yeah, he dared to work with Democrats on immigration reform so the GOP no longer trust him.

I was thinking of putting a sign on my door for the trick-or-treaters that read, "Due to the Government Shut-Down this house has no candy," but I think this will work better.

I was thinking of putting a sign on my door for the trick-or-treaters that read, "Due to the Government Shut-Down this house has no candy," but I think this will work better.

There was a two-page paid ad in the WSJ last week by the CEO of Exxon. He was encouraging the adoption of the Common Core standards in our schools and the importance of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). The new Common Core standards, adopted by 45 states so far, will make schools more challenging and more productive. Students will be learning at higher levels in English and math with an emphasis on critical thinking. Of course it isn't without controversy. Conservatives see it as another Obama power grab by nationalizing the educational system.

There was a two-page paid ad in the WSJ last week by the CEO of Exxon. He was encouraging the adoption of the Common Core standards in our schools and the importance of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). The new Common Core standards, adopted by 45 states so far, will make schools more challenging and more productive. Students will be learning at higher levels in English and math with an emphasis on critical thinking. Of course it isn't without controversy. Conservatives see it as another Obama power grab by nationalizing the educational system.

Apparently there is a lot of bickering going on inside Congress between the radical "repeal-Obamacare" Republicans and the less radical "delay-Obamacare" Republicans. The "repeal-Obamacare" faction is accusing the "delay-Obamacare" faction of going along with the shutdown just to raise election campaign money from donors and are not true conservatives (i.e., RINOs, or Republicans in Name Only) because they want delay, not repeal.