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DigitalScout

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Everything posted by DigitalScout

  1. It is mandatory that LDS boys join BSA starting at 8 years old. Every LDS male youth is in a member of the BSA which explains why they comprise a disproportionate percentage, 16%, of the total BSA youth population. Of the general US population, only 1.6% of Americans belong to LDS. Considering the black eye that LDS got when campaigning for Prop. 8 in California to ban gay marriage, LDS may be trying to avoid any additional controversy when it comes to gay issues. I'm not sure that LDS would leave en mass if the BSA gay ban was lifted. After all, they have a large campaign to make gay
  2. KDD, keep in mind that there won't be any mass exodus: Most churches, wards, stakes, dioceses, conferences, etc. are a lot more independent than one thinks. My pastor (Methodist) says that it will be up to the individual churches to decide to sign charter agreements, much like now. He indicated that he would continue to sign our charter regardless if the BSA allows gay people or atheists. But we are in California. A Methodist pastor in Georgia may refuse to sign such charters. The same for Catholics, LDS, Baptists and Presbyterians churches. Our church pretty much allows meeting space
  3. A good litmus test would be if the church charters Girl Scout Troops then they should have no problem with gays in the BSA. GSUSA allows gay scouts, gay leaders.
  4. Maybe I'm wrong. It appears that the SBC is coming around and being more gay-friendly: Southern Baptist Convention Poll More Bad News for Anti-Gay Activists
  5. All COs will HAVE to accept registration from openly gay youth if the resolution passes? I think most (but not all) LDS wards and Catholic churches can live with gay youth in their midst, but what is the Southern Baptist Convention units going to do if this passes? It will be just a matter of time before a gay activist teen registers with a troop chartered by the SBC just to cause a stir. The BSA will have to back the gay youth's registration. That would be interesting.
  6. I thought the local option was a bad idea but it looks like pure genius compared to the 50% Discrimination Solution. I'm completely baffled and bewildered.
  7. This is exactly what a "cop out" looks like. The majority of youth wants change so the BSA recommends allowing in gay Scouts. The majority of leaders support the current policy so they recommend keeping the ban on gay Scouters. So basically there is no change other than a gay youth can't be denied Eagle Scout. Then what? That gay Eagle Scout must promptly leave the premises because their homosexuality is abhorrent? So a core value of Scouting is that gay youth are welcomed with open arms. But once you are an adult you are persona non grata. That makes no sense at all to anyone: cons
  8. No, not really. Every time I introduce my wife, I'm introducing my wife. I'm not telling anyone anything about my sexuality. Sometimes a wife is just a wife. You say "...gay leaders want the same freedom to get dropped off at an event by their partner..." how would "don't ask, don't tell" impact that? It wouldn't. Let's be honest with one another here for a moment - we've had gay leaders in Scouting for as long as we've had Scouting. And I'm sure that "gay leaders have been dropped off at events by their partners" from time to time. And maybe even those inclined to wonder why Mr. Jones
  9. Four gay NFL football players are considering coming out. http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9137573/brendon-ayanbadejo-says-four-players-considering-coming-gay It will be a significant event when these pro athletes came out since pro football it is such a huge part of American culture. If the NFL players come out before the May meeting, it would certainly add more pressure on the BSA to open up scouting to gay people.
  10. The BSA receives all the downsides (bad publicity, vitriol, controversy) and none of the benefits of discrimination.
  11. It's the BSA: we are stuck in the past. Sorry, I couldn't resist.
  12. How about the same thing when Explorer Posts got moved into L4L. Or make gods optional, like it is for oaths in court. As an aside, here's a billionaire former scout on the issue: ALLEN: Should the Boy Scouts of America rescind its ban on gay members and leaders? GATES: Absolutely. ALLEN: …Why? GATES: Because it’s 2013. That is awesome.
  13. What do the scout atheists do now when they recite the Scout Oath? I think the BSA would get a lot more mileage with an "everyone is welcome" message than the current exclusionary policy. I never understood why some people think atheists are such a threat. What's the worse thing that would happen if atheists were welcomed into the BSA? They would be exposed to an occasional prayer, interact with others who believe in a higher power, and see that Christians can be are welcoming and tolerant. It's all upside as far as I'm concerned.
  14. I just completed the survey for leaders. Some of the questions led me to believe that they are not only considering the local option but also considering a uniform policy to prohibit discrimination against gay leaders and scouts. The local option is a compromise policy much like the Missouri Compromise which was an attempt to allow states to choose to be slave and free states. The Missouri Compromise failed and I think the local option policy if enacted is doomed to fail as well. You can't split the baby. Eventually the BSA will have to adopt a uniform sexual orientation non-discrimin
  15. I would really be surprised if there was a final decision in May. My guess is that they will postpone it as long as possible.
  16. I would encourage you to hang in there during this difficult time. This too shall pass. When the gay ban is removed, which is inevitable, then the extremists will hopefully carry out there threat and leave the BSA . Let us know what the COR decides.
  17. Boy, you have a peach of a parent there, BD. IT sounds like he was calculating that it would destroy the two units ahead of the BSA vote. And he will probably quit scouting if the local option is enacted. What are the chances the COR takes no action until the local option issue is decided?
  18. I appreciate everyone's input and the links to other resources. This casts a lot of light on how LDS packs operate.
  19. I read what you wrote and noticed that you never use the term "pedophilia" or "pedophiles" to describe adult sexual interest in children. Do you believe there is a psychological disorder called pedophilia?
  20. AZMike - here's the flaw in your logic: "Lemons are yellow. Lemons are fruit. Therefore all fruit is yellow." ... is equivalent to ... "Homosexual sex is practiced by homosexuals. Homosexual sex is practiced by pedophiles. Therefore all homosexuals are pedophiles." This latter statement summarizes your position, correct?
  21. At our monthly Cub Scout parent meeting last night, someone mentioned that in LDS packs, only LDS members are permitted to be in leadership positions (Cubmaster, Committee Chair, Treasurer, etc.). In other words, non-LDS parents cannot serve on the pack committee. Is this true? What other special requirements or restrictions do LDS Cub Scout packs have?
  22. One problem with arming teachers is that it is that there is an underlying assumption that the teachers are mentally stable. Thomas Hamilton was a scout leader and youth club director. In 1996, armed with 4 handguns (no assault rifle), he killed 16 children and 1 adult in a school in Scotland. He cared very deeply about kids. So giving more people guns isn't such a good idea especially in schools. This incident led to the handgun ban in the UK. It's not so easy to say "just keep guns away from criminals and the mentally ill" because many times people just snap and don't become crimin
  23. The recent debate over gun control has revealed that there sizable segament of our society who doesn't necessary want guns for hunting or personal defense, but to protect themselves against the tyranny of the government. I find this concept baffling. Am I just being naive in thinking that are democratically elected representatives carry out the will of the citizens? And that our constitution, not guns, protect us from tyranny? Do you believe that our representative democracy is, as Abraham Lincoln says, 'a government of the people, by the people, for the people?' If not, then what is
  24. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Best post of the day! You really got me to laugh, AZMike. Some of us really are old-fashioned hippies with Whole Earth Catalogs next to out Firefox books and practicing old-timey skills that most people don't care about. That's pure forum gold!
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