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Eagle Board of Review and God Take 2


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If you're asking if the EBoR may ask a candidate about his belief concerning the nature of God/god/gods, I would say no. I believe that is personal. It is very similar to asking the candidate about his political views and who he is supporting for President. Both topics are personal matters that are beyond the reach of the EBoR.

 

On the other hand, the Board may (and should) ask the candidate how he fulfills his "Duty to God", and/or his "Duty to Country".

 

It is an important difference.

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I agree with Trevorum. I'd be disinclined to acquiesce...it means 'NO'.

If they want to ask about 'reverence', that is OK. 'Reverence' is an abstract concept that anyone can discuss.

'God' is a different matter and means so many different things to so many people so as to make the question idiotic. It's almost as if the board would consider itself some kind of authority on the subject of 'God', capable of passing judgement on a boy.

They are not.

Such personal aspects of life are improper at a BOR. It is a review, not an inquisition.

 

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Much depends on the Scout sitting the Board!

 

If his faith is weak, you may not want to probe down that rabbit hole very far. Check the block and move on.

 

OTOH, if the young man is passionate about his faith, let the conversation develop and flow.

 

That applies to any subject: Let the Scouts' own passions help shape the content of the BOR... probe the weaknesses, reinforce the strengths.

 

At the risk of sending this thread down the lyrical path, an EBOR is not Torquemada and "The Inquisition."

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Barry, you are fortunate.

 

I know of Eagle Board members who consider themselves Horatius at the Bridge to keep "atheists" from becoming Eagle Scouts. They ask pointed questions and the only acceptable answer to them to "Do you believe in God" is "I accept Jesus Christ as my personal savior."

 

The effort is made to train Board members and to identify and remove individuals like this. They are becoming much less common, but they do happen.

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Neil,

Indeed we have a fellow like this in our troop. He is a fine Scouter but is somewhat myopic when it comes to religion. We have found responsibilities for him that do not involve sitting on Boards of Review.

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They ask pointed questions and the only acceptable answer to them to "Do you believe in God" is "I accept Jesus Christ as my personal savior."

 

Then they don't understand the question they are asking.

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I agree with Trevorum and Packsaddle - it should really be a question about Reverence, and about Duty to God.

 

OTOH - it depends, OGE, by what you mean by God. If the question about God is about a specific "God", then the answer is an unqualified absolutely not.

 

If the question about God is about the BSA defined meaning of "God", which is all inclusive to mean any God, or some higher power (even if that higher power is, as has been suggested by a BSA Spokeperson as a possibilty, a rock), and it doesn't result in a negative impact on the lad, then I would say its a fair question to ask - though I would hope that it be worded in such a way as to talk about the concepts of Reverence and Duty to god.

 

Calico

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well, when I am wrong, boy I am wrong

 

I started the Music Man lyric tribute to lighten the other thread. Then things got out of hand, mostly because of my efforts. I asked the question because that was the original posting. Actually I should have copied the original post:

 

"What do you think of a Eagle board of review that dares to ask the scout if he believes in a god?

 

Isn't that a violation of separation of church and state?

 

Are they allowed to ask such questions?

 

I can understand questions about scouting stuff, but about a belief in a god is going a bit far, don't you think?

 

Macy

(This message has been edited by MacyM)"

 

I can see questions on how the scout is reverent and how he does his duty to "God and my Country". If his belief system is gods and Country, he explains how he does it as well

 

 

 

 

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I think questions about the scout law and oath are well within the range of questions acceptable.

 

However if the question becomes about the scout's God, then that crosses the line into personal stuff. Same as asking the scout about his sexual preferences. Off limits. However, I do see that line crossed now and then.

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Yah, I think da only problem is when a scout gets surprised by somethin' on an Eagle Board.

 

If there have been "God conversations" at First Class, Star, and Life, then they certainly won't be a surprise at Eagle, eh? And the boy may have actually thought about it and grown over that time, because adults opened him up to dialog about something he hadn't given much thought to before.

 

I think God, relationship to God, duty to God, reverence, etc. are all fine headings that encompass a whole mess of conversation that can be simply delightful with a young Eagle candidate. They can also become ugly or odd if an adult takes 'em that way because of a personal hangup.

 

Of course, dat's true about "Loyal" or "Obedient" or "Mentally Awake" too, eh?

 

Faith is part of the public discourse, part of personal character, part of what makes the world go 'round. It shouldn't be put under a basket or shoved into a closet as though it's somethin' dirty. Scouting is one of the only places a lad can have a conversation about faith with adults, because it's become "taboo" in school and many other areas.

 

I say, let such conversations flourish, in good will. They belong as part of an Eagle Board of Review.

 

Beavah

 

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