Weblos religious emblem requirement

[printman31 10]

Hopefully someone can answer this question.

I know the BSA policy on religion. But what I don't know is how does a child that has no particular religous preference earn the faith emblem? What I mean is that there are parents that teach their children about Jesus & GOD. But choose not to participate in any particular church.In other words they're non denominational.

BSA policy is that one must believe in a higher power. Not belong to a church.So how does a non denominational child go about earning the faith emblem under the Weblos requirements?

[Trevorum 24]

Earning the faith emblem is not a requirement for the Webelos rank. It is an option. The boy may elect to earn the faith emblem OR he may complete 2 of 6 listed activities.

 

Not all faiths have religious awards programs. Boys who belong to these faiths do not have the option of the first option.

 

The families of some boys may identify themselves as non-denominational Christian. These boys can earn the God and Family award which is available to any Christian denomination.

[Lisabob 13]

First, Trev is absolutely right that earning the emblem is not a requirement for Webelos (this is an either/or requirement. Rather than earning the emblem the boy could do the alternate requirement with his family, without belonging to any organized religion).

 

Alternately, a boy and his family may choose for him to earn an emblem from a faith to which he does not subscribe. While I suppose this is a bit unusual, it might be viewed as a sort of educational experience, learning about someone else's faith. I know a few boys who have done this, including my own son. For my son I think it gave him a deeper understanding and appreciation of the religion whose emblem he earned. This, despite the fact that we don't belong to that church and in all likelihood probably never will.

 

(PS, keep in mind that a boy need not be a Christian to be a scout. So you may have families who do not teach their child anything about Jesus, too. That's ok with the BSA, which is not a Christian organization.)(This message has been edited by lisabob)

[SSScout 1616]

Lisabob has it right. At the Cub level, and even the Scout level come to think of it, the parents decide what constitutes religion for the boy. At least until the boy says different.

My favorite story about earning religious awards be patient with me if you read the other thread):

I met a Boy Scout at a formal event. He had THREE religious awards dangling. G&C, Ad Altare Dei, and Ner Tamid. I asked him how he had come to collect these three. He said his mom was Jewish, his dad Catholic and his Troop met at a Methodist church, so he thought why not be "fair to everyone". Evidently the religious authorities had no objection.

 

"Reverence to God and reverence for one's neighbour and reverence for

oneself as a servant of God, is the basis of every

form of religion. The method of expression of reverence to God varies

with every sect and denomination. What sect or

denomination a boy belongs to depends, as a rule, on his parents'

wishes. It is they who decide. It is our business to respect

their wishes and to second their efforts to inculcate reverence,

whatever form of religion the boy professes."

== Robert Baden-Powell ==