Are Taoist boys allowed to join BSA?

[Trevorum 24]

sigh.

 

 

I can just hear your mother saying when you were little, "Brian, you are SO stubborn!"

[packsaddle 753]

Not the term I've been thinking...'feisty'. Yeah, that's it, 'feisty'. Like a Jack Russell with an old shoe. Fun to watch and a great excuse to buy a new pair.

 

 

Edited part:

Heck, this is as good a place as any. Looks like my scouting days are about over. I just got offered a job I can't refuse. Wow, I can hardly believe my luck! Anyway, I'll be spending a lot of time in beautiful exotic places and living among many beautiful exotic people...and not killing them. But that pretty much puts the end to my time available for the troop so I guess I'll reduce the BSA membership by one as of next registration.

(In case anyone is wondering, it has nothing whatsoever to do with any BSA policy )

This has been in the works for a while now and I was afraid that it really WAS too good to be true. But it happened today. If any of you guys ever make it to the nature island of the Caribbean, drop me a line. I'll stay registered here just in case...and I'll probably lurk for a while as well....kind of like that Dave Steele guy who thinks everyone forgot about him while he watches these threads... but I didn't forget. Hear that, Dave?

Ya'll play nice now. Wooohooo!(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

[VigilEagle04 10]

12 pages is a lot to read through, so I apologize if these things have been said.

 

When I was on camp staff, it was found out that I was of a neo-pagan faith. There were some issues that arose (I live in the Bible Belt) and was told by a District Commissioner that this could mean the end of my Scouting career. So I requested clarification of the guidelines from a professional, and they got one from national. Being as this was 8 years ago, I now longer have this saved, but they essentially said as long as there was a belief in something higher than yourself, all was fine. It was very broad, and if I ever find it, I will let you know of the exact wording.

 

As for the religious emblem, if there is no formal structure for the religion within the United States, than the religion will not have a representative on the board within the national offices that oversees the religious emblems. Many religions are left out because of this, but it's understandable. The BSA needs a representative and a formal structure to recognize in order to recognize the religious award. This was another issue I had brought up back then, as there is a religious award created for neo-pagans that is not recognized.

[jhankins 10]

VigilEagle04, I'm glad you mentioned this. I know that COG has created materials and is now just waiting to form the scouting units required to become recognized by the BSA formally.

 

I was just addressing this concern and a similar situation you mentioned with a member of the wood badge staff for this year that's Wiccan. This person's family is an asset to scouting and the boys "get" the program. Many have attempted to drive them out of scouting because of their beliefs, but in the end they look like fools for not being tolerant and following the Scout Law.

 

Thanks for sharing.

[LIBob 10]

 

Hey VigilEagle,

It's good to meet you.

 

a quick aside:

B-P spent a lot of time in Africa. He acquired a distaste for many of the folks he met there, (both his assigned enemies and his assigned allies,) and he acquired a profound admiration and respect for the Zulus.

 

As he scouted for the British Army in Africa he often had Hindus, Muslims, and people of various African religions under his command. Some he loved some he hated.

 

Legend has it that he developed two versions of the Scout Oath. According to one website (take it for what it's worth,):

 

According to tradition, Baden-Powell wrote an alternative oath called the Outlander Promise for Scouts who could not, for reasons of conscience, recognize a duty to a King (the norm in the USA), for individuals or members of religions (such as Buddhism, Taoism, and others) that do not worship a deity, and for members of orthodox religions that do not use the name of God in secular settings. . . .

http://www.inquiry.net/ideals/b-p/law.htm

 

I don't know if the legend is true. What I do know is

1) it makes sense to me, and . . . . meh I'll spare you the long-winded personal thoughts. welcome and well met.

 

 

 

 

[LIBob 10]

HELLO AGAIN ALL AND THANKS FOR THE MANY REPSONSES.

 

 

I have been away from the forum a month or so (my son and I and some select friends, including the Taoist family have made this the "50-mile summer.")

 

Thanks you for all your responses.

 

While I remain interested in this question in a general sense, the specifics no longer apply. The family in question has decided that their kids will apply themselves to competitive swimming and that as a result they will not join scouting.

 

They remain a very "outdoorsy" family, in fact next weekend I will participate in a camping trip they organized.

 

Their family and mine are hiking across Long Island TWICE this summer, and they are allowing me to set the mileage/agenda according to PJ's Hiking MB needs, but they are not joining scouts.

 

The swim team their family has chosen is INTENSELY competitive (practice begins at 6am every weekday, HS swimmers shave their legs and do twice-dailys)and they simply will not have time to become full and true members of scouting.