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End of the road for AHG?


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AWE, The American Heritage Girls have dissolved their mutual support agreement

 

http://www.ahgonline.org/uploads/AHG..._Statement.pdf

 

 

This was being discussed in another thread but I felt this topic should be its own thread.

 

Now I'm injecting my own opinion here but I always saw AHG as a way for Boy Scout leaders who knew the BSA system and saw GSUSA as foreign (lack of chartering organizations, outdoor program, etc.) to create an alternative program that was also more religiously conservative. Also since BSA and GSUSA don't usually play nicely. This partnership allowed BSA COs to have a parallel program for girls under their organization that would allow families to find a program to accommodate their sons and daughters.

 

However AHG got its start by mooching off the BSA. Its YPT was the BSA YPT with amendments and rather than develop an advanced volunteer leadership course they sent their leaders to Wood Badge.

 

Can AHG stand on its own with out the BSA?

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My left-leaning take on the whole issue going on is that conservative groups within the USA, still reeling from all of the changes that occurred in the 1960s, have made slow organized efforts to gain control of American institutions. Such groups are successfully taking control of my current employer, a major aerospace company. They had a major champion for eight years during the Bush administration. For a generation they have successfully dominated the BSA.

 

What we are now seeing is a backlash, or if you prefer, a pendulum swing. Failing to take dominate the GSUSA, the far right organized their own girl scouts, the AHG. Losing their domination of the BSA, the far-right BSA members are now organizing to form their own scouting group for boys.

 

Will they succeed?

 

From their perspective I think they will. They have the financial backing and the institutions to promote and carry them into the future. Religious institutions are powerful organizers.

 

Will the BSA recover and build up again? I hope so. Even though I am still ineligible for membership I am going to start regularly donating now. The BSA is in for some rough waters. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next 10 years.

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Religious organizations have been running their own youth programs for years. Some based on a scouting-type model some not. Religious organizations own camps. Religious organizations have youth program leaders and youth protection policies. The SBC is promoting their Royal Ambassador's program already. The AHG existed before the BSA MSA and they'll continue to exist. They may be uniquely positioned to take advantage of this particular situation.

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I am entertained by the Faith based Boys

 

I wonder who their leaders are going to be????

 

Purity – Adult members are called to live a life of holiness, being pure of heart, mind, word and deed, reserving sexual activity for the sanctity of marriage; marriage being a lifelong commitment before God between a man and a woman.

 

So no divoreee's, single parents, no grandparents raising grand kids no aduterers.....I wonder about kids conceived out of wed lock......

 

Of the guys I work with, all college educated engineers and Cad assistants, Not one of their adult children has had a child in wedlock......It is more common for them to live together than get married..... I can say my cub parents are very similar.....

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Actually, I think I'll pitch this to my church (who look to be parting ways with the PC/USA over similar issues). The downside of the BSA was the lack of program for young girls. A cohesive, parallel program for both sexes will has a lot of appeal. ... Thanks for the link H67! ... What's really interesting: they are not explicitly excluding homosexual youth. Be neat to see how that plays out.

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It looks like AHG is assisting the formation of a Christian-only organization called "Faith Based Boys."
Doesn't seem to be any substance to this group. Nothing specific about programs or methods, just that they are a Christian organization. I don't think the organization can succeed on faith alone. If they are as successful as AHG they will have about 20,000 members. Wow.
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I am entertained by the Faith based Boys

 

I wonder who their leaders are going to be????

 

Purity – Adult members are called to live a life of holiness, being pure of heart, mind, word and deed, reserving sexual activity for the sanctity of marriage; marriage being a lifelong commitment before God between a man and a woman.

 

So no divoreee's, single parents, no grandparents raising grand kids no aduterers.....I wonder about kids conceived out of wed lock......

 

Of the guys I work with, all college educated engineers and Cad assistants, Not one of their adult children has had a child in wedlock......It is more common for them to live together than get married..... I can say my cub parents are very similar.....

Just because no human being can live up to a standard of perfection is no reason to stop trying to do so.
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I find all this concern about churches leaving BSA to not follow what I am experiencing. My pack is charter in a catholic church. When I was informed this winter that the church will not be able to charter the pack afher this year. (Due to the school building being rent to a charter school and thus us not having access and nothing to do with the vote.) The first group I contacted was the other catholic church in town. They not only agreed to charter us but they were excited about it. Even after the vote when I took the paperwork over to the father to sign he was happy the pack would be there. I informed the new church that over half of the members of the pack our not catholc. In fact the boys very from catholic, baptist and muslim. Again new church said no problem.

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I find all this concern about churches leaving BSA to not follow what I am experiencing. My pack is charter in a catholic church. When I was informed this winter that the church will not be able to charter the pack afher this year. (Due to the school building being rent to a charter school and thus us not having access and nothing to do with the vote.) The first group I contacted was the other catholic church in town. They not only agreed to charter us but they were excited about it. Even after the vote when I took the paperwork over to the father to sign he was happy the pack would be there. I informed the new church that over half of the members of the pack our not catholc. In fact the boys very from catholic, baptist and muslim. Again new church said no problem.
And that is exactly what I am hoping must churches do...Focus on the boys, and the advantages of Scouting, instead of obsessing about one thing...Hats off to that church for being so accepting of all, regardless of faith!
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I find all this concern about churches leaving BSA to not follow what I am experiencing. My pack is charter in a catholic church. When I was informed this winter that the church will not be able to charter the pack afher this year. (Due to the school building being rent to a charter school and thus us not having access and nothing to do with the vote.) The first group I contacted was the other catholic church in town. They not only agreed to charter us but they were excited about it. Even after the vote when I took the paperwork over to the father to sign he was happy the pack would be there. I informed the new church that over half of the members of the pack our not catholc. In fact the boys very from catholic, baptist and muslim. Again new church said no problem.
Last night, I went to an Eagle court of honor of a boy whose troop is sponsored out of the Catholic church. Talked to the priest about being a scout in his country (Vietnam, in the '60s) -- the boys got some very impressive wilderness training.

 

Point being, the parishioners worked hard to get their troop off the ground, the new membership policy is not going to stand in their way of keeping it going.

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I find all this concern about churches leaving BSA to not follow what I am experiencing. My pack is charter in a catholic church. When I was informed this winter that the church will not be able to charter the pack afher this year. (Due to the school building being rent to a charter school and thus us not having access and nothing to do with the vote.) The first group I contacted was the other catholic church in town. They not only agreed to charter us but they were excited about it. Even after the vote when I took the paperwork over to the father to sign he was happy the pack would be there. I informed the new church that over half of the members of the pack our not catholc. In fact the boys very from catholic, baptist and muslim. Again new church said no problem.
It's such a win for the Church. It's what my local Priest told me. "Through Scouting some of these boys with no contact with the Catholic Church will have a positive impression of the Church, and some with religious leanings but no church maybe become Catholic. If not, we've performed a great service to the boys in the town."

 

 

 

Sentinel947

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