Boy Scouts 'a religion'?

I've been involved with the Boy Scouts for 11 years. I am a card-carrying Eagle Scout and take every aspect of scouts very seriously, and the scouts do not teach theology. Certain aspects of the scout oath mention a duty to 'God,' but not any particular 'God.' You can be Rastafarian for all they care. The only other aspect is the "Reverant" aspect of the Scout Law, which only requires that you respect the beliefs of others.

Once again, how is this bad?
 
Kagom said:
It's typical of people to assume I'm a liberal.

They are religious in nature. They have group prayers before each meet and often refer to God. But they are typically are open to anyone joining, but they are dominantly Christian.

There are no group prayers that are institutional to the Boy Scouts. If that is taking place, it is a local happening.
 
GunnyL said:
There are no group prayers that are institutional to the Boy Scouts. If that is taking place, it is a local happening.
I guess so. I was just told that group prayer was intrinsical to Boy Scouts, so I assumed it was done all over America. At least that's what our Scout Master had said.
 
Kagom said:
It's typical of people to assume I'm a liberal.

They are religious in nature. They have group prayers before each meet and often refer to God. But they are typically are open to anyone joining, but they are dominantly Christian.


I've never known a 'conservative' homosexual. ;)

Religious in 'part' or religious in 'nature'? "in nature" means predominately, imo.
 
dmp said:
I've never known a 'conservative' homosexual. ;)

Religious in 'part' or religious in 'nature'? "in nature" means predominately, imo.

they are all over the san francisco bay area.....hard core right wing and very religious.....they are fun to argue with....log cabin republicans....
 
Kagom said:
I guess so. I was just told that group prayer was intrinsical to Boy Scouts, so I assumed it was done all over America. At least that's what our Scout Master had said.

I was a military brat. I was in Cub/Boy Scouts in Key West, FL. Monterey, CA, San Antonio, TX, Washington DC, Iraklion, Crete, and Miami, FL. I don't recall once opening nor closing with a prayer.

I will say I would have thought nothing of it had there been.

I was on one Little League team that said a prayer before and after every game. The coach was an Army Captain and CHAPLAIN. :laugh:
 
Again, though, I'd like to address what I believe is the central question here: HTF does this become a federal matter?

If a religious prohibition is written into the California state constitution, then fine. The people have had their say, and the BSA at least enjoys some possible remedy - to wit: either proving that the state prohibition is not applicable to their organization, or by trying to change the law. This is the tack the agnostics' legal team should have taken.

But, no - they had to drag the ACLU into it, which - of course - means dragging the matter into federal court. This is how the ACLU operates; they advance their agenda by making the excercise of constitutional freedoms they don't like COSTLY. And - believe me - they really, really DON'T LIKE the concept of representative government.

It's hard to blame the individuals and organizations who opt to cut their losses, and bow out of this legalized exercise in tyranny. But, where - I ask you - does it all end?
 
Hagbard Celine said:
What's the "argument" over? The boyscouts do adhere to expressly religious Christian ideals so technically they are a religious organization. Right?

I am sure the jewish boys i went to scouts with will be very surprised to learn that.

Anyone familiar with scouts know that all religions are more than welcome to join. There are even specialized religious awards you can earn for your own faith.
 
Hagbard Celine said:
I have common sense and I say they are a religious organization. :talk2: Even so, I'm still going to send my boys into the boyscouts. They teach 'em how to tie knots and stuff boys need to know.

You have common sense? could have fooled me...:p:
 
musicman said:
A better question than, "Is BSA a religious organization?", comes from the link itself:

"Why should the judiciary 'rule' at all, in a democratic republic, on such a core cultural question as to what constitutes 'a religion' in America? That is, why should three unelected lawyers sitting as judges, or perhaps nine unelected lawyers on the Supreme Court, 'rule,' instead of a decision being made by deliberations and vote by elected representatives after procedures in which citizens have an opportunity to be heard?"

Why exactly should judges declare an organization a religious organization when they make no claim of being one.
 
Kagom said:
It's typical of people to assume I'm a liberal.

They are religious in nature. They have group prayers before each meet and often refer to God. But they are typically are open to anyone joining, but they are dominantly Christian.

I know several football teams that have group prayers before games and refer to God in discusion amongst each other. Does that mean a football team can be a religious by nature?
 
Avatar4321 said:
Why exactly should judges declare an organization a religious organization when they make no claim of being one.

Not disagreeing with you at all, Avatar. But, my point is that, whether or not BSA is a religious organization, is immaterial to the central issue - that being:

What's this thing doing in the federal courts to begin with? This is for the people of California and their duly elected representatives. This is precisely the kind of matter our founding fathers strictly - EXPRESSLY - forbade the federal government to stick it's nose into. Judicial activism flies in the face of the Constitutionally-designed separation of powers; it is the weapon of choice for elitist tyrants.

BSA has my sympathy and support. That they are anything but a force for the good is not even open to serious debate. But, "Is it, or is it not, a religious organization?" is the wrong question. It shouldn't even have to get that far. We should be asking, "What damned business is it of the Ninth Circuit?"
 
dmp said:
I've never known a 'conservative' homosexual. ;)

Religious in 'part' or religious in 'nature'? "in nature" means predominately, imo.
I've met conservative homosexuals. They're very...interesting, needless to say.
 

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