That was basically a response to the tone of both you and Meadmaker - it's not perfect but it's a great experience.
Then you’ll also have noted where I said Boy Scouts was not for everyone? Because I did say that, and I fully understand that some people have had very bad experiences in Scouting for any number of reasons. Some people have had very bad experiences camping, but would I suggest that they go? Well, yeah, if it’s something you’re interested in, you should probably give it a shot. Just because there have been people who didn’t agree with the camping concept, doesn’t mean that you should curtail your enthusiasm for the idea.
The same holds here for Boy Scouts. If you’re not interested in allowing your son to pursue Boy Scouts, that’s completely understandable. But that’s not going to stop me from expressing the idea that some boys get a great deal from the experience, and that the organization, on the whole, is a good one.
I am sure you had great experiences, I am sure plenty of boys can attribute good qualities to their time in boyscouts. I would overlook their ideas but in order for my son to have those types of experiences he would have to lie while taking his oath.
You probably should review the Scout Oath then:
On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God an my country, and to obey the Scout Law. To help other people at all times, to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight. [emphasis added]
While I am certain your son is a fine, upstanding young man, just as both of mine are (though one hasn’t learned to stand, much less sit up, yet), I would be highly skeptical of him doing his duty to his country at all times. I would also be interested to know if he actually lends assistance to all people at all times, or if this cuts into his workout schedule at the gym while he attempts to keep himself “physically strong”. I’d be interested to know how he manages to be “mentally awake” during all hours of the day, especially with all that helping other people “at all times” and the previous mentioned gym schedule? Or does he find that, like most youth his age, the growing up, hormone changes, rewiring of his adolescent brain into its adult state, school schedule, extracurricular activities, etc., sometimes leave him run down? And what does he consider to be “morally straight”? Is this the same as what you consider to be morally straight, or is it slightly different? Which morally straight does he follow, and does he follow it at all times in all cases, or does he find that there are certain situations where he adapts his moral code to fit the circumstances?
And let us not forget the Scout Law, mentioned within the oath:
A Scout Is:
Trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, clean, brave, and reverent.
I’ll forgo the bulk of this list, as obviously no child could ever be all these things at all times. But I would like to ask just how obedient your son is to you and (I assume) his mother? Does he do all his chores without ever losing that “friendly, courteous” air that a Scout must maintain? Do you have to remind him about his cleaning his room, or is he always helpful in this regard, loyal to each of your rules in all cases at all times?
Sarcasm aside here, the key words I highlighted above within the Scout Oath are just that:
key words. A Scout promises to do their best, but it is clearly understood that no Scout is perfect (except for when my son joins Scouting, and then I fully anticipate that the BSA will award him his Eagle on the spot). If a Scout doesn’t have a God(s), then it’s clear they have no duty to be met, so that part of the Scout Oath can hardly be considered broken. On the other hand, if your son breaks other parts of the oaths in small or big ways, are you still willing to overlook them? Or is your only complaint the issue with religion, and if so, why not the other parts?
I never said hatespeech, as a matter of fact hatespeech isn't even a crime in my book. However, when you teach 11yr old minds that you need religion to be good and homosexuals can't be trusted around young boys, it plants a seed in their minds.
No, you didn’t say those things, and I didn’t say you did. But regardless of my being pedantic on this point, you should be aware that you’re conflating the issue: there is no teaching of bigotry or homophobia involved in Scouting. There is nothing within the Boy Scout Handbook which teaches homophobia, hate speech, or bigotry. This is a
policy of the BSA at the top of the organization, which typically impacts adult leaders who are “avowed” (known, out, found-out, etc.) homosexuals. It is an idiotic practice, and many at the top of the BSA Councils are continually attempting to get this changed, both in regards to religion and in regards to homosexuality. It
can be an issue depending on the unit leadership. It
can also be an issue in almost any other part of society that you or your son chooses to participate.
At the unit level, there has never been a merit-badge for heterosexuality or “correct marital relationships”. Religious awards are not only not required, but have no impact on rank advancement and are not emphasized by the BSA (and it sounds like not emphasized by any other Scouting organization in other countries). In general, there’s actually a lack of emphasis on this part of Scouting. Such awards must be earned through the sponsoring religious organization themselves.
I agree with you, and previously stated, that the BSA is completely backward in regards to their policies on these matters. But the reality of Scouting, the Oath, the Law and the stated policies of Scouting do not generally correlate. They certainly, at least in my experience, do not teach homophobia, intolerance, or bigotry.
