Any good Boy Scouts out there?

[mrbiscoop]

Trustworthy
Loyal
Helpful
Friendly
Courteous
Kind
Obedient
Cheerful
Thrifty
Brave
Clean
Reverent

I can't imagine anyone who knows me calling me cheerful and am only intermittently thrifty. Bravery is dependent on the situation. I don't like the word obedient, it implies blind obedience to me. No problem with reverence except when it is applied to anything religious. The others more or less.

[Backspace]

Forgot one: Homophobic (at least at the corporate level).

[Nam]

I was a Weblos(sp?) As a child but only for a few months. It bored me. But my brother was a Boy Scout 'til he was 14.

-Nam

[Traveler]

Forgot one: Homophobic (at least at the corporate level).

Yes, I hear fairly regularly about boy scouts (and former boy scouts) returning their badges, saying they won't support an anti-gay organization.

[Garja]

Actually stayed in to age 18, Eagle Scout.

I have a lot of mixed opinions about the BSA.  I'm pro-gay and anti-religion, but otherwise I think the organization does a lot of good.  Im very conflicted actually.

[LoriPinkAngel]

Trustworthy
Loyal
Helpful
Friendly
Courteous
Kind
Obedient
Cheerful
Thrifty
Brave
Clean
Reverent

Two questions.
1.  Which of these traits are they afraid they will not be able to instill in homosexual young men?
2.  Which of these traits are they demonstrating by excluding homosexual young men?

[Garja]

Having to tap into some memory here.....  What he listed was the Scout Law.  The Oath is (I think) as follows:

On my honor, I do my best to do my duty to God and Country.  To obey the Scout Law, to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

I cant say if that word held the same meaning when the organization started that it does today, but its the closest thing I can remember to an official statement.

[magicmiles]

I couldn't help but think about how a boy scout might display all of these over one weekend (a camping trip)

Trustworthy

Brings along the tents, as promised

Loyal

Tents from the same supplier the Scouts have always used.

Helpful

Notices some of the tents are ripped. Repairs them.

Friendly 

Introduces himself to a new scout and his family who seem interested in the tents.

Courteous

The new scout's Dad works for a rival tent supplier and seeks business. Politely declines.

Kind

The new scout starts crying form home-sickness once the bus pulls away. Cheers him up by doing tent impressions.

Obedient 

At the scout leaders command sets up all the tents.

Cheerful

Keeps smiling even after finding out there will be no 'cleanest tent' award.

Thrifty

Tells current tent supplier that there's a rival sniffing for business. Obtains discount for next order.

Brave

Offers to share a tent with 'Fred the flatulent'

Clean 

Ensures tents are pitched close to amenities block

Reverent 

Listens attentively to tales of tents from years gone by.


PS. I agree that their stance on homosexuals is ridiculous.

[screwtape]

Yes, I hear fairly regularly about boy scouts (and former boy scouts) returning their badges, saying they won't support an anti-gay organization.

When boyscouts try to sell me some crap as I come out of a grocery store, I tell them I don't support religious paramilitary organizations.

[Seppuku]

I was once a scout, but I don't think there were any homophobic undertones, but then we're probably talking about different organisations. Though I could be wrong, I was just a kid. I actually got bored of it after a while.

Offers to share a tent with 'Fred the flatulent'

Does it count if the guy you're sharing a tent with shits himself? 


However, this whole homophobia nonsense is just ridiculous, you can't just go out and exclude kids from having fun or even getting involved with the community because they're gay, they're not gonna hurt you. It's not as if they'll be raping the other boys in the middle of the night. Seriously, gay kids get enough shit as it is from other kids without adults making life shitty for them too. If anything the adults should be encouraging kids to not discriminate. But they'll hide behind this wall of "it's our religious beliefs" as if that gives their position more respectability. As if they abide by all of the old testament laws. It's not religion, it's just bigotry.