I think the Boy Scout's is a rich white people thing personally. i'd rrather have my kid learn that stuff from me, or with me. Organizations like it support a lot of things I don't value-like gawd, and stuff.
While troops can vary, and I can empathize slightly with the fear that homosexual males are also pedophiles (Not necassarily true obviously, but I can understand where the uptight whiteys get it from. Damn bibles.) I have never met a single Scout Leader I'd trust with my kids-and not just in a sexual way. (Which would honestly be the last of my concerns until I had reason to think otherwise) I just don't trust a lot of people to begin with, let alone christians. (Yes, I absolutely discriminate based on anyone of the thirteen protected discrimatory harassment catergories. Fuck politically correct.)
I don't know why you'd think it's a rich white people thing. Wealth has nothing to do with it. I guess blacks don't get into camping like white people do, but there's more to it than camping, and there are a lot of urban troops.
I'm sure there are parents out there who teach their kids all (or most, anyway) of what they can learn in scouting, but they're uncommon. If you're one of them, good for you. I'm not saying that all kids need scouting, but I think most can benefit.
I'm also not saying that all troops are ideal. Most aren't, come to think of it, but some do what they're supposed to do, and excel.
As far as religion goes, not all troops have any kind of religious orientation at all. I was in my troop for over twenty years, and I can count on one hand the number of religious servies or religious-themed activites we did. If a boy wanted to do that sort of thing, we were supportive, but through all the various leaders, we almost never suggested it.
What it boils down to, is that I was on the inside and on the front lines. I know what the organization is capable of, and it's a pretty damn good thing.
I thought that Boy Scouts had to do something regarding religious activities in order to get a particular badge. I read of some conflicts with agnostic and athiest parents over this. I'd be glad to know it's not true.
The boys can earn religious emblems. Any church that wants can submit requirements for an award that anyone who follows that religion may earn. They're pretty basic requirements, and they're never required under any circumstance. In my twenty years in scouting, I bet our troop didn't hand out half a dozen of them.
You may be thinking of religiouis activities in general. Most troops will have a sunday morning "church" service, when they're on an outing. Such an ecumenical service would be required, and some kids would balk. But to believe in a god is a requirement. On the rare occasions we held such services, the kids who didn't believe or didn't care to participate were asked to show some respect and sit quietly. It's like the homosexual thing, don't make a stink about it, and nobody cares. If you're in the right troop, anyway.
Hm, maybe I'll find out more about what I had heard. It was something about needing a particular badge to move up to the next level. If this kid didn't meet requirements related to religious participation, he couldn't advance in the Scouts, and it was a real problem for his agnostic mother (more than for the Scout himself!).
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chiming
no subject
Date: 2005-03-30 10:11 pm (UTC)From:While troops can vary, and I can empathize slightly with the fear that homosexual males are also pedophiles (Not necassarily true obviously, but I can understand where the uptight whiteys get it from. Damn bibles.) I have never met a single Scout Leader I'd trust with my kids-and not just in a sexual way. (Which would honestly be the last of my concerns until I had reason to think otherwise) I just don't trust a lot of people to begin with, let alone christians. (Yes, I absolutely discriminate based on anyone of the thirteen protected discrimatory harassment catergories. Fuck politically correct.)
no subject
Date: 2005-03-31 04:17 am (UTC)From:I'm sure there are parents out there who teach their kids all (or most, anyway) of what they can learn in scouting, but they're uncommon. If you're one of them, good for you. I'm not saying that all kids need scouting, but I think most can benefit.
I'm also not saying that all troops are ideal. Most aren't, come to think of it, but some do what they're supposed to do, and excel.
As far as religion goes, not all troops have any kind of religious orientation at all. I was in my troop for over twenty years, and I can count on one hand the number of religious servies or religious-themed activites we did. If a boy wanted to do that sort of thing, we were supportive, but through all the various leaders, we almost never suggested it.
What it boils down to, is that I was on the inside and on the front lines. I know what the organization is capable of, and it's a pretty damn good thing.
no subject
Date: 2005-03-31 05:37 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2005-04-01 03:50 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2005-04-01 05:58 am (UTC)From:You may be thinking of religiouis activities in general. Most troops will have a sunday morning "church" service, when they're on an outing. Such an ecumenical service would be required, and some kids would balk. But to believe in a god is a requirement. On the rare occasions we held such services, the kids who didn't believe or didn't care to participate were asked to show some respect and sit quietly. It's like the homosexual thing, don't make a stink about it, and nobody cares. If you're in the right troop, anyway.
no subject
Date: 2005-04-01 06:55 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2005-04-01 04:07 pm (UTC)From: