r/BSA•
Thirstybears

Is it time for the BSA to become accepting of secularism?

First of all here's a bit of background on myself: I grew up in a scouting family. My grandfather made it to Life Scout, my father is an Eagle Scout, and my younger brother and I are Eagle Scouts. I started out as a tiger cub in first grade and have been involved in scouting ever since. I am involved in Order of the Arrow, a service organization for my summer camp (Tribe of the Silver Tomahawk for those of you who might be familiar), and have been to three high adventures in my time as a youth scout. I plan to apply for Philmont staff next summer as well.

In recent years, I'm now in college and have started to think about some of the aspects of my life and religion is one of them. I grew up with a loving Catholic mother, and a loving Methodist father, and considered myself a Christian for most of my life, albeit always having my doubts and not really being that invested in it. Since being in college, I've given religion some thought and have essentially decided that I am what's called an Agnostic Atheist. This is a person who doesn't know if there's a God or not (hence the agnostic side) and also a person who doesn't actively believe in one (hence the atheist side). I believe this tends to be the most popular form of both atheism and agnosticism.

Since realizing what I truly believe, I have begun thinking about how my belief could coincide with something I hold near and dear to my heart, the BSA. I've researched it a bit, and the BSA has had this to say about secularism:

"The Boy Scouts of America maintains that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to God. In the first part of the Scout Oath or Promise the member declares, ‘On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law.’ The recognition of God as the ruling and leading power in the universe and the grateful acknowledgment of His favors and blessings are necessary to the best type of citizenship and are wholesome precepts in the education of the growing members."

This is somewhat disheartening to me and I haven't found any true movements to change scouting's policy (like Scouts for Equality). Do you guys agree that scouting should be more accepting and inclusive to those of us who believe in secularism? The BSA says that it won't accept me as an adult leader, even though I aspire to be one for my son one day, and I hope to change that.

Posted Feb 25, 2016, 1:38 AM UTC

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