More intolerance from the Boyscouts

by crownboy 22 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  crownboy

  It's a shame that such bigotry can still exist in America today.

  http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20021105/ap_wo_en_po/us_atheist_scout_2

  Atheist says he's been booted from Boy Scouts Tue Nov 5, 3:16 AM ET

  By GENE JOHNSON, Associated Press Writer

  SEATTLE - A teenage atheist said he has been kicked out of the Boy Scouts for refusing to declare a belief in a higher power.

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  Darrell Lambert said he was told of the decision earlier Monday by the Chief Seattle Council, the Scouts' regional governing body.

  "Am I bitter? No. Disappointed? Yeah," he said. "We're in the 21st century. Our country was founded on religious freedom, and the Boy Scouts of America are still discriminating."

  Lambert said he plans to appeal the decision within the Scouting council within the required 60 days. He is a top-ranked Eagle Scout with 37 merit badges.

  On membership applications, Boy Scouts and adult leaders must say they recognize a higher power, although not necessarily a religious one.

  As a private organization, the Boy Scouts can bar anyone it chooses from membership. The organization's ban on gay leaders was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2000.

  The issue arose about a month ago, after Lambert attended a Boy Scout leadership training seminar where he argued with a Scout leader about whether atheists should be expelled from the organization.

  Last week, the council said it would give him about a week to declare his belief in a higher power. Lambert refused, saying that to lie would make him a bad Scout.

  The Irving, Texas-based Boy Scouts of America did not return calls seeking comment Monday.

  Lambert, 19, said he has been an atheist since ninth grade, when he concluded that science had disproved the accounts of creation given in the Bible.

  He had declared his atheism to the Scout leaders overseeing his Eagle Scout application last year, but was still granted the award.

  "They commended me on my honesty," he said.

  His mother told CNN that no one in their family attends church, and that her husband is also an atheist.

  "Darrell's not just fighting this for himself. He's fighting this for all the Scouts that have no real belief in God," Trish Lambert said.
• 

  Mary

  Sorry, but I don't have any sympathy for this kid.........he SIGNED something saying he believed in a higher power.......in other words, he lied. Now however, he's claiming that the Boy Scouts are discriminating against him because he's an athiest and doesn't really believe in a higher power.

  This'll end up going to court after court and the Boy Scouts will probably lose, because god knows, we can't discriminate against someone who doesn't believe in God.........on the other hand, you can have your ass kicked out of public school if you happened to believe in God and try to say a prayer.........

  Give me a break............
• 

  DakotaRed

  I have to agree with Mary. I was a Boy Scout for many years and a belief in God was spoke about constantly. To me, his ruckus equals an atheist suing to be a Deacon in any church.

  Lew W
• 

  Brummie

  I gots no sympathy either, its like going into a pub and refusing to buy the beer and crying a pity story when he is asked to leave.

  No doubt there was plenty of other do good groups he coulda joined.

  Brummie
• 

  joannadandy

  an atheist suing to be a Deacon in any church

  Actually it's nothing like this.

  The kid himself said (and he has been in it for years, people aren't allowed to change their beliefs? IF that was the case all of you people would have to stay dubs because you got baptized) he used to just be agnostic, he wasn't sure what he believed, but then started to become an atheist. He brought this up to a scout leader and he basically told him he could not lead a good civic lifestyle without a belief in God, and that he should lie if he wanted to stay.

  It's bogus! And it is discrimination.
• 

  RandomTask

  The boy scouts is a private organization, they decided to kick him out, they don't owe him anything, he should just deal with it and join an organization that doesn't care about your religious beliefs.

  Its not like this was a job or something, its more like a club the supreme court has already ruled that they can exclude who they want..
• 

  joannadandy

  So in that case random Jehovahs Witness's are justified in Shunning. They are a religious group with rules. You either follow them and buy into them or not, or kiss you butt goodbye?

  Fair enough...
• 

  RandomTask

  Legally? Yeah. I agree it sux, but thats why we get people out of these organizations
• 

  crownboy

  Mary said:

  Sorry, but I don't have any sympathy for this kid.........he SIGNED something saying he believed in a higher power.......in other words, he lied.

  Not quite so, from the article it says:

  He had declared his atheism to the Scout leaders overseeing his Eagle Scout application last year, but was still granted the award.

  "They commended me on my honesty," he said.

  So the Scout leaders already knew he was an atheist, even commending him, and still allowed him to be an eagle scout. Now all of a sudden, they change the rules on him and expect him to lie about what he believes?

  Of course I agree that the Scouts should be able to dictate who can be a member. I just think it's sad that they use such stupid methodology to choose members, though. Belief in god is not needed to be a moral person; the boy should be judged on his actions and not his beliefs. But I'm especially upset at the fact that they essentially "changed the rules in the middle of the game", and are now rejecting a person who has long made his beliefs known, but has nontheless long been accepted and respected by the group.

  BTW, kids are never kicked out just for praying in public schools. I went to public schools in very liberal New York City; I knew lots of kids who prayed organized on school grounds and never were suspended, expelled or even harassed. School sponsored prayer is what is illegal, as the government (through public schools), should not be endorsing religious beliefs in violation of the Constitution. I actually have no problem with school sanctioned daily "moments of silence", though I understand why more rabid church state seperationist are opposed to it. Just as long as outright prayer isn't there, I'm satisfied .
• 

  DakotaRed

  If you have changed your beliefs and they are now contrary to an organization, why force the organization to go along with you? As in leaving the JWs, my beliefs changed and I left the organization, I did not expect the Watchtower to conform to me. If you no longer believe in something, time to leave it and move on.

  This notion that everything must cater to one is dead wrong, in my opinion. There are plenty other organizations to join and still have your new beliefs intact.

  Lew W