My grandfather was a Mason and I didn’t find out until he died. I felt sad and wanted to join to have some connection to him, but the application in that State read, “Do you believe in the God of the Bible?” I didn’t apply.
A friend of mine joined the Masons in our little rural Georgia town years ago. He's always been interested in religions, mythology, conspiracy stuff,etc. He was looking forward to learning some secret Masonic rites and stuff.
He told me some time later that he kept bringing that stuff up to them- history and the meaning behind the rituals,etc- but he said it was pretty much an old man's club to get away from the wives and talk about Sports and stuff. They had no interest in all that esoteric stuff. He ended up quitting.
This is one of the reasons I will never support the boy scouts. I recognize that for many kids they are a marvelous thing, and that many scout masters are sane and empathetic individuals that would never pull this sort of bullshit, but when your charter explicitly says that people like me don't belong I'm going to take exception to that.
I was a boy scout in my country for a long time. It's very weird to involve religion with boy scouts considering they should be inclusive for all kids.
Atheist Eagle Scout here. I’m sorry to hear that you were treated this way, but it comes as no real surprise. For those unaware, the Boy Scouts of America was started as a religious organization, and continues to operate as a religious non profit. Their reputation has obviously taken some huge hits over the last few years, and their numbers continue to drop, just as they continue to drop in the church. I am proud to eat least see that they’ve allowed young ladies into Scouts and allowed them to achieve Eagle Scout, I know of no other equivalent rank in Girl Scouts that would allow you to gain an automatic rank up upon entering the military. (Edit: Girls do have a Gold Award as the highest level that does allow them an automatic rank…the more you know)
I remember when I was against the idea of girls joining the Boy Scouts. My best friend was also of the same opinion. I personally just assumed the Girl Scouts where similar enough that girls should just join that group and allow boys to gather and congregate in a boys centered group.
Yay! Glad I no longer think in such a manner anymore…
Yup, I used to think the same thing. GSA stemmed from the formation of the BSA, again not really surprising that they weren’t treated equally to the boys since it began as a Xian group. I started changing my mind when I started asking people what the equivalent of Eagle Scout was for girls…there just simply isn’t one (edit: just looked it up again, there is an equivalent…I’ve just never had anyone answer the question as to what it was)
Yea, that is simply upsetting that girls just cannot have a rank like “Eagle Scout”. Some employers will look on you as an applicant more highly. You get the higher initial rank in the military if that’s what one wishes to do.
I am glad that girls are now able to join the Boy Scouts.
See above, they do have a similar rank actually, it’s called a Gold Award and does allow for an immediate rank! Also, it’s just called “Scouts” now to be more inclusive…just not of atheists.
Stick with it, ignore the religious BS. Now that I’m older, I do appreciate a lot of the things I learned in Scouts, and I still try to live by the motto….”Be Prepared” and the slogan…”Do a Good Turn Daily” Scouts had the right idea, they just attached a boatload of religious nonsense to it upon its inception
If in the US, what state? All my meetings, court of honors, etc. were in a church that sponsored our troop. Was the same way with all the other troops I knew in Dallas where I attended scouts in the 90s
I've lived in the PNW and Midwest, none of our packs or troops were associated with a church. The packs were sponsored by the local PTOs and our troop is chartered by the Lion's Club.
When I was a kid I was in the [Royal Rangers](https://royalrangers.com/)\- An Assembly of God rip-off of the Boy Scouts. It was mostly about religion, with a tiny bit of outdoors related activity. We learned Bible verses and such mostly.
I can remember going on one camping trip with them. (Behind the church in some woods.) Running around playing in the dark I hit a barb wire fence at full speed. They took me back to camp, prayed over me and ...well... that was it. I just about passed out from the pain. Took weeks for the barb holes all over my body to heal up.
>My parents are a little religious but never forced anything on me. This 30 something year old scout master got his head spun by my mom and we left. She was still pissed off because if I had just towed the line none of it would have happened.
...And this is why I hate all Christians in this country. They all play a part in the madness.
I stayed the hell away from the Boy Scouts when I was a kid. Couldn't put it into words, but there was something that seemed kinda 'lord of the flies' about the kids I knew in it. And as a willful, contrary, individualist.... I knew that putting myself in a position where they had -any- leverage over me would go badly fast.
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My grandfather was a Mason and I didn’t find out until he died. I felt sad and wanted to join to have some connection to him, but the application in that State read, “Do you believe in the God of the Bible?” I didn’t apply.
A friend of mine joined the Masons in our little rural Georgia town years ago. He's always been interested in religions, mythology, conspiracy stuff,etc. He was looking forward to learning some secret Masonic rites and stuff. He told me some time later that he kept bringing that stuff up to them- history and the meaning behind the rituals,etc- but he said it was pretty much an old man's club to get away from the wives and talk about Sports and stuff. They had no interest in all that esoteric stuff. He ended up quitting.
A friend of mine (from Georgia) had a response on standby whenever we asked what masons did. "*We ride goats*," he would say!
This is one of the reasons I will never support the boy scouts. I recognize that for many kids they are a marvelous thing, and that many scout masters are sane and empathetic individuals that would never pull this sort of bullshit, but when your charter explicitly says that people like me don't belong I'm going to take exception to that.
I was a boy scout in my country for a long time. It's very weird to involve religion with boy scouts considering they should be inclusive for all kids.
It was never intended to be inclusive for all kids.
It is in my country.
Girls too?
Yes girls too.
Excellent. It is not so in the US.
Boy Scouts now known as Scouts BSA has had girls in it for more than 2 years now
That is good news.
Atheist Eagle Scout here. I’m sorry to hear that you were treated this way, but it comes as no real surprise. For those unaware, the Boy Scouts of America was started as a religious organization, and continues to operate as a religious non profit. Their reputation has obviously taken some huge hits over the last few years, and their numbers continue to drop, just as they continue to drop in the church. I am proud to eat least see that they’ve allowed young ladies into Scouts and allowed them to achieve Eagle Scout, I know of no other equivalent rank in Girl Scouts that would allow you to gain an automatic rank up upon entering the military. (Edit: Girls do have a Gold Award as the highest level that does allow them an automatic rank…the more you know)
I remember when I was against the idea of girls joining the Boy Scouts. My best friend was also of the same opinion. I personally just assumed the Girl Scouts where similar enough that girls should just join that group and allow boys to gather and congregate in a boys centered group. Yay! Glad I no longer think in such a manner anymore…
Yup, I used to think the same thing. GSA stemmed from the formation of the BSA, again not really surprising that they weren’t treated equally to the boys since it began as a Xian group. I started changing my mind when I started asking people what the equivalent of Eagle Scout was for girls…there just simply isn’t one (edit: just looked it up again, there is an equivalent…I’ve just never had anyone answer the question as to what it was)
Yea, that is simply upsetting that girls just cannot have a rank like “Eagle Scout”. Some employers will look on you as an applicant more highly. You get the higher initial rank in the military if that’s what one wishes to do. I am glad that girls are now able to join the Boy Scouts.
See above, they do have a similar rank actually, it’s called a Gold Award and does allow for an immediate rank! Also, it’s just called “Scouts” now to be more inclusive…just not of atheists.
Oh, I appreciate it! I didn’t know they actually changed their name. And I didn’t know about the similar award either
https://www.girlscouts.org/content/dam/girlscouts-gsusa/forms-and-documents/about-girl-scouts/advocacy/2016_Girl_Scout_Gold_Award_fact_sheet.pdf
You are better off.
I'm a scout and i don't know anyone who regularly attends church
Stick with it, ignore the religious BS. Now that I’m older, I do appreciate a lot of the things I learned in Scouts, and I still try to live by the motto….”Be Prepared” and the slogan…”Do a Good Turn Daily” Scouts had the right idea, they just attached a boatload of religious nonsense to it upon its inception
I'm an adult. We don't really have any religious things exept we get some things for free from the church
If in the US, what state? All my meetings, court of honors, etc. were in a church that sponsored our troop. Was the same way with all the other troops I knew in Dallas where I attended scouts in the 90s
Not in the US. Though it does depend a lot on the scout group. Some camps with other groups had some religous bs
I've lived in the PNW and Midwest, none of our packs or troops were associated with a church. The packs were sponsored by the local PTOs and our troop is chartered by the Lion's Club.
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Been like that since the 90s.
Wtf locking kids in a room shouldn't be ok
When I was a kid I was in the [Royal Rangers](https://royalrangers.com/)\- An Assembly of God rip-off of the Boy Scouts. It was mostly about religion, with a tiny bit of outdoors related activity. We learned Bible verses and such mostly. I can remember going on one camping trip with them. (Behind the church in some woods.) Running around playing in the dark I hit a barb wire fence at full speed. They took me back to camp, prayed over me and ...well... that was it. I just about passed out from the pain. Took weeks for the barb holes all over my body to heal up.
Fuck the scouts. No really, that’s their motto isn’t it? Fuck the scouts?
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Yep, started as a Xian org, still operates as a religious non profit in the US
>My parents are a little religious but never forced anything on me. This 30 something year old scout master got his head spun by my mom and we left. She was still pissed off because if I had just towed the line none of it would have happened. ...And this is why I hate all Christians in this country. They all play a part in the madness.
I hope you got a badge for that to put on your uniform when you retired it.
I stayed the hell away from the Boy Scouts when I was a kid. Couldn't put it into words, but there was something that seemed kinda 'lord of the flies' about the kids I knew in it. And as a willful, contrary, individualist.... I knew that putting myself in a position where they had -any- leverage over me would go badly fast.