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I’d much prefer to see this forum be used for discussing model railroading, but since this conversation is still continuing, another perspective does need to be heard. I used to be involved with Scouting, as an Explorer, and later on as an adult volunteer and chaplain for another Explorer Post. At that time at least the Posts were affiliated to some degree with the local Boy Scout Council. And for reference material, we happen to have on hand in our house Boy Scout Handbooks printed in 1936, 1944, 1970, and 1972. The message in all of these editions is consistent with how I approached my chaplaincy, and to my mind, at odds with the current doctrine of exclusion. In all of these editions, the definition of the Scout Law -- A Scout is Reverent is spelled out as: “He is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties, and respects the convictions of others in matters of custom and religion.” The Revised Edition printings of ‘36 and ’44, and the 7th Edition printing of ‘70 do not expand at all on the Scout Oath of “morally straight”. But the 8th Edition of ’72 does. And it does so in a manner consistent with the long established definition of reverent. Page 37: “Morally Straight -- You are honest, clean in speech and actions, thoughtful of the rights of others, and faithful to your religious beliefs.” And on page 51, there is a further addition to the explanation of reverent: “There are many different religious beliefs in the world. Some are like your own. Others are very different. The men who founded the United States of America believed in the right of all men to worship God in their own way. This is a great heritage they have given us. Scouts can strengthen it by their actions.” The ideals of Scouting are (or at least they used to be) pluralistic -- people of all different faiths are encouraged to live according to their own faiths, and to respect each other. Respecting others is an equally important part of being reverent. Scouting is not limited just to Christianity, and certainly not just to certain denominations, or even just to Biblical faith traditions. Buddhists, Hindus, Pagans, Unitarian Universalists, Zoroastrians, and many others are all part of the fabric of American society and of Scouting. Today, the problem facing Scouting in America is not that gays want to join, but that some leaders want to impose their sectarian religious doctrines on people of other faith traditions and use this to exclude gays. Its perfectly fine under US law and Scouting ideals for some religions to define being gay as immoral * within * that religion and to take whatever internal sanctions they like. It is not OK to define morality for people who follow a different faith, or who live under an atheistic morality. In quite a few religions and denominations, homosexuality is morally acceptable. It is not the established custom for Scouting to exclude any religion, or to make any religion pass a doctrinal litmus test before it is welcomed. Those who are trying to do so now are wrong. They are weakening our great heritage by their actions. When the Scouting leadership took away the right of the Unitarian Universalist Association to give out its Religion In Life medal because they personally disliked the UUA’s teaching on homosexuality, The Scouting leadership was not only violating the principle of respecting others religions, they were in fact asking Unitarian Universalists to actively go against their own religious teachings. That’s not the Scouting I grew up with, and its not the way of respect I taught as a chaplain. Everyone was welcome to join the post regardless of their religion. For all of them, I believe their own sense of morality was strengthened by contact with others who believed and lived differently. And every one of them was encouraged to live their best within their own beliefs. We had theists, polytheists, atheists, and agnostics, and they could all engage in conversations of how to best live their lives and how to get along with others. The ‘Golden Rule’ works quite well without having to bring any Gods or Goddesses into the equation. Being ‘Reverent’ and ‘Morally Straight’ within a pluralistic society and pluralistic vision of Scouting really is as easy as it is spelled out in decades worth of Scout Handbooks: Be faithful in your duties and beliefs and respect the convictions of others -- which means they must be free to be faithful to their own duties and beliefs even when those are different than your own. Maureen
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