The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/20749204

Another positive step in the right direction for an organization rife with brokenness. There’s a lot I don’t like about the organization, but this is something a love–a scouting organization open to young women and the lgbtq community. The next step is being inclusive of nonreligious agnostic and atheist youth and leaders. As well as ending the cultural appropriation of Native American peoples.

May this organization continue to build up youth, never allow further violence against youth, and make amends for all the wrongs. There’s a lot of good that comes out of organizations like this and I won’t discount it even though it’s riddled with a dark history.

  • Rivalarrival@lemmy.todayEnglish
    9·
    7 months ago

    The next step is being inclusive of nonreligious agnostic and atheist youth and leaders.

    Technically, they already are, with the possible exception of nihilists.

    The scout oath does include a “duty to god”, but they do not define what they mean by “god” or “religion”. Instead, they explicitly leave those definitions to the scout.

    The only requirements they actually have on the subject of religion is 1. tolerance for the beliefs of others, and 2. “reverence” for your own creed.

    Under their policy, “the laws of thermodynamics” is a perfectly acceptable “god”, and “In this house, we respect the laws of thermodynamics” is a perfectly acceptable “religious” creed.

    “The environment” is a perfectly acceptable god, and “we must preserve and protect our environment” is another perfectly acceptable “religious” creed.

    I readily concede that their policy is needlessly complex. It would be easier to just drop the “duty to god” and “reverent” requirements entirely.

    • zarkony@lemmy.zipEnglish
      7·
      7 months ago

      I agree with most of your points, but I don’t know, I think I would keep the reverent in the scout law, even if the oath changed.

      As a (nonreligious) scout, I always interpreted the reverent more as being respectful than actually religious. More like respecting the beliefs of others, or being respectful and solemn in a cemetery or a war memorial.

      There’s nothing else in the scout law that conveys that feeling, and I feel like the law would be missing it if it were dropped.