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.

  • Zammy95@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    8 months ago

    Please do atheism and agnostics next. I finished all the way up to doing my eagle project, all I had left was to finish some paper work and I would have gotten my eagle. I quit right about then, because what was the point? They were just going to take it away from me later for not believing in some magic book, I wouldn’t be the first they did it too. Absolutely ridiculous.

    Edit: Any magic book** they don’t even discriminate against other religions is the part that drives me even crazier. You just NEED to believe in one.

    • Dojan@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      8 months ago

      What? As a complete outsider (I’m from Sweden, scouts isn’t a thing here) what does scouting have to do with religion? Why would they discriminate against atheists?

      I thought scouting was about natural sciences, and helping out in the local community? Which to me sounds pretty nice!

      Edit: Scouts are a thing here in Sweden. Thank you for the corrections, I’m quite baffled I’ve managed to miss that.

    • Olgratin_Magmatoe@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      8 months ago

      I was in a similar boat. Luckily they didn’t ask me if I believed in god during the actual board of review, so I got my eagle in the end.

      Still a super shitty aspect of scouts.

    • Cethin@lemmy.zipEnglish
      1·
      8 months ago

      I just didn’t mention my beliefs. I think I was asked vaguely about it and I vaguely answered, but if you’re still able to I’d say to do it. Having the eagle scout behind you can open some doors. It can’t hurt.

    • hostops@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      01·
      8 months ago

      TLDR: Scouts are about nature AND religion. Not just nature. There are many organisations that are just about nature. Feel free to join them.

      Why should they not discriminate against atheists?

      For real. Just because you believe it is about nature? Scout organizations are clearly about nature AND religion.

      Join an organization that is just about nature.

      In my country we have two strong scout organisations. One religious and one not. Religious one focused more on a personal growth and the other one more on nature skills. (Well some of my friends in religious one were atheists they just had to practice the same activities)

      Churches do not accept atheists. Chess clubs discriminate against non chess players.

      But if they would include non chess players, chess clubs would have no meaning.

      One can see you do not hold religions in high regard, but please allow people with the same interests and believes to meet and express themselves together in a peaceful manner.