Reply to Is Boy Scouts a thing now? DS wants to get into it, but I have some concerns.

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]My issue with BSA is not that it's a religious organization or even that religious underpinnings were the basis for overt discrimination against homosexuals for over a century (since that is currently being addressed - finally).  My objection is that it specifically discriminates against one specific belief system while accepting all others in a manner which is capricious and has, as many people have pointed out, pretty much nothing to do with their core activities or the values of good citizenship that they promote.

As the poster who suggested that atheists believe that they are the "be-all and end-all of the universe" has demonstrated, this promotes the pernicious, widespread, and demonstrably false belief that atheism is antithetical to strong personal morals and good citizenship.  I cannot support that message.

Think about how you might feel about the BSA if, instead of excluding atheists, they specifically excluded Hindus, or Buddhists.  What if the rule was "no polytheists allowed" or "no Wiccans" or "no Scientologists?"  Discrimination against atheists is still accepted in this country in a way that discrimination against other belief systems is not.  It shouldn't be.[/quote]

I just do not think it is possible for one private organization to be everything to everybody.  An atheist on this thread has already said that they allowed their kid to participate in scouting because their kid really enjoyed the activities.  Maybe that poster didn't agree with the wording in every ceremony but they were respectful enough of the organization and the other members to adapt.

So I disagree that BSA discriminates against atheists.  No one is going to demand proof that you have religious beliefs. You are free to attend the meeting and simply go through the motions if that is all it is to you.  But you shouldn't expect flag ceremonies or anything with a religious component to be done away with just because you don't have religious beliefs.[/quote]

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