My son officially became an Eagle Scout last night

during his interview (abut 30 minutes in length) they asked him what point of the scout law he would change. He told them that he woudl get rid of reverence. After they picked up their jaws (one of the interviewers is big into the religious merit badges) they spent the next 10 or so minutes discussing this with him. They told him they were impressed as most kids just say that they believe all the points are important and wouldn't change anything.

And good for him to be honest about his principles. We are having a minor issue with our Webelo about religion.

Eagle Scout is not an easy accomplishment -- it's one of those that is truly an honor. Well done, Son of Beer Snob-50!

My other son is also an Eagle and I was scoutmaster of their troop and he was the 7th and last Kid to make Eagle.

What kind of minor issue are you having if you don't mind me asking.

Mr. Brickbat made Eagle Scout back in the day, and he's very proud of it.

We live in a very "blue" area, but the Cub Scout pack is incorporated through a Baptist Church (which is highly, highly unusual here, but in a small town/rural area, you take what you can get with volunteers, you know?). The kids had their religion talk a few weeks ago and the leader, who is a Baptist pastor, asked the boys what religions they were.

I do not object to that at all, because we knew that going into it that there is an understanding that church is involved. But I wish I had prepared my son for a direct question like that, because we don't go to church. Mr. Brickbat was raised Lutheran, I was raised Catholic; we are both working toward atheism.

SO. My son came home and said, "Uh, mom? I told a white lie today." And we had a big talk about principles and whether you lie about yourself to participate in something fun, or do you stay true to yourself and exclude yourself, or do you try to find a middle ground (hard to do, when you're 11!).

I do welcome moral difficulties in my children's lives, I think that's important. And IMO and in Mr. Brickbat's experience, the Boy Scouts troops up here are much more concerned about keeping wolves off your ass during winter camping on a frozen lake than what church you go to. So we muddle along.

and in the scheme of things your sons white lie is not that big a deal. plus it seems he knows right from wrong from his confession to you.

before i became leader (when my oldest son was just starting out) we were kicked out of the church that sponsered the troop because the person who was a go between for the church and the troop thought they were not spirtual enough.

I think there are so many good things that come out of Scouting -- I see it in my son -- and it's frustrating when those good things are pushed aside.

Losing the lip service to "reverence" would probably enable them to ditch the homophobia.

but unfortunatly, lord baden powell thought that religion should be an important part of a boys life.

the Girl Scouts have always been inclusive. I recently found out that the founder of the Girl Scouts in the US was deaf & insisted that *all* girls be able to participate, so perhaps that's why. :shrug:

dg

I'm glad I never had to make the call vis a vis BoyScouts,
because I have 2 atheist daughters....

But if you're going to participate in an organization
that discriminates, you should at least speak out about
it, so good for him!

I know it takes an awful lot of work to get there, and it's especially hard if, as you suggest in your OP, your worldview is not exactly simpatico with the BSA's. Well done, both in getting to Eagle and sticking to his guns!

I made it to Webelo before I dropped out to do the Band Thing full time. Do they still do the order of the Arrow? Or is that something else? Me memory is done failing....

this son was the only one in his troop to complete that also.

and he had to sacrifice a goat and two virgins

One of my best friends was an Eagle Scout, and he was (is) the least 'reverent' person I know besides myself. In fact, during his Boy Scout years, he and his buddies named their patrol "Judas Priest". :rofl:

I was never in scouts myself. Even at the age of 8, I didn't like uniforms. But my nephew is a Cub Scout and it is helping him tremendously with social skills and self-confidence. If he ever gets as far as your son, I wonder what he will propose. At the age of 7 he asked his mother "if god made everything, who made god?" Smart one, that kid!

it is incredible what kind of self-confidence you get after doing some of the things these kids had to do (ie building a shelter and spending the night in the woods)

I think more kids should be in scouting. (Not just boy/girl scouts, but other kinds of scouting).

mine also makes it. :)