Re: Street's Ousting Of The Boy Scouts An Act Of Political Cowardice


Chimp wrote:
Stan wrote:
Chimp wrote:
Stan wrote:

Chimp, you are now getting beyond the scope of this discussion with all
the what if's and what about's.

Your inability to defend and follow through your "arguments"
is noted.

As I said a while back, it's a matter of trying to walk the fine line
between Freedom of Religion and BSA's Code of Conduct. I feel that
my proposal fully balances both of these, and should be acceptable to
EVERYONE except those bigots who want it only their way,
unconditionally.

Your proposal allows an atheist boy to join provided he
frequently promises to do his best not to be an atheist
any longer. And you think that should be acceptable to
atheists, do you?

Would it be acceptable to Jews if Jewish boys were allowed
to join provided they frequently promised to do their best to
to be Jews?

And would Jews who regarded this as unacceptable be
"bigots who want it only their way"?

Even in this discussion, you object to any statement in
the Code of Conduct that includes a Duty to God,

Well sure, I object to a boy being _required_ to take
a "duty to God" oath as a condition of access for any
program associated with public bodies. (I've no
objection to an optional "duty to God" oath.)

And I bet you'd object to compulsory "faith in Jesus"
oaths, wouldn't you?

while Hugh might object to not being allowed to verify
a boy's compliance to that part of the Code of Conduct.
I feel being equally unfair to both extremes is the best
compromise available.

"Extreme"? How can you regard verifying a boy's oath
as "extreme"? Hugh can verify compliance with any
other part of the oath, why is it "extreme" to allow him
to verify that part?

I'm with Hugh on this. If it is stated, it would be _meant_
and should be open to verification.

And I feel that verification violates a boy's religious freedom.

Of course you would want verification. If there weren't, you would
have to find something else to object to (like the Arabs having to find
new excuses for murdering Jews after Israel ended the occupation that
the Arabs were resisting).

Oh, and thank you for admitting that you are being
"unfair" (even if "equally" so) to our demand for
religious freedom in line with Article 18 of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

And as for available compromises, how about
allowing an alternative oath with no "God" in it,
at least for those troops associated with public
bodies.

It works for many Scouting organizations
worldwide, including the UK, Switzerland,
Thailand, and as you've so kindly informed
us, Israel.

What other Scouting organizations do is their own business. Remember
that even a country like Israel could not put In God We Trust on their
currency because of differences of religious opinion (and, just like a
Scouting Handbook that would contain a written representation of God's
Name, there would be an issue as to whether the currency is a holy
object).

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Challenge to Stan
    ... And Stan thinks public schools should ignore the ... in the face that the "duty to God" wording was inclusive ... Jews who would claim that such an Oath is a 3rd ...
    (rec.scouting.issues)
  • Re: Streets Ousting Of The Boy Scouts An Act Of Political Cowardice
    ... the Code of Conduct that includes a Duty to God, ... a "duty to God" oath as a condition of access for any ... as "extreme"? ... Hugh can verify compliance with any ...
    (rec.scouting.issues)
  • Re: Challenge to Stan
    ... And Stan thinks public schools should ignore the ... in the face that the "duty to God" wording was inclusive ... Jews who would claim that such an Oath is a 3rd ...
    (rec.scouting.issues)
  • Re: Challenge to Stan
    ... And Stan thinks public schools should ignore the ... in the face that the "duty to God" wording was inclusive ... Jews who would claim that such an Oath is a 3rd ...
    (rec.scouting.issues)
  • Re: Challenge to Stan
    ... that Stan can't answer. ... in the face that the "duty to God" wording was inclusive ... Jews who would claim that such an Oath is a 3rd ...
    (rec.scouting.issues)