If you've paid any attention at all to the issue, you're probably aware that there are strong links between the Boy Scouts of America and conservative Christian churches. The Scouts present themselves to the public as if they existed to serve the public - but is that really the case anymore? Was it ever really the case?
Liz writes:
Well, I live in a Mormon town. And my son is in cub scouts. The Mormon church is in total control of the scouts!! They use the Mormon rules and regulations. They dont even follow the scout book.
When my son need to do 2 over night camp outs to earn his Arrow of light, They said the church does not allow cub scouts to have over night camp outs!! All den meetings and pack meetings are held at the Mormon church. The Mormon church pays for all scouting activities. The scouts should be held at a community building and not run by the Mormon church or any church for that matter!
I am Mormon and I know we have trouble getting boys to join our pack is because if you are not a Mormon scout they try to make you Mormon or you are treated like dirt!
[original post]
It's certainly legal for an organization like the Boy Scouts of America to exist and serve only the interests of conservative Christianity if that's what they want and if that's what conservative churches want. There's no crime involved in that. However, if that's your organization's purpose there's something deeply immoral and unjust about presenting yourself as something else.
Are the connections between the Boy Scouts of America and conservative Christianity getting stronger over time? Is the situation today worse for non-Christians or even liberal Christians who might be interested in Scouting than it was 20 or 30 years ago?
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