TigerBoy
December 4th, 2012, 04:59 AM
While the Boy Scouts of America continues to exclude the LGBT and secular from its ranks in the face of widespread condemnation and haemorrhaging financial sponsors, the UK's movement is now making changes to its oath to permit non-religious or atheist children to make their pledge without being excluded or forced to lie about their beliefs.
Scouts welcome atheists a century after Baden-Powell demonised them
To the founder, Lord Baden-Powell, it was as much a peril for a young man to avoid as gambling, drunkenness, swearing or the wiles of the opposite sex.
But more than a century after the Scouting movement was founded, it is finally preparing to recognise atheism on a par with Christianity and other religions.
The association is consulting its members on plans to draft an alternative oath without references to God, allowing atheists to become full members and Scout group leaders for the first time.
It follows accusation of discrimination and intolerance after an 11-year-old boy was barred from full membership because he said he did not believe in God.
George Pratt was told he could not join 1st Midsomer Norton Scout Group in Somerset, after saying he felt unable to make the traditional promise to do his best to do his “duty to God and to the Queen, to help other people and to keep the Scout Law”.
Full article: Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9719221/Scouts-welcome-atheists-a-century-after-Baden-Powell-demonised-them.html)
Scouts welcome atheists a century after Baden-Powell demonised them
To the founder, Lord Baden-Powell, it was as much a peril for a young man to avoid as gambling, drunkenness, swearing or the wiles of the opposite sex.
But more than a century after the Scouting movement was founded, it is finally preparing to recognise atheism on a par with Christianity and other religions.
The association is consulting its members on plans to draft an alternative oath without references to God, allowing atheists to become full members and Scout group leaders for the first time.
It follows accusation of discrimination and intolerance after an 11-year-old boy was barred from full membership because he said he did not believe in God.
George Pratt was told he could not join 1st Midsomer Norton Scout Group in Somerset, after saying he felt unable to make the traditional promise to do his best to do his “duty to God and to the Queen, to help other people and to keep the Scout Law”.
Full article: Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9719221/Scouts-welcome-atheists-a-century-after-Baden-Powell-demonised-them.html)