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To: tnlibertarian
Don't confuse the question of atheism with Scouting's acceptance of all religions. IIRC from long ago, merit badges relating to "religion" were available in all varieties -- Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim at least, as I remember.

I checked the web site for the national Boy Scout Jamboree, and found the following:

A Scout is Reverent The 12th point of the Scout Law—A Scout is Reverent—illustrates just how important spirituality is to the Boy Scouts of America. All Scouts, no matter what religion they practice, have a home and brotherhood in Scouting and at the 2001 National Scout Jamboree.

Nearly 6000 Catholic Scouts and adult leaders stood in heavy rain and unseasonably chilly temperatures to celebrate Mass at the Boy Scout National Jamboree being held at Fort A.P. Hill, VA. Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, the Apostolic Nuncio Presiding over the Mass was joined by Bishop Walter Sullivan, of the Diocese of Richmond, VA, and Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger of the Diocese of Evansville, IN. who serves as the Episcopal Liaison between the Catholic Church and the Boy Scouts of America.

Approximately 145 chaplains, representing 19 religious denominations, provided spiritual direction and guidance to Scouts, Scout leaders, and visitors who attended the jamboree. The jamboree's 20 subcamps, which house 1,700 Scouts and leaders apiece, will have a chaplain of each Scout's faith, including Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, and more.

47 posted on 06/16/2005 12:43:24 PM PDT by BohDaThone
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To: BohDaThone; tnlibertarian
When I was a scout, I started going for something called a "God and Country" award. It still exists and is a part of what BSA calls their Religious Emblems Program. It is not a Merit Badge. You can find information about it at the link below:


http://www.scouting.org/nav/enter.jsp?s=xx&c=xm
55 posted on 06/16/2005 1:14:17 PM PDT by NathanR (Mexico: So far from God; So close to the USA.)
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