Wiccans Offer Alternative to Boy Scouts

CNSNews.com ^ | October 31, 2002 | Michael L. Betsch

[H8DEMS]

(CNSNews.com) - Frustrated by an unsuccessful campaign to achieve religious recognition from the Boy Scouts of America, a Seattle-based Wicca church has launched its own youth program, which is based on tolerance for different beliefs, including differences in sexual orientation.

SpiralScouts founder Pete 'Pathfinder' Davis believes that many of the things the Boy Scouts are doing are "socially inappropriate." He said he created to the SpiralScouts to "fill the void left by prejudicial treatment of other established children's programs."

Davis, who serves as the Archpriest of the Wiccan Aquarian Tabernacle Church, said his main argument with the BSA is that the group has refused to recognize Wicca as an acceptable form of worship, but at the same time, the BSA incorporates the symbols of myriad Christian denominations into its Religious Emblems program.

He said the Scouts rejected a Wicca badge that was designed and submitted by a well-known Wiccan priestess.

In 1999, Davis created the SpiralScouts as the Aquarian Tabernacle Church's "answer" to the Boy Scouts and other youth organizations that subscribe only to "traditional" faiths. Today, the SpiralScouts welcomes children of all ages (four and up) and backgrounds, including Wiccans, pagans, atheists and homosexuals.

Davis said practicing Wicca is not a mandatory activity for the 50 SpiralScout units currently operating across the U.S., Canada and Switzerland. Beyond fostering a respect for nature, it is up to each SpiralScout unit leader to decide whether they will teach children the principles and philosophy of the Wiccan religion.

The vast majority of the SpiralScout units are operated by Wiccan groups and churches, he said.

"When we started to formalize the program, we designed it in a fashion that it's oriented towards earth religion, but so is Scouting, whether they realize it or not," Davis said. Unlike the "pervasive" use of Christianity contained within the BSA, the SpiralScouts was created to accommodate the spiritual beliefs of any minority religious group, he said.

SpiralScouts describes itself as a work in progress. It says it offers children the opportunity to develop interpersonal and life skills and a pagan world view, in addition to learning "the usual handicrafts of scouting and woodland lore."

Boy Scouts dismiss rejection

According to BSA spokesman Gregg Shields, religious emblems are the property of approved religious scouting organizations and are awarded at their own discretion. For example, he said the National Catholic Council on Scouting and the National Jewish Committee on Scouting each have their own unique religious emblem.

"There is no national Wiccan organization," Shields said. "So, that's why there is no religious award for Wiccans."

He encouraged any Wiccan group that would like to charter a troop in their community to submit an application to their local BSA council for consideration.

Focus on tolerance

According to the SpiralScouts membership requirements, it is imperative that parents and leaders promote religious and cultural tolerance so their children may learn to co-exist with society as a whole. Specifically, the group encourages children to accept the "differing roles of male and female throughout nature and culture."

Contrary to the Boy Scout policy of excluding homosexuals - a policy upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court - the SpiralScouts welcomes homosexuals within its ranks. Davis explained that the Wiccan religion accommodates homosexuals because its philosophy is focused on the "balance of polarities" of that exist in nature.

For example, Davis said the SpiralScouts mandates that leaders of individual units should include both a male and a female. However, he said the rules are flexible because some adults, such as homosexuals, "believe themselves to be embodying masculine or feminine characteristics."

Davis believes that such a male/female balance of leadership ensures a SpiralScout's positive integration into the real world. "Children are not born with prejudices," he noted. "They have to learn prejudice and intolerance from others."

Defiance of 'extreme right'

According to the group's handbook, "SpiralScouts is something new, something perhaps of historic proportions for modern Paganism. It certainly will have an unmistakable impact on Pagan children growing up in this era of Christian extreme-right domination of our culture."

According to the SpiralScouts' interpretation of the pagan philosophy, children participating in the program will learn to honor "both the maleness and femaleness we all harbor within us," as the handbook put it. "Perhaps, if we are lucky, even a few parents who may need some brushing up on these same skills may reap benefits just from being there with the children while the kids learn these things."

[Alex Murphy]

This so called whacko group will NOT hurt children, MORON!!

Yeah! So hurry up and get into the oven, dammit!

[Bob Quixote]

Evidence?

[Bob Quixote]

"Satansists United"! AKA ant-Christ.

You aren't even smart enough to be a good bigot.

[Bob Quixote]

OK, once again from the top--Wiccans do not worship Satan. Satanism is a reaction against Christianity. Paganism existed before Christianity.

[biblewonk]

Evidence?

Ahem...Most male wiccans that I know directly or indirectly are gay. An amazingly high percentage of male wiccans that I read about on their own web pages are gay.

Evidence, sorry, just my own personal observation.

[Aric2000]

Whatever Alex, you are as clueless as the rest of the fanaticals here.

If you do not know about Wicca, then please keep your food hole shut.

The boy scouts choose not to have pagans in their organization, so be it, why shouldn't we, as pagans, start our own group that does the same thing?

The boy scouts have every right to do what they wish and have whatever rulse they wish, it excludes us and our children, therefore we have EVERY right to start a group that does the EXACT same thing as the boy scouts for our own children to feel accepted and learn about nature, etc, etc.

I was baptised Catholic, became a christian, then found out that niether was what I was looking for NOR needed.

Wicca has been a real joy for me, if you don't like, well that's just too fricking bad as far as I am concerned.

You be what you need to be and I will be what I choose to be.

[biblewonk]

No problem, like I said before, many idiots will claim to be Wiccan without understanding the actual religion.

Interesting, how can you be a wiccan wrong? "An it harm none do thy own will". I guess if you are into harming it would be the wrong way to be a wiccan. It seems like the doctrine is very open ended.

Yes, there are many gays, since they find acceptance.

Well, I have seen some, but I do not associate with them. However, what does this have to do with religion? This is between a person and his/her God.

What 'this' do you mean?

[Bob Quixote]

I guess your experience has been much different from mine. I am not a Wiccan, but I know quite a few Wiccans/pagans. In fact, my current girlfriend is a pagan, as well as my last one. Neither could be described as "anti-male," nor did they become involved with paganism through any specific animosity toward Christianity (except maybe through the intolerance of some of its followers). And as far as the men, I haven't met one who is gay. Not, as they say on "Seinfeld," that there's anything wrong with that...

[weikel]

Wiccans are weird but they've never shown themselves to be anything but harmless. Commies and muslims are a diffrent story. The boy scouts are a private club and can exclude anyone they want.

[American in Israel]

It is something you are born with and have no choice about.

Now where have I heard that one before? -grin-

Seriously, I started wiccan in 1970, with as much science as I could fit in trying to understand esp. Ended up progressing into full blown witchcraft and getting into a few wars with the local covens. I was the only survivor of my group, I figure the other coven was wasted beyond recovery. Flying high I moved to another town and was flattened. Humble pie was the main course. Ended up getting tagged by a few black ones with a pretty nasty demon. Dang thing tormented me for a year till my Cousin and his wife popped it like a firecracker one day "In the name of Jesus". When I saw that thing dry up and blow away in a flat second I KNEW who God was real quick like. I was freed in more ways than one that day.

Been glad ever since. Best decision I have ever made, deciding to let Jesus pay the price I could not. Yep I serve Him, am darned glad I get to. Don't deserve it, but MAN is it FUN. Just what the heck you think I am doing in Jerusalem?!

I am walking a walk of humility and power. Demons flee when I walk in the room cause HIS name is written on my forehead. But it is not the power that I am glad of, but that I am called by HIS name. I have never been so loved in my life. God is my friend. Has had to spank me more than once but hey what are Dads for?

It has been a blessing chatting with you Humble. Be careful, you live in a very dangerous world. Hope to meet you some day and share a Freeper Coffee. If you ever have a odd question or two, Freepmail me.

Goodnight, and may the Creator of all bless your dreams, your hearth and your family. May He see fit to protect you from those who wish you harm and reveal his Power to you. Beh shem Yeshua HaMachich. (oh that is a prayer, not an incantation -grin-)

[Rustheman]

"When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire [an ancient occult practice], or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination [detestable] to the LORD..."

Deuteronomy 18:9-12

[biblewonk]

I was grabbing at words when I said anti male. Obviously the many married and hetero female witches are not anti male. I guess what I was trying to say was that they don't like the Christian views on the masculanity of God and gender roles.

So, do you know a lot of hetero male wiccans? Have you not noticed a larger than average percentage of gay males among wiccans? That's really my point. Is there really nothing wrong with that? ;-)

[Hunble]

Oh boy, how to I address this huge subject in simple words.

"An it harm none do thy own will".

The word WILL was used for a very important purpose. It was not "do anything you desire" or "hey, anything is allowed."

No, the word WILL was used as an expression of your Spirituality and Morality.

There are many times in your life that you may desire to do something, but because of your morality, your WILL prevents it from happening. This is Wisdom, Experience and is a major part of educating a new Wiccan.

This is so close to the Christian "Golden Rule", it is often used in debates on religious history.

[Zathras]

They were considering NAMBLA but the name was already taken.

[Hunble]

Hope to meet you some day and share a Freeper Coffee.

I will take you up on that offer, and hope that the two of us may be able to talk to each other in person one day.

Remember, I also raised two VERY Christian daughters who are always telling their father that he will go to Hell because of his religion.

Think about it......

[Dead Corpse]

Almost right. Hebrew is contextual. Taking the words in context you get this.

Sorry. But thanks for playing.

For those who dont want to check the link, it reads "You will not let a poisoner live among you." Complete with contextual connetations and tenses.

[Hunble]

"You will not let a poisoner live among you."

Thanks friend, I always laugh when people fall for that bait.

Facts are annoying problems at times....

[Dead Corpse]

I think it depends more on the translators intent. Here is another one that dispells a lot of the built in bias, but in a couple of respects comes closer to what the other poster tried to play out. It also expounds upon the infamous Deuteronomy passage posted above.

I'd love to stay and chat, but things are picking up here at work a bit before the end of the day.

Blessings all.....

[Hunble]

Have a wonderfull Celtic New Year tonight!

Personally, when the kids come to my door and ask "Trick or Treat", I flip a coin.

Heads, they get a treat.

Hey, my wife was the one that figured out what to do with all those walnuts from the tree this year!

[American in Israel]

All languages are contextual. Can you describe a non contextual sentance? The very use of language is all about context. What the heck is the point of a coversation that does not relate to itself? This is a moot point and is put there to obscure the reasoning.

I am surrounded by Hebrew speakers, I will just have one tell me what it means when he reads it out of the Torah and translates it into english ok? I kinda think that would bring it right into context as hebrew is their native language and I speak hebrew very poorly. Ani medaber ibriet, aval kita aleph. Ode atah yodea ibriet? Perhaps we can get this solved by a neutral observer instead of someone with an obvious agenda.

I must say that your snide addititude makes me want to puke, but I am still quite curious.