[2banana]

Why is it that liberals need to destroy institutions they want to join? If they have a such problem with the Boy Scouts, why don't a group of like minded parents just start the "Gay Scouts" of the "We don't believe in God Scouts"?

Is it any wonder that parents don't want their children to be alone in the woods with individuals that may look at them as a sexual object? Just like I will not let my young daughter go into the woods with male girl scout leader, I will not let my young son go into the woods with a gay scout leader. If it is a choice to take a chance on my children's innocence or to hurt someone's feelings, guess what I am going to decide.

As for the atheist - To be a Boy Scout, one must live according to the Scout Law (around since 1905), a collection of 12 statements that define the a boy in the Scouts. A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. To be reverent means to possess a belief in God.

Why do liberals want to destroy organizations that do not echo their warped view on society? Hate. They hate seeing something work that they do not control. They hate seeing values taught they can not control (like in public schools). But most of all, they hate seeing that they may be wrong.

Comments please! I feel a LTTE coming up!

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Lambert had earned 37 merit badges, worked more than 1,000 hours of community service...

Yes, he learned many valuable lessons I'm sure. Except how to keep his mouth shut and also that there are consequences to our actions.

If these were his true beliefs, why did he feel the need to speak out now, after putting in all the work towards Eagle Scout? He must have had some idea that the BSA would take exception to this.

[Kevin Curry]

Lambert had disclosed his atheism to Scout leaders last year in his Eagle Scout application, but he still received the award.

Faith-based organizations that tolerate a bucket of crap from atheists get a whole truckload in due time.

If Lambert had any honor, he would have courteously walked away from the scouts the moment he realized he could no longer support their core values. He has no honor.

[Britton J Wingfield]

It's an attempt to control and impose values on others.

I couldn't join the scouts, being an agnostic. Big deal, I can't join a convent, a black fraternity, a women's gym, or any number of groups with a set criterea. Boo freaking hoo.

Liberals see scouting as a throwback to a Norman Rockwell diea of America. They are correct, more or less, but I can't see why that is a such a bad thing. I guess the whole 'mom and apple pie' atmosphere makes them gag.

[jz638]

The Boy Scout Motto is "Be Prepared." It's also good advice for the scout who could not lower himself to believe in the existance of God.

[The_Reader_David]

I beg to disagree. To be reverent plainly does not mean to possess a belief in God, as is evidenced by the fact that both Hindu (polytheistic) and Buddhist (regarding the existence of God or gods as irrelevant) religious medallions may be worn on BSA uniforms.

[billbears]

Boy Scout Oath
On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.

Sorry but this kid shouldn't have been in Scouts this long if he didn't believe this. Along with the Law, it is the two things that guide a young Scout's life. He has no ground to stand on and contrary to this paper's opinion, the Scouts will be getting more of a donation from this former Eagle Scout, not less

[Paul Atreides]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't recall hearing of a lot of Christians stampeding to join an atheistic organization, then complain about the lack of God in the organization. The thing is, some of these types of people (atheist and homosexual) absolutely hate that these organization exist, at all. It is the same way with the Augusta admitting women deal. It is a private organization, yet a group of harridans cannot stand that they are able to exist in a way of their own choosing.

[BibChr]

Clueless, damaging idiot. Let's try this one more time, with emphasis:

...failed to declare belief in a supreme being in accordance with Boy Scout policy

What is wrong with people, anyway? In a way, it's like saying that a man who was in fact, driving at 85 mph got a ticket for driving, in fact, 85 mph, in spite of his years of community service and devotion to his wife and children. I just don't get people's self-serving mush-headed stupdity on this simple issue.

Dan

[bmwcyle]

Everything should not be open. I have no desire to join Easter Star, LPGA, Browies, and NOW.

[bulldogs]

OK Banana, I can't leave you out comments when you need them. This is getting bad with all the assaults on morality. It has to be a higher power at work. If this happened 40 years ago, the kid would be banned for life. It seems that we are fighting another war. A war for our souls.

[xzins]

The Boy Scouts of America serve a valuable purpose in shaping the lives of young people. But its continued policy of discriminating against atheists and homosexuals diminishes the organization's value and reputation. And it could - and should - cost it funding down the line.

Start your own group Mr Author for Philly Inquirer.

Advertise it for those who don't care about God. Let everyone know that gays are throughout. It's your right. Do it. Get it started now. Advertise it now.

Every guy I know who has young boys will send his kids to the Boy Scouts. Who wants his boys in an environment where they can get buggered and de/immoralized?

[mcsparkie]

What was his Religious Award?

To qualify for Eagle Scout you have to complete a multi-week Religious Award program. Any religion you wish. What was his? The article didn't say, of course.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Why do liberals want to destroy organizations that do not echo their warped view on society?

Because what they seek is a complete destruction of the U.S. as established by Christians and founded on Christianity and to remake it in the image of Lenin/Marx/Trotsky.

[RonF]

I have sent the author the following E-Mail:

Just a couple of comments on your latest column.

"On membership applications, Boy Scouts and adult leaders must say that they recognize a higher power, not necessarily religious. Lambert had disclosed his atheism to Scout leaders last year in his Eagle Scout application, but he still received the award."

Mr. Lambert, having disclosed to his Eagle Board of Review that he was an atheist and believed in no higher power (and, according to reports did so verbally face-to-face, not in his application), should never have received his Eagle award. This BOR made a mistake.

"The current dispute arose last month, when Lambert got into an argument with a Scout leader at a Scout training seminar as to whether the Scouts should expel atheists."

"Meanwhile, another good Scout leader is lost. Darrell Lambert, with an exemplary record of scouting and community service, reportedly doesn't smoke, drink alcohol, or take drugs. He has been a quartermaster and three-time senior patrol leader, an assistant scoutmaster, and a field leader in training as part of the Search and Rescue Program."

In my opinion, your column reads as though Mr. Lambert was tossed out of the BSA as a youth. He wasn't. He was tossed out because he professed atheism in public, at a training session for adult leaders that he was attending as a trainee. Mr. Lambert had turned 18, and had registered, as per BSA rules, as an adult; specifically, an Assistant Scoutmaster. Now, you can research this yourself if you like, by going over to your local BSA Council office and picking up an Adult Application. But, if you'd like, you can take my word for it when I tell you that part of the Adult Application for the BSA is a "Declaration of Religious Principle", and that the application states that you must subscribe to the declaration to register as a leader. Suffice it to say that no honest atheist could do so. By doing so, Mr. Lambert fails "A Scout is Trustworthy", the first of the 12 points of the Scout Law. I would not consider this the sign of a good leader. Deliberate liars shouldn't be youth leaders.

"Under current Boy Scout rules, a crack-smoking, al-Qaeda-supporting, wife-beating member of the Ku Klux Klan would be fine as a scoutmaster, but Lambert isn't."

Under current Boy Scout rules, felons cannot be Scout leaders. Also, users of illegal drugs cannot be Scout leaders (and the Adult Application specifically asks if you use drugs). Not to mention that the other two criteria you set violate numerous provisions of the Scout Law and Scout Oath. So the hypothetical individual you reference above could not, in fact, be a Scout leader. For you to say different is wrong. I have to ask; did you write the above statement out of ignorance or malice? If the former, you owe the BSA an apology, and I ask that before you write any further on the BSA, you have the responsibility to do some research and know what you're talking about. If the latter, then you are dishonorable and are merely a propogandist, not a journalist.

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

Well, I support the BSA in setting their rules and standing by them. But it is a shame that a kid who worked so hard is getting called on his lack of faith NOW. If they knew about it early on, they ought to have made their decision and stuck with it. Maybe that's what he is really upset about. It's almost a form of what they used to call Indian-giving.

[Clint N. Suhks]

Under current Boy Scout rules, a crack-smoking, al-Qaeda-supporting, wife-beating member of the Ku Klux Klan would be fine as a scoutmaster, but Lambert isn't.

This is the most common tactic of the pro-perversion crowd, because the by-laws don’t specifically exclude murderers they too must be welcome in the Scouts, a point Justice Scalia made in Dale v. BSA. The truth is if National or Council got wind of “avowed” or “closeted” crack smokers, Al-Quaeda or wife beaters unrepentant of their behaviors they too would be expelled. The problem is, those things are kept secret and therefor some pseudo-intellectuals demagogue that the BSA accepts crack smokers, Al-Quaeda, wife beaters and of course homosexuals. Isn’t moral relativism fun?

[Musket]

This ticks me off to no end. I grew up fatherless and the Boy Scouts provided me with life lessons that I would've got nowhere else. The fact that these FREAKS want to RUIN the Scouts makes me so mad I could spit! They would be ruining countless lives in the process.

[T'wit]

All liberals know how to do is take the money or the benefit without meeting the responsibility. Don't expect them ever to uphold honor or honesty. This boy took advantage of the program but still refused to keep his oath. He does not deserve to be a member of an honorable organization.

[Congressman Billybob]

Note that the author never mentioned the Boy Scouts' win in their Supreme Court case. The Court ruled that it is the First Amendment right of the Scouts to include whomever they want in their ranks as leaders, and as mambers. In short, the author (who is an attorney and therefore must know about the case), is demanding that the Scouts give up THEIR constitutional rights because he says so.

I would never dream of suggesting that this writer should be banned from HIS constitutional rights because he is stupid. I will defend to the death his right to be stupid. And every step of the way I will point out that he is dumb as a bag of hammers and shifty as a snake in bacon grease.

I speak as an Eagle Scout with two palms, Order of the Arrow, and Junior Assistant Scoutmaster, who has the greatest respect for the program of Scouting, exactly as it has always been conducted. A Scout is: "Trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, thifty, obedient, cheerful, brave, clean and reverent."

I point out in passing that it's pretty hard for a lawyer, or a politician, to live up to that list of 12 characteristics. Maybe the writer would be more content with: "Dishonest, disloyal, harmful, hostile, unfriendly, discourteous, unkind, profligate, disobedient, morose, cowardly, dirty, and profane." He could form his own organization; I even have a name for it: "The Democrat Scouts of America."

Congressman Billybob

Click for "Let's Hear It for Fraud -- And REAL Soon"

Click for "to Restore Trust in America"

[arielb]

these guys should leave the Boy Scouts alone and form their own group. Nobody is forcing anyone to join the boy scouts