There are a lot of reasons to celebrate the step that the Boy Scouts of America took this week. Ending the ban on gay scouts is a significant change, and an acknowledgement of just how far our country has come in the past few decades. It is not, however, enough. As long as the Boy Scouts continue to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation and religion, I cannot support them.
It pains me to say this. I have seen how much good the Scouts can do in a boy’s life, watched the Scouts help boys grow into thoughtful, sensitive leaders with an ethic of volunteerism and a love of the outdoors. I honor these young men for all they have achieved, and will give them all the recognition they are due. At their best, the Boy Scouts are an organization few others can match.
But discrimination is wrong. The Boy Scouts now accept gay boys only to tell them implicitly that they are second class – good enough to be grudgingly accepted by the troop, perhaps, but never good enough to be Scout leaders or staff. These boys may be included, but as long as the Scouts promote this kind of bias, they will never be welcome.
I would love to see the day when the Scouts end all discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and will honor the move when it (inevitably) happens – but I will still not be able to support the Boy Scouts of America. How could I, knowing that as a Humanist Unitarian Universalist, I would not be welcome?
With all the attention the Scouts’ policy toward gays has received, few news outlets have focused much on the Scouts’ ban against atheists. Simply put, if you do not believe in God, you cannot be a Boy Scout. You cannot work for the Boy Scouts. You are unwelcome.
I find this unconscionable. That an organization which purports to represent American values blatantly discriminates on the basis of religious belief violates the most fundamental principles of this country. It is an insult to our forebears, and a terrible lesson to teach boys and young men.
Theologically, the ban on atheists makes no sense at all, because once you’ve said you believe in God, you haven’t said very much. My own theology is non-theistic, but it would be easy enough to give what I do believe the name “God.” I know many people who do; it just isn’t the language I typically choose.
It saddens me that the policy against atheists stands, and also that it has received so little attention. Does the public really believe that atheist scouts and leaders present some sort of threat? Do the Scouts?
I suspect the answer is more simple – most people simply do not know about the ban on atheists, and the freedom not to believe in God, while sacrosanct in our Constitution, is seldom lifted and honored.
One day I hope to support the Boy Scouts; I admire what they do. One day I hope they will find the integrity to let go of policies that belittle boys and men for who they are and what they believe. When that day comes, I will be the first to applaud.
The Song and the Sigh 
My husband is an Eagle scout who had to lie about his church attendance to advance in scouts, but who loved the experience otherwise. I grew up in a wonderful Episcopal church, but never bought into their beliefs, even as a young child. My brother is also an Eagle scout and I have the highest honors available in Girl Scouts, the Silver and Gold awards. We all grew up very active in scouting and consider it a significant part of our childhoods.
However, my elementary-aged boys are not cub scouts and they know why – because as a nonreligious family, we are not welcome. They know that the BSA is intolerant toward gays as well and that we cannot be a part of an organization that discriminates – even if it weren’t us being discriminated against. Because it’s wrong and our family will take no part in furthering hate.
Amen. Progress, but not there yet.
We have a new Navigators group (http://navigatorsusa.org/) at our church: mixed-gender, all sexual orientations and gender identities welcome, no theological litmus test. It’s terrific, it’s based on our values (though you don’t have to be a UU either), and the kids and grownups are having a great time.
I don’t think it is surprising that a religious group like the Boy Scouts would have membership standards that do not include atheism. There are many, many groups that differentiate based on religion, and I support the right of any group to do so.
i find the BSA ban against gay leaders to be outrageous, however. I feel there is a huge difference between prejudice for a choice like religion and prejudice against sexual identity and orientation.
Lucy, I’m not so sure I would regard religion as a choice. I would regard as an ontological part of the individual. Surely one does not “choose” atheism any more than one can choose to believe in a deity. You just do; or you don’t. As big as they are, and as broad as they are, the Boy Scouts approach the nature of a “public accommodation. The courts have disagreed, I know. But people may be disadvantaged in life by being denied access do to creed or sexual orientation during their formative years. It certainly seems more serious than denying women memberships in country clubs where business takes place.
The Boy Scouts present themselves as a civic organization, and they often seek public funding, free use of public space, etc. As such, the religious discrimination ill becomes them. I can imagine the outcry if they were to ban, say, Jews or Hindus. Why does the public tolerate a ban on atheists?
I wonder if the Pope’s recent statement about the good works and the possibility of redemption for non-believers will have any impact.
What makes any Scout group a positive or negative experience is not the top officials that oversee the entirety of the organization; it is the people on the front lines that are teaching and leading the indivual Scouts and that are doing what they can to enrich each others lives.
The first Boy Scout Troop I joined was a coed Troop lead by an atheist. This was in 1974. Perhaps the B.S.A. is different now and less open than they once were: I do not know if this is the case. In 1979 I was an “Explorer” Scout which focused on canoing. In between I tried several Troops which were not a good fit for me. In each case it was either the Scoutmaster or the other Troop members that determined my experience and not the top management.
I learned things in the Boy Scouts which I now teach to other people. I had some wonderful experiences as a Scout. I was never asked about my religious bent nor my sexual orientation; I was simply a member of the Troop.
How different is the Boy Scouts requiring participants to adhere to certain guidelines from an Orthodox Temple requiring its guests to cover their heads and keep Kosher while they are in the building? What about the restriction which does not allow any males over the age of 5 to attend the Michigan womens music festival: Should I shun the festival because they only serve a subset of the entire population?
I may not agree with everything which an organization formally requires of its members; but if it is a private organization which exists to meet the needs of a particular demographic then that is not only their right, it is their purpose. I would not support or join a Troop which made an effort to alienate people for religious or sexual orientation factors. However I might very well find another Troop that welcomed all people. I do not expect to get a good Ham & Cheese from a Kosher deli; but I know I can order a Ham sandwich with some cheese on the side. I feel much the same about the B.S.A.
It took more than 130 years for U.S. women to obtain the right to vote. The BoyScouts opened their ranks to females a lot sooner in their history. The wheels of change can turn very slowly and Boy Scouts are it seems continuing to evolve.
If my daughter wants to be a Boy Scout and I can find a Troop that will enrich her life and will welcome her as-is. Then I will support her endevor to be a Scout. I will certainly talk to her about the issues I have with the greater organization should they come up.
I support the authors right to vote with his wallet and not support the B.S.A. But I am a bit more tollerant; and I am inclined to pass judgement on a Troop by Troop basis because I believe that denying support could mean denying my kid a joyous and enriching experience.
I once knew someone who was applying for a job with the Boy Scouts, and was appalled to find that in order to work there he not only had to wear he wasn’t gay or an atheist, but he also had to sign a statement saying he supported the ban. He was appalled. But he took the job, because it was his lifelong dream and he decided to work for change from within. Change is coming, but the pace has been slow. He and I both were saddened that an organization which is so wonderful in so many ways would ask their scouts and their staff to let go of their moral integrity.
There are many good troops and leaders, and I write Eagle Scout letters when I am asked – usually after a long conversation about what it means to them to be both a Unitarian Universalist and an Eagle Scout.
I think asking kids who meet in an Orthodox temple to cover their heads and keep kosher while in the building is substantially different from banning an entire class of people on the basis of a religious belief. In the first instance the lesson is one of respect for another person’s religion; in the second the lesson is disrespect and intolerance.
So I walk a fine line, as a citizen and as clergy. I support the kids who are having amazing experiences in the Boy Scouts and I support the open minded leaders who are doing Good Things. I support the idea of scouting, and wish there were more mixed gender, open minded, welcoming groups like Navigators across the country. (Alas, there are no Navigators Chapters in my neck of the woods, but check out http://www.navigatorsusa.org to see if there’s a group near you.)
By the way – I’m reasonably certain you can’t, in fact, order a ham sandwich, cheese or no cheese, at a kosher deli, at least, not if you want to receive any food. 🙂 But I take your point.
I agree!