Comments on: Kicked Out of the Boy Scouts for Being an Atheist

By: Robert

Robert — Thu, 12 May 2011 03:20:33 +0000

I am 48 years old. I don’t remember any emphasis on god when I was a Cub Scout. Yes, I understand that the organization was teaching “godliness” but never was it shoved down our throats like it is today. I have been a den leader a couple of times over the last few years, and every year it’s getting more and more religious. I do my best to cater to the kids’ beliefs and incorporate them in some small way. Really what I discuss is morality and ethics, but I give them a chance to express how their “god” figures into all of that. The “god and Family” package is terrible. It likens ‘god’ to the toppings on a pizza. To which I say, at least pizza is real. Anyway, what’s wrong with learning survival skills and leaving beliefs out of it ! I never admit that I am agnostic, or that my two boys in scouts are agnostic also. We have caved in because there aren’t any other options where we live. I am ashamed, but I am glad my kids are interacting with others and learning skills. My kids spent two nights at a Camp-o-Ree and on Sunday they forced them to attend a sermon. Our troop leader fancies himself a minister. The things my kids recanted from the sermon were so ignorant and pathetic. I kind of wish I had attended, for the fun of ignorance.

By: Cloc

Cloc — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 23:02:14 +0000

The problem with all of this is “why does everyone have to be excepting”? Boys dont try to join the Girl Scouts and Catholics dont try to join Atheist groups. I have nothing against atheist or homosexuals but if the Scouts take a stand on membership why can’t it be accepted? Why would you want to be a part of an organization that doesn’t want you? Does everything have to be fair? The answer is no. In case you haven’t noticed, life isn’t fair. Get used to it. Stop whinning and go join another organization or better yet start your own.

By: K.J.

K.J. — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:46:40 +0000

I know it has already been established that Neil is not really an “employee”. However, even if he was, I think his being fired would still not be illegal.

Even though you can’t be fired for prejudice, you can be fired for pretty much any other reason, including, being incapable of performing your job. If the BSA are a big customer and refuse to have anything to do with him (because of their prejudice, not the camps) the camp can fire him for not being able to adequately fill the position.

With that said, I am utterly disgusted by the dishonestly of the BSA. They violate their own oath. I’m perfectly fine with them being a private organization, but they need to refuse public funding.

By: Adam

Adam — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:22:12 +0000

I thought part of scouts was everybody being free to believe what they want. And I thought that was also emphasised at Jamborees.

This seems unfair

By: CRL

CRL — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:27:20 +0000

Wow. I didn’t know that they actually enforced the ban on atheists. In my sea scout ( a branch of BSA) ship, we have two (including me) semi-open atheists and we don’t pray at our meetings.

By: Concerned for the facts

Concerned for the facts — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:53:03 +0000

Lets set the facts straight here…Neil is not a paid employee as you might assume he is. The camp at Camp Cherry Valley that he refers to is only one week out of the year and all staff members are volunteer. Neil receives a small reimbursment, not a pay check. I think the bull s**t is on the side of trying to get the whole community in an uproar for something that he had full knowledge of and prosituted for his own gain. Now that he outed himself he feels that he can howl at the moon and look for pathetic sympathy. Shame on you Neil!!!

By: Elsa

Elsa — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:09:23 +0000

The Girl Scouts (GSUSA) are different–they err on the side of PC. It says in our handbook that one may substitute the word “God” in the Girl Scout Promise with anything that represents your beliefs (“Allah,” “the Great Spirit,” etc.). When I worked at resident camp a few years ago, there were also very strict rules about sleeping, dressing, etc. that were meant to minimize the risk of sexual abuse cases like those that plague the BSA.

By: Neil Polzin

Neil Polzin — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:44:45 +0000

for what it is worth, you can be employed in the BSA as a female, they just dont allow them to be youth members.

Thank you for your kinds words, they come in handy in times like this

Neil Polzin
npolzin@gmail.com

By: Neil Polzin

Neil Polzin — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:36:32 +0000

Thank you. I must of missed this being posted, but I am catching the other blogs picking up on you! I have sent off a request to the Southern California ACLU, lets see what can change.

By: Richard Murray

Richard Murray — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 14:32:21 +0000

As far as I have ever heard, this level of religiousness is exclusive to the Boy Scouts of AMERICA, not to the world-wide organisation. Yes, there is reference to god and the queen in Canadian and Commonwealth countries, but it’s pretty much a token statement.

In Canada we never went to church, except to participate in the local community’s Remembrance Day ceremonies with the war vets. There was no prayer involved at all, and I remember having friends in the troop who were Bahai, Muslim, Sikh, and atheistic. God didn’t have anything to do with tying knots or camping at the lake, and any special god-related things were a private matter (except the hotdogs… always had the good beef ones thanks to our Muslim friend

The ‘god and queen’ reference is as shallow and empty as the “in god we trust” on US currency – if it went away, it wouldn’t change the heart of the program.

I’d have no trouble as an atheist sending a kid to Canadian Scouts… but I might caution against him hanging around with the BSA types at camps.