Shoving a belief in god on anyone, especially our children is inauthentic and immature; and frankly, I think it also disrespects those who do follow a god tradition.

Can’t we just leave this dishonorable treatment of each other to the bigoted Boys Scouts, they do it so well after all.

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
And to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

In almost all recitations of the Oath, you immediately proceed into the Scout Law:
A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

Don’t ask why I know all that.

For anyone who’s interested, Fortin v. Darlington Little League, Inc., 514 F.2d 344 (1st Cir. 1975) appears to be the highest court case that ruled that girls can play Little League. However, they didn’t rule that Darlington Little League was a public accommodation, just that, because it relied on public facilities (baseball fields owned by the City of Pawtucket, Rhode Island), it had a duty not to discriminate on the basis of sex. More to the point though, Congress amended the federal charter of the Little League Baseball “to allow girls to participate on an equal basis with boys” in 1974. H.R. Rep. No. 93-1409 at 1 (1974); Pub. L. No. 93-551, 88 Stat. 1744 (1974). I’m not entirely clear why this didn’t moot the entire Fortin case because the plaintiff was only seeking declaratory and injunctive relief which was granted by, uh, Congress.

A lawsuit might actually work in this case if there’s excessive entanglement between the Little League and the government like there was in Fortin. I’m not a lawyer, and I’m not an expert in this area of the law, so I can’t say. (I just conduct legal analysis for fun.) But it may not be a completely lost cause.

I guess thats something we don’t really do in the UK and it hence always sounds kinda odd when i hear others doing so.

Mind you, i suppose the pledge to the monarch in the UK scouts is much the same.
I think it goes something like

“On My Honour, I promise that I will do my best
To do my duty to God and to the Queen,
To help other people
And to keep the Scout Law”

Mmmmm, patriotism and religion, my two favourite thinking disorders in one sentence.

You should hear the Boys and Girls Club code:

When did all these organizations get religious codes and mottoes? Is this new, or did they just ignore this stuff in the past?

Don’t all these religious groups believe in God?

Buddhists don’t. Buddha is not technically a god.

I live in Australia, which is seemingly a far more secular society than the US.

Not a difficult accomplishment, but I am jealous nonetheless.

I dont see anywhere near the number of God references that you guys do. Not on our currency, not in a national motto, not on public buildings, no God-laced pledges at junior sports.

Ahh, I knew there were more reasons I liked Australia!

I dont see anywhere near the number of God references that you guys do. Not on our currency, not in a national motto, not on public buildings, no God-laced pledges at junior sports.

In fact i need to go looking for reasons to be offended as an atheist! However I did hear our Prime Minister say his prayers are with the families of vitims in the recent Jakarta bombing. And our National Parliament opens every day with a reading of the Lord’s Prayer.

I think it is worth making some noise over each and every issue. It’s about building a ground-swell of awareness. Elected officials will only force change on these issues when they beliee there’s votes in it.

No, there was a lawsuit back in 1972 to let girls into Little League, and the courts ruled that LL was a public accommodation and had to admit girls.

Being a public accommodation means they can’t discriminate against atheists, either.

To their credit, they state that nobody has to recite the pledge and their volunteer forms state that they will not discriminate on the basis of creed.

Falls Church has a broad religious community of Catholics, Buddhists, Jews and Muslims

Don’t all these religious groups believe in God? Why would they object to saying, “I trust in God”? Is this person just trying to rile up support amongst non-Christians by telling them they should be annoyed when they have little right to be?

I see the only reasonable objection coming from atheists.

According to my own faith and religion.

I believe in America and the American

Way of life, the Constitution

And Bill of Rights.

I believe in fair play, honesty,

And sportsmanship.

I believe in my Boys and Girls club,

Which stands for these things.

One thing I can’t stand and don’t understand is why everyone feels the need to get people to conform to what they themselves believe. I just don’t get it. I know you’re not trying to get the pledge to say “and there is no god” but you’re attempting to remove references about god. I don’t agree with it but it’s a private organization! No one is forcing you join and participate.

Do as you must, but if it bothers you that much then don’t say it. Someone forcing you to do something would make for a much better argument.