{"id":95342,"date":"2012-10-12T16:56:35","date_gmt":"2012-10-12T20:56:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/getreligion\/?p=95342"},"modified":"2012-10-12T16:56:35","modified_gmt":"2012-10-12T20:56:35","slug":"agnostic-scout-ousted-because-hes-gay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/getreligion\/2012\/10\/agnostic-scout-ousted-because-hes-gay\/","title":{"rendered":"Agnostic scout ousted because he’s gay?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Anyone who has followed the tensions between gay-rights activists and the Boy Scouts knows that this is a rather tense and highly politicized situation, with obvious freedom-of-association implications for groups on the cultural left and right.<\/p>\n

But let\u2019s set that aside for a minute and look at a rather basic journalism question linked to a recent NPR report<\/a>, one that appeared under a headline that bluntly stated the thesis:<\/p>\n

Teenage Boy Scout Denied Organization\u2019s Top Rank Because He\u2019s Gay <\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Clearly, it would cause trouble for a gay Boy Scout to be out and proud while active in this organization. However, other articles on the issue imply that there are gay Scouts and gay Scout volunteers, but that they live and work in a kind of \u201cdon\u2019t ask, don\u2019t tell\u201d environment.<\/p>\n

But let\u2019s put all of that aside, as well, since that is not linked to the journalism issue that I see in this report.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s clear that Ryan Andresen believes he was denied his Eagle Scout award because of his sexual orientation. He claims that he was told this, point blank.<\/p>\n

Yet, the NPR story also notes this interesting set of facts:<\/p>\n

The Boy Scouts of America sent a statement to several news organizations, including ABC, in which they say they didn\u2019t inquire about Ryan\u2019s sexual orientation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis scout proactively notified his unit leadership and Eagle Scout counselor that he does not agree to scouting\u2019s principle of \u2018Duty to God\u2019 and does not meet scouting\u2019s membership standard on sexual orientation,\u201d Deron Smith, a spokesman for the organization said in a statement. \u201cAgreeing to do one\u2019s \u2018Duty to God\u2019 is a part of the scout Oath and Law and a requirement of achieving the Eagle Scout rank.\u201d<\/p>\n

In an interview with Yahoo! News, Ryan said that his scoutmaster knew he was gay.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe had been telling me all along that we\u2019d get by the gay thing,\u201d Ryan told Yahoo News. \u201cIt was by far the biggest goal of my life. It\u2019s totally devastating.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In other words, the story leaves readers with an unexplored factual question. Was Andresen denied his Eagle Scout award because he says he is gay, or because he acknowledged being an atheist or an agnostic? Then again, the answer to this question could have been \u201cboth.\u201d<\/p>\n

What did this Scout reply when asked by NPR about his religious views? We don\u2019t know because there is no evidence that NPR took that claim seriously.<\/p>\n

Other than claims of bullying \u2014 which are serious, in and of themselves \u2014 is there evidence that Andresen was having trouble moving up through the Scout ranks before the clash over his religious views? Is the Andresen family, in effect, saying that he IS NOT<\/em> an atheist or an agnostic? There is no way to know if that question was ever asked.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s a problem, a journalistic problem.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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