Fiach

I heard yesterday that an American lad in his late teens (19?/ refused to sign the Pledge that he will do whatever for "God and Country."

There will apparently be some litigation over this issue. I am an Atheist and morally sympathise with this fellow but in some ways I think he is on the wrong side.

First, if he has been an Atheist since childhood, all of those years as a non-believer he took the pledge of allegience to God and country. That is hypocrisy. Suddenly now he feels the tug of conscience to admit he is a free thinker and Atheist. So I admire his "coming out" but frown upon his previous years of hypocrisy.

Secondly, the Boy Scouts of America is a relgious organisation. It is essentially a youth ministry for the Christian Faith. All religious organisations have a right under the American Constitution to deny admission of non-believers in their particular cult. Catholic organisations can bar Methodists or Jews legally. An Atheist organisation has the right to bar Christians.

What you need to do in America if you are an Atheist and are offended by the BSA's religious proselytising, you have several options.

1. Refuse to buy their stupid cookies.

2. Refuse to contribute any money to them, as long as they ban unbelievers, and gay kids.

3. Write your congressperson and ask them to ban government subsidies of taxpayer money to the BSA.

4. Write to President Bush and ask him to resign as Honourary Head of the BSA.

Fiach

daria

As I understand it, he has not been an atheist since childhood. I think that came to pass sometime in his teens. There are a few threads on the topic already; particularly in the Activism forums. You may be able to find more info as to the specifics there.

Psycho Economist

Uh, dude... the Boy Scouts sell popcorn. Girl Scouts sell the cookies... but they aren't a much better-disguised ministry. (I can get Keebler "thin mints" any time of year, thank you.)

These two are what's really at issue. As long as they get taxpayer money, and (this one is a total toss-up, but the case can be made) as long as the President is the honorary head of the BSA, they can't even think of being a ministry, or otherwise imposing religious requirements on their membership.

Pick one: the right to discriminate, or federal money. It might be a tough choice, but they'll eventually have to sacrifice one for the other... they've managed to weasel out of having that fact handed to them in Federal court, but hopefully one day someone will fight this to the finish.

B. H. Manners

I am sending this to Secular Lifestyle and Suport where it will get more replies.