While secular humanism is not good, deistic syncretism is just as bad. The official religious policy of the Boy Scouts is "choose a religion, any religion, we don't care which." I admittedly need to delve into this further, but on the surface I'm not sure that I want to fight for EVERYTHING that the Boy Scouts stand for.
Or maybe I'm just bitter because I only made it to Life and not Eagle.
For the record, I am Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, not Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, but the latter organization has said the following about Scouting, for what it's worth.
The Wisconsin Synod has historically voiced some objections to certain aspects of the Scouting movement. Scouting contains certain religious elements that promote a vague, Christ-less god and teach that all religions are equally valid ways of doing one's duty toward God. Scouting seeks to develop moral uprightness apart from faith in Christ in a way that can easily lead to work righteousness. The Scouting oath is an unnecessary oath that asks a boy to swear by something uncertain (his honor) to do something that is not in his power to do (his duty toward God). As Christians we recognize that it is God's will for us to trust in Jesus for salvation. We cannot do that on our own, but only by the power of the Holy Spirit working through the means of grace, the gospel in God's Word and the sacraments.
I have no problem with the Scouting outlook vis a vis religion. Scouting is not a Christian organization, despite the claims of some radical leftists and Episcopal clergy (sorry, I repeat myself). Scouting takes no position on which faith a Scout should hold, only that a Scout should respect and practice the faith they profess.
FWIW, I did make it to Eagle, and am proud I did. Lost a girlfriend because of it; but in hindsight I made the right choice.
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Not sure about this one.
While secular humanism is not good, deistic syncretism is just as bad. The official religious policy of the Boy Scouts is "choose a religion, any religion, we don't care which." I admittedly need to delve into this further, but on the surface I'm not sure that I want to fight for EVERYTHING that the Boy Scouts stand for.
Or maybe I'm just bitter because I only made it to Life and not Eagle.
Followup.
For the record, I am Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, not Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, but the latter organization has said the following about Scouting, for what it's worth.
The Wisconsin Synod has historically voiced some objections to certain aspects of the Scouting movement. Scouting contains certain religious elements that promote a vague, Christ-less god and teach that all religions are equally valid ways of doing one's duty toward God. Scouting seeks to develop moral uprightness apart from faith in Christ in a way that can easily lead to work righteousness. The Scouting oath is an unnecessary oath that asks a boy to swear by something uncertain (his honor) to do something that is not in his power to do (his duty toward God). As Christians we recognize that it is God's will for us to trust in Jesus for salvation. We cannot do that on our own, but only by the power of the Holy Spirit working through the means of grace, the gospel in God's Word and the sacraments.
I have no problem with the Scouting outlook vis a vis religion. Scouting is not a Christian organization, despite the claims of some radical leftists and Episcopal clergy (sorry, I repeat myself). Scouting takes no position on which faith a Scout should hold, only that a Scout should respect and practice the faith they profess.
FWIW, I did make it to Eagle, and am proud I did. Lost a girlfriend because of it; but in hindsight I made the right choice.
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