• About

mikebeates

~ For Those Who Walk Among Noise

mikebeates

Monthly Archives: May 2013

Scouting’s Future

24 Friday May 2013

Posted by mikebeates in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

     Fourteen years ago, I wrote in The Sentinel concerning a looming Supreme Court case involving Scouting and homosexuality (interestingly, the article is still online here: http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1999-08-15/news/9908130283_1_scout-oath-boy-scouts-scout-uniform-shirt). Of course, the Court at that time supported the Scout’s right to set standards for leaders and boys which existed for more than 100 years until they votes this week to change.

     Through massively successful strategic planning, the Gay movement has swung popular opinion in our country into a clear majority who support “gay rights.” But let’s be very clear, Scouting historically stayed away from personal sexual matters. It was never part of their agenda. Only when a boy or leader acted in manners outside of normal, safe behavior would action ever be taken. But the Gay movement could not abide a “don’t ask, don’t tell – this is not who we are” position in Scouting. The Gay movement seems to seek complete cultural acceptance, normalization, and even endorsement of its agenda, nothing less. So the issue is not solved yet for Scouting, and the Gay movement will not stop until Gay leaders are also part of the Scouting movement.

     Here is the hard and difficult truth: men and women are different. Theistic religion (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) universally recognized this until only a few decades ago. But it is still true that children require a father and mother – not only for creation (yes, this is still the case, no matter how creatively we manipulate the process), but for nurture. Popular opinion may shift, but basic nature does not change. It will always still require a man and a woman to make a child (again, recognizing our scientific ability to manipulate this, the basic fact remains). Even if 99% of a culture comes to believe 2+2=5, the truth of reality does not change. Sexuality is not fundamentally different.

     And before they cue the cries of “Hate!” and “Bigot!” (rhetorical bully tactics that simply avoid the hard facts), my article 14 years ago mentioned that my beloved brother was a gay man who died in 1999 from AIDS related illness. Further, I am one of those people who will stick with the last 5000 years of human culture rather than the last 50 years of experimentation on this issue. Now cue charges of my support for slavery and racial discrimination, a false equivalence that has emotional strength, but no logical connection.

     In Scouting, theistic belief and practice has also been a standard – but this will necessarily have to fall in light of this self-imposed changed with respect to sexual expression in Scouting. Sadly Scouting is no longer what it was and will lose thousands of supporting charter organizations and millions of boys and leaders. Like religious denominations who celebrate their progressive diversity of thought and openness to new ideas, Scouting will shrink into complete irrelevance. And unless a new organization that holds to old simple ideas rises up, boys and young men in America will be the losers.

Advertisement

Recent Posts

  • Uncomfortable Thoughts about the Death of Tyre Nichols
  • A Homily for The Geneva School
  • A Recent Article in Tabletalk Magazine
  • Reflections for Christmas
  • An Advent Homily for The Geneva School

Archives

  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • October 2022
  • May 2022
  • March 2022
  • December 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • October 2020
  • June 2017
  • January 2017
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • June 2016
  • April 2016
  • February 2016
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • February 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • July 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • January 2014
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • January 2013
  • September 2012
  • July 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011

Categories

  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Goodreads

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • mikebeates
    • Join 48 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • mikebeates
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar