DiscussMormonism.com

I recently was "called" to work with the cub scouts.

At this point, my latest ward kind of knows of my distant stance in terms of Church doctrine so I have been pushed towards the scouting program where all less actives, fence sitters, and 'weak' members are placed.

Anyways, I am regretting accepting this "calling." In recent days, I have researched the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and discovered a couple dissappointing facts including:

1. GLBT are not accepted in any way whatsoever.
2. A member must not be agnostic or atheist.

Excuse my ignorance, I never really participated in scouting besides a year or two in elementary school. But this organization appears to be hell bent on maintaining the barring of agnostics, atheists, and GLBTs.

http://www.bsalegal.org/default.asp

This is where you folks come in...

Should I attempt to get out of this calling? If so, how do I approach getting out of this "calling?"

Inform your Bishop (in writing if you don't want the confrontation and testimony bearing) that, in light of the conditions of the BSA constitution and membership rules, you cannot continue with your calling. Give him a reasonable notice period so that he can get a replacement, but give him the firm date on which your participation will end.

If he wants to get into the nuts and bolts but you don't, just politely decline and say that you will contact him if your feelings change about having the opportunity to discuss it with him.

And then stick to your guns regardless of pressures that are put on you.

It is, in my opinion, the only way and it can be done quietly and politely.

You can politely ask to be released, with or without explanation.

Drifting's and Runtu's methods are the discrete ones.

Standing up at F&T meeting, with no forewarning to the bishop, and lambasting the Cub Scouts on these two exclusions, well, that would be more spectacular but burning all your Mormon bridges in the process.

Then there is simply ignoring the 'calling', which means you simply do nothing and wait to hear from the bishop.

And you could just go through the motions with it, despite your disbelief in the Cub Scouts exclusions of LGBT and atheist.

lostindc wrote:Should I attempt to get out of this calling? If so, how do I approach getting out of this "calling?"

I have some experience in this. The calling to cub scouts was the final stop on my way out. This is the final stop for a lot of people. I would only ask to be released if you want to be finished with church callings, because there is nowhere else they are going to put you. If you want to maintain some involvement in the church, then you need to just do it regardless of your opinion of the BSA. Done right, which is a rarity in the LDS church, scouting can be a positive influence on lots of boys. Focus on the positives and forget about the negatives.

However if you can't do that, then you need to be prepared to go without a calling.

I have an idea for your next scout activity. Have the boys help you assemble picket signs protesting the prejudiced ideals of BSA. Then go to the stake center and start picketing on the front grass. What a great learning experience for the boys!

Aristotle Smith wrote:

lostindc wrote:Should I attempt to get out of this calling? If so, how do I approach getting out of this "calling?"

I have some experience in this. The calling to cub scouts was the final stop on my way out. This is the final stop for a lot of people. I would only ask to be released if you want to be finished with church callings, because there is nowhere else they are going to put you. If you want to maintain some involvement in the church, then you need to just do it regardless of your opinion of the BSA. Done right, which is a rarity in the LDS church, scouting can be a positive influence on lots of boys. Focus on the positives and forget about the negatives.

However if you can't do that, then you need to be prepared to go without a calling.

I am very prepared to go without a calling. I have been working on developing a reoccuring Occupy My Couch on the weekends. I am still in the planning processes.

I knew when I received the scout calling I received my last warning. Much like a parent counting to '3' I am the child that has reach 2 and 3/4.

Too bad I do not have more money then I could have received a sweet leadership calling.

zeezrom wrote:I have an idea for your next scout activity. Have the boys help you assemble picket signs protesting the prejudiced ideals of BSA. Then go to the stake center and start picketing on the front grass. What a great learning experience for the boys!

lol, I really think some of the parents would attempt to have me arrested or at the very least bring some sort of litagation against me.

Of course you don't have to accept any calling, but as far as church callings go, Cub Scouts is probably the best non-churchy calling out there. There is no doctrinal discussion. No campouts like in Boy Scouts, which can turn into Book of Mormon fireside discussions. You meet for an hour a week and help them earn their advancements in things like Sports, Science, Arts, Citizenship, Athletics. It can be fun and completely non religious. And there is no homophobia badge, so you don't even have to bring it up.

DarkHelmet wrote:Of course you don't have to accept any calling, but as far as church callings go, Cub Scouts is probably the best non-churchy calling out there. There is no doctrinal discussion. No campouts like in Boy Scouts, which can turn into Book of Mormon fireside discussions. You meet for an hour a week and help them earn their advancements in things like Sports, Science, Arts, Citizenship, Athletics. It can be fun and completely non religious. And there is no homophobia badge, so you don't even have to bring it up.

would it be out of the question to make a h0m0phobia badge in order to be more in line with the mission of the bsa? Maybe I will develop my own merit badges more in line with the bsa such as:

1. How to properly qu33r bash.
2. How to discover if the kid that plays piano in your school really wants to share a sleeping bag with you.
3. The phenomenology of the agnostic and atheistic: why they are wrong and how we can make sure not to include them.

Anyways, I agree with you, out of most of the callings this is likely the most easy going. I probably should buck up and just go through with it. by the way, if you or others have cutting edge merit badge ideas feel free to add to my list.