The Boy Scouts Now Offer a Robotics Badge

[thedoclc]

Looks like have a new badge to start and never get done.

Also:

The boy scouts are openly homophobic and will not allow atheists to join. I detest them.

That being said, robotics is cool and I guess I'm glad they're encouraging it.

The BSA is openly homophobic. The actual troops are made up of mostly responsible, sensible adults and youths who are smart enough to not generalize entire groups of people.

For the most part. You can never speak for everyone.

Well, that too. Apparently, as a part of an organization, you're not allowed to disagree with its leadership or statements. That thud you hear is a million straw men facepalming.

 

[Digikid]

Neat but DUMB!

In Canada the Scouts is a group that teaches IMPORTANT things like SURVIVAL. Robotics, while cool and all, is not needed for survival.

 

[WanderingFool]

They're the Boyscouts. I hardly think they'll be churning out many villains.

Have you ever been one? Hell, I was, and they (not I) experimented with more fire and chemicals than I think is allowed under the Geneva Convention

I was one (became an Eagle Scout) and that was the only reason I stayed in Boy Scouts... ahhh... fond memories... I also learned how to throw tomahawks.

Anyways, why the fuck wasnt this done 7 years ago? I could have got that badge easy (I was also part of my schools robotics team... God now I feel like a uber nerd...)

 

[Zechnophobe]

Neat but DUMB!

In Canada the Scouts is a group that teaches IMPORTANT things like SURVIVAL. Robotics, while cool and all, is not needed for survival.

Oh right, cuz all the other merit Badges are just how to hunt elk and collect berries.

As for the gay/atheist thing: This is VERY much up to the Troop in question. My Boyscout troop (which I eventually detested due to the people) was what made me realize I was Atheist in the first place.

 

[Proteus214]

Damn, they wait until after I turn 18 to add the tech merit badges.

 

[Cyberjester]

What would be nice is if they had an adult version instead of the reserves. But eh, having engineering friends helps a lot.

Now who's up for the coil gun. ^ ^

The boy scouts are openly homophobic and will not allow atheists to join. I detest them.

That being said, robotics is cool and I guess I'm glad they're encouraging it.

'sighs'

No, bad. Scous are not like that which you would know if you went along. Although they do dislike being told what to do.

For example.

"I'm gay and an atheist! Are any of you Christians? YOU!! Stand up fker!! You oppressive bastard!" 'hits with shovel' "ANYONE ELSE?!"

Actually, let me put it like this.

Do you know my sexual orientation or religion?

If you were good at information gathering you could find me, wouldn't be hard. But as it stands right now, do you know either of those about me?

No, you don't. I don't feel the need to shove my religion or sexual preference down other peoples throats and I object to having it done to me. If you shove your world view onto others then you will be persecuted. Australia, Britain, very much "stiff upper lip", just cop it. But after a while we get pretty pissed that someone is telling us how we need to ditch our girlfriend because we're actually gay and we're homophobes if we don't.

Which is pretty ludicrous given I've never had a gf and have several homosexual friends. Who also dislike the general stupidity of the "gay community" funnily enough.

If you go to a Scouts group, then don't start telling people your world views otherwise someone is going to disagree with you, statistics, with 20 people at least one of them will be straight. If it comes up in meetings, then feel free to join in the discussion, making sure to be non-acrimonious. If you think it may cause an issue, then talk to the Scout leader. Not in a "I'm x so you have to make sure everyone else is as well so I can feel good about myself.", more "I'm x, will it cause any issues within this particular group?". Remembering that guys and gals are separated (Scouts and Guides) so pushing a homosexual agenda on people is a good way to force their hand. They either kick you out or they kick you out. Could try to join the Guides but ehhhhh. Religion isn't a part of Scouts. They have ceremonies but seriously, they use names from the Jungle Book.

 

[Enkidu88]

The BSA, taken as a monolithic organization, is thoroughly detestable.

But in practice, I've found most troops are pretty respectable, and since it takes someone in the troop to report a Gay or Atheist or Democrat people usually don't get kicked out for those reasons.

Of course then there's people like me, who got stuck into one of those stupid 1 out of a 100 troops that's made up of Neo-Nazis just waiting for an outlet to lynch someone. God I hated my time in scouts.

Captcha today: Milk Isholes. I think the Captcha just insulted me...

 

[Dragonblade146]

The boy scouts are openly homophobic and will not allow atheists to join. I detest them.

That being said, robotics is cool and I guess I'm glad they're encouraging it.

No you are completely wrong. I even passed my Eagle Board of review being Atheist. You have no standard proof besides just being ignorant of it.


That being said, while we have Robotics now, we also now have Videogame loop for the Cub Scouts and a Merit Badge on it...
I will never let anyone in my troop get that badge.

 

[Dragonblade146]

The boy scouts are openly homophobic and will not allow atheists to join. I detest them.

That being said, robotics is cool and I guess I'm glad they're encouraging it.

Yeah, in the USA.

I am pretty sure in the UK it is different, since I have been in the scouts for 5 years, I am definitely not homophobic and openly Atheist.

The Boy Scouts of the UK do allow gays and do not maintain that religion is an essential part of scouting. The United States chapter does do so, though it does not receive federal funds. The Department of Defense has cut all funding for scouting activities in light of their position on homosexuals. However, the courts has routinely and regularly ruled that the BSA's first amendment right to free association allows them to choose to exclude on such grounds as they wish, provided they remain a private organization. As the BSA does not receive federal funds, that 1st amendment right does not run afoul of fourteenth amendment due process or equal protection clauses. Also, as of (yet) the Supreme Court has not included sexual orientation as a protected group under the 14th; Sandra Day O'Conner wrote a -minority- opinion holding it was, and it seems inevitable that it will eventually be included.

Also, completely OT: could folks kindly stop making silly comments about sciences they barely understand? Kthanx.

The boy scouts are openly homophobic and will not allow atheists to join. I detest them.

Really? Where is this?

OT: [Standard positive comment here]

The BSA's own statements.

"Boy Scouts of America believes that homosexual conduct is inconsistent with the obligations in the Scout Oath and Scout Law to be morally straight and clean in thought, word, and deed. The conduct of youth members must be in compliance with the Scout Oath and Law, and membership in Boy Scouts of America is contingent upon the willingness to accept Scouting?s values and beliefs. Most boys join Scouting when they are 10 or 11 years old. As they continue in the program, all Scouts are expected to take leadership positions. In the unlikely event that an older boy were to hold himself out as homosexual, he would not be able to continue in a youth leadership position."

"The Boy Scouts of America maintains that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to God. In the first part of the Scout Oath or Promise the member declares, ?On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law.? The recognition of God as the ruling and leading power in the universe and the grateful acknowledgment of His favors and blessings are necessary to the best type of citizenship and are wholesome precepts in the education of the growing members."

BSA has a Christian, slightly conservative origin and value structure. This is found in the BSA Oath and Law.

Scout Oath
On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.

Scout Law
A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

This is being radically changed over the past few years.

Secondly might I add, reverent, means to be respectful to ALL religions, do you know how many religious badges their are? Boy Scouts even accepts a religion that has long been since dead, I forget its name but its like Zindaoman or something like that. The christian church no longer funds a majority of the Scouting. There are plenty of gays in the BSA, and I am friends with quite a few just in my local area, but when I went to the National Jamboree last summer, I met MANY gay scouts, of MANY religions, some who have even attained Eagle. While the rules of scout say that you can't, you can still be accepted willingly into a troop, or scouts, because scouts are courteous, kind, and cheerful, to ALL people.

 

[Bigsmith]

Now there'll be a million engineers in team fortress!

Oh
My
God
Cause, you know, we total need more of the bloody bastards D:.

Ot: Heh, pretty cool. Can't see this being more then robot logo or something though.

 

[Psycho Cat Industries]

Now there'll be a million engineers in team fortress!

Oh
My
God
Cause, you know, we total need more of the bloody bastards D:.

Ot: Heh, pretty cool. Can't see this being more then robot logo or something though.

They would but the sentries are only programed not to shoot badge wielders so anything else would be destroyed on the way to the net.(lol)

 

[IndianaJonny]

Wow, I'm only 20 but this makes me feel old since I can remember them introducting an 'IT' badge back in '03.

Though, from memory, there may have been an even older 'Computing' badge.

 

[Glerken]

-snip- While the rules of scout say that you can't, you can still be accepted willingly into a troop, or scouts, because scouts are courteous, kind, and cheerful, to ALL people.

Then what he originally said is still correct.
The organization itself is homophobic, and doesn't allow atheists to join.
However, most scouts are sensible and tolerant.

You can't generalize and say all scouts are "courteous, kind, and cheerful, to ALL people" when it's in the rules that gays and atheists can't join.

From an above post:
"Boy Scouts of America believes that homosexual conduct is inconsistent with the obligations in the Scout Oath and Scout Law to be morally straight and clean in thought, word, and deed. The conduct of youth members must be in compliance with the Scout Oath and Law, and membership in Boy Scouts of America is contingent upon the willingness to accept Scouting's values and beliefs.

No one is saying all the boy scouts are homophobic, but the organization itself is.

 

[Aphroditty]

Neat but DUMB!

In Canada the Scouts is a group that teaches IMPORTANT things like SURVIVAL. Robotics, while cool and all, is not needed for survival.

Well if you want to thrive in a modern economy, robotics would be a hell of a lot more useful than, uh, whatever the hell the Canadian scouts do.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

What's your name, little scout?
Johnathan Connor, Akela
And you've burnt your Robotics badge, why?

 

[Dragonblade146]

-snip- While the rules of scout say that you can't, you can still be accepted willingly into a troop, or scouts, because scouts are courteous, kind, and cheerful, to ALL people.

Then what he originally said is still correct.
The organization itself is homophobic, and doesn't allow atheists to join.
However, most scouts are sensible and tolerant.

You can't generalize and say all scouts are "courteous, kind, and cheerful, to ALL people" when it's in the rules that gays and atheists can't join.

From an above post:
"Boy Scouts of America believes that homosexual conduct is inconsistent with the obligations in the Scout Oath and Scout Law to be morally straight and clean in thought, word, and deed. The conduct of youth members must be in compliance with the Scout Oath and Law, and membership in Boy Scouts of America is contingent upon the willingness to accept Scouting's values and beliefs.

No one is saying all the boy scouts are homophobic, but the organization itself is.

But again, its completely wrong. I'm 100% atheist. And I got my Eagle Scout rank, that would be impossible if they didn't accept atheists, as an organization.

 

[ModsDeleteThisAccountPlease]

Excellent. Now we can add Robots to the main stay of Guns, Knives, and Fire.

 

[Flauros]

The boy scouts are openly homophobic and will not allow atheists to join. I detest them.

The Atheist and Homophobic things are complete lies. I have friends in scouting who are openly Atheist and there's nothing again gays or bisexual people, at least in the Boy Scouts of America there isn't

OT: I'm totally going to get this merit badge.

wow, such outrage. They literally have rules against Atheists and Agnostics. So unless you think the poster is a Boy Scout lying about Boy Scouts....or something. Im confused already....

"The Boy Scouts of America maintains that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to God. In the first part of the Scout Oath or Promise the member declares, ?On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law.? The recognition of God as the ruling and leading power in the universe and the grateful acknowledgment of His favors and blessings are necessary to the best type of citizenship and are wholesome precepts in the education of the growing members."[

 

[Feste the Jester]

The boy scouts are openly homophobic and will not allow atheists to join. I detest them.

The Atheist and Homophobic things are complete lies. I have friends in scouting who are openly Atheist and there's nothing again gays or bisexual people, at least in the Boy Scouts of America there isn't

OT: I'm totally going to get this merit badge.

wow, such outrage. They literally have rules against Atheists and Agnostics. So unless you think the poster is a Boy Scout lying about Boy Scouts....or something. Im confused already....

"The Boy Scouts of America maintains that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to God. In the first part of the Scout Oath or Promise the member declares, ?On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law.? The recognition of God as the ruling and leading power in the universe and the grateful acknowledgment of His favors and blessings are necessary to the best type of citizenship and are wholesome precepts in the education of the growing members."[

Yeah sorry. I was just going off my personal experiences in Scouts. I took some time to check official national policy. What the hell? Why do they have such complete backwards policy?