http://www.startribune.com/local/west/162817346.html?refer=y 

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/07/19/why-do-the-boy-scouts-exclude-gays/ban-on-gay-members-defies-boy-scout-values <– this brings it up

You’re most certainly correct that a gay person often faces severe discrimination, where an atheist (except for a gay atheist…) would not. I wasn’t comparing the two.

Having defended myself, I do feel I owe you and anyone that felt that way from my comment an apology, I most certainly didn’t want to bring out those kinds of feelings or offend anyone.

I am an eagle scout and I will gladly hold onto my badge, medalion, and membership card because if the organization is ever going to change it will need the actions of dedicated leaders like eagle scouts to change it from the inside not to abandon the organization because they did something unpopular.

Exactly what steps have you taken to effect change from within and what has been the response of the national leadership to your efforts?

Because otherwise, you’re just pretending to care while clinging to your own privilege. And as long as you’re not actively fighting homophobia within the organization, you are absolutely supporting it.

And they say Americans don’t understand irony!

I also take issue with the OP, there isn’t anything to prove that he was denied because he was gay.  There is every reason to expect he was denied because he couldn’t honestly check the box that said “I will do my duty to God.”  It has happened before, on several rather public occasions and even once in my own time in the BSA.  The quote listed there actually comes right out and says he didn’t meet the religious requirement.  If he met all of the requirements then how did an athiest achieve a “Religious Emblem of your faith” which is one of the pre-requsites?

I would support a pastafarian addition to the BSA relgious critera, and I would support a change of leadership that worked harder to promote the ideals of fairness, integrity, tolerance and openness in their actions as well as their literature. 

I don’t support the notion that the best way to protest this is to abandon the ideals that got you there in the first place.  You’re eagle scouts, Act like it.

I became a Cub Scout at the age of seven because my parents wanted me to. I might have chosen to join if I’d known what it was about, but let me emphasize this: there was no choice on my part. After finishing four years as a Cub Scout my parents signed me up for Boy Scouts.

I’m not blaming my parents. After all I loved being a Boy Scout and had a great time. But it’s not as though someone said to me, as an adult, or even a person old enough to understand the implications, “Here’s an organization with discriminatory views. Would you like to join?” That’s where your “liberals being kicked out of the GOP because of their beliefs” comparison fails.

As for life not being fair, you’re correct, life isn’t fair, but that’s not an excuse for allowing the BSA to continue discriminating.

Some of you seem to think it’s an easy one, but I’m pretty sure you aren’t Eagle Scouts (or even Boy Scouts, for that matter), so you opinion doesn’t really fly far with me.

Since I did earn my Eagle Scout award will my opinion “fly far” you with?

I admit that at the time I became an Eagle Scout I hadn’t given the organization’s discriminatory policies much thought. And even though it was more than two decades ago the policies were unquestionably just as discriminatory then as they are now. I just didn’t hear as much about it then.

A few years after becoming Eagle I began to hear stories of Scouts being kicked out because of their religious beliefs, or lack thereof, or sexual orientation, or even perceived sexual orientation.

I can tell you honestly–I believe in being honest, after all, even if many Scout leaders don’t–that repudiating my Eagle award and criticizing the organization that gave it to me was a very easy decision.

On another note, I question how being open about one’s being gay is tantamount to declaring that one does not agree to a policy of “duty to God.”  My understanding from every Christian organization I’ve read about is that it is same-sex sexual behavior that God frowns upon, not a homosexual orientation…and I highly doubt that the boy in question told his scoutmaster that he has engaged in any sexual acts.

Odd, how people will twist words and make illogical interpretations to support their views in spite of evidence that their views are faulty.

And, just to say, the comparison is between one type of intolerance and another, not between which intolerance is the more just and moral position.

These are not morally equivalent things.  Refusing to go see someone’s big moment at a Unitarian Church might be a similar equivalent.  Unitarians are merry theist who don’t shit on people, gays included.  Refusing to go see a loved one do something big there because you don’t believe in their Jesus magic is acting a bit douchie and intolerant.  You don’t have to agree with their belief in the super natural, but they are not hurting you, so don’t be a dick.

The moral equivalent to people who don’t want to encourage the homophobic BSA, is refusing to go to your nephew’s KKK promotion to high wizard (or whatever ass hole rank they use) just because you find their philosophy on segregation of the races morally abhorrent. 

BSA is free to have their own beliefs, but if they are morally abhorrent (not just goofy), then there is nothing wrong with refusing to support them in any way shape or form.

No no, its cool guys.  I totally believe in a god.  Can I join?

Now, I’m not saying that it’s right. I think they need to be Brave, as directed by the Scout Law, and get over it – there have to be a lot of people out there (myself included) who’d love to be involved in Scouts, if only they’d change on this issue (and allow atheists, but that’s another issue).

-An eagle scout, who hopes that when he has kids, that scouting is something he’d be proud to involve his kids in.