Trust your son, let him join. I loved being a boy scout, don't remember it as a religious experience at all. All my good memories are about camping, outdoors, and great friendships!

Our job is to give them options, so eventually they can make an informed decision and chose whatever makes them happy. It's their life, not ours. He wants to join the boy scouts and you are concern about any potential damage, think about the resentment he will develop against you likely because he will be missing spending time with friends and nothing else. Try to understand those concerns are yours, not his. Don't make him pay for it.

I was a scout...and yes I had to recite prayers at every meeting...and March as the troops flag bearer at every Corpus Christi Parade...but apart from that nonsense..I got a lot out of it..it was character building actually..and taught me manners..respect for nature..elderly people and civil duty..to name but a few things....

Let the kid go...it was never really about faith in God...it was always more about having faith in yourself and your fellow scouts...

If it were me, I wouldn't allow it. Interestingly enough, this issue came up here a long time ago, which led me to find out that BSA was chartered by the US Congress, so I find its belief requirements wholly unconstitutional.

So this sent me down a rabbit hole. I found Camp Fire as well as Navigators USA. Navigators sounds better. Is St. Paul too far away?

I have a friend who is heavily involved in Boy Scouts of America. Her husband is a troop leader, her son is working on his Eagle Scout Project and she is a co-leader and like treasurer or something for the troop. She's been encouraging me to get my 8yo involved and her primary argument is "scouts is inclusive and not religious." There is one blurb about god or a higher power in their pledge. She says in their troop they choose to define that concept as "the voice inside of us that propels us to do good." So, it sounds like as an organization they are essentially secular, but that troops can have an individual lean.

I spent five or dix years in boy scouts as a youth. Ive bern an atheist mlmfor 45 years. I think that there are some good aspects that the boy scouts can offer. Citizenship, respect, and access to the out of doors. My recommrndation to you is that you carefully check out the troop sponsor. Make sure they are not a relgious zealot (evangelical nazi). Sit in on one of troop meetings and observe the children's intetactions and the general chemistry of the troop. Then make up your mind.

I wear this quite proudly.

I understand your situation. My nephew and his wife have allowed their son to be in Scouts. He loves it so much, and it's given my nephew the opportunity to
spend more father/son time with him. They're going camping this weekend, and kiddo is super-pumped for it.

I really hate that he's involved with that organization, but he's not my kid,
I wasn't asked for my opinion, and I didn't stick my nose where it didn't belong.

Whenever the opportunity presents itself, I let him know that not everyone
believes in the same god he does, some people don't believe in any gods
at all, and none of that makes him better than them, or makes them "bad"
people. He seemed to accept that. Haven't told him yet that I'm an atheist. I will when he's a little older.

If I had a young son, I would NOT have him involved with the BSoA, under
any circumstances.

As positive as some aspects of scouting may be, I'd have a real hard time with this. If you allow it you're condoning an organization that does what it does in terms of religious freedoms.

On the other hand, it's a kid that wants to do outdoors related shit with friends.

So ya. I did not help. Sorry.

I don't like the Boy Scouts because they are misogynistic, or were.
Boys get to build shelters, tie knots, learn cool things like Morse Code, Braille, flag signals, go on camping trips, etc., but the girls get to wear long, ugly SKIRTS and sit around inside eating cookies.

BORING. And stupid. I only attended once, then quit in disgust. I hear that now they must accept girls in the Boy Scout activities, but I still think it's stupid. I do much better camping and doing things on my own than following some group around, following orders, missing out on all the wildlife and tracks.

It can’t hurt.

I wonder if they are required to hand out prophylactics now that girls can be boy scouts?

Let him join the boy scouts and have fun with his friends. Does he know your an Atheist?

Concede. At some point he's likely to see that the values you've instilled in him aren't congruent with those of the scouts and (hopefully?) that will be the time he chooses to break away. By denying him that opportunity, you're providing an element of intrigue and possibly seeding resentment. You can also raise your concerns with the troop leader.

The most God ever entered into the boy scouts when I was in, was they met in churches and one pledge or oath mentioned God one time. It was strictly a memorized bit. After that, it was a very valuable part of my early years.

One of the things I appreciate about stroke oil is its packaging. The bottle is sturdy and comes with a convenient pump, making it easy to dispense just the right amount of product <a href="https://cuttingedgechainsaws.com/best-chainsaw-tachometer/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" class="forumlink">[cuttingedgechainsaws.com]]([)]

I would let him join the Boy Scouts if he is so set in this because you cannot raise him in a closet. He will always remember this if you do not allow him to join. I'm sure that every day life exposes him to religion in many ways. I would investigate the local Scouts a bit however. If they are meeting in church or having any activity within a church the answer would be "no." The Scouts teach many things but I would not allow them to be an indoctrination tool.

Shop around for a troupe, I was a scout leader for many years and we mostly ignored the religious and anti gay stuff

I would not let a son or daughter join the scouts for as long as I had control of the decision, ever. It is a religious indoctrination organization as much as it is a social organization and a skills organization. Religion is not a harmless difference of opinion.

I do not claim that this is the "right way" to do it, just my two cents.

It is very possible to pursue interest in the out-of-doors and in self-development other than the Boy Scouts. As a kid, I was a Cub Scout, but found the Boy Scouts too structured and restrictive. But, I stayed active in the out-of-doors and developed related interests and skills on my own. Whatever you and he are comfortable with.

I can't encourage an organization that doesn't support equality for all.
With all 4 boys, it was a no.

I was a girl guide.
Learning to camp and stuff is cool.
But you don't do as much cool stuff as often as cadets. But you need to be at least 11 for that

The Cub Scout/ Webelo pack my son was in, was pretty dedicated to church. Our meetings were in a church. We had Scout Sunday once a year They did charity work for churches.

This was because of the leaders (one family) and not so much the scout organization, I believe. However, even at larger events I felt I was surrounded by believers. True or not, IDK.

We stopped going because my son got lazy about it. And I wasn't very motivated because it was mostly about playing and .....crafts!!! The actual boy scouting was very few, far and between. I was wasting my Friday nights.....I could spend that time directly with children. Blah!

So, it's worth a try. Probably depends on the local chapter

I was never part of any type of scouts nor did I want to at that age. After seeing Deadpool 2, I'm glad I didn't.

Well, it's a good thing, the boy scouts. Check things well.