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The Boy Scouts of America has a longstanding policy of discriminating against non-religious
boys and their families, officially excluding atheists, agnostics, and other non-believers.
The organization currently maintains that, “No member can grow to be the best kind
of citizen without recognizing his obligation to God.”
Many secular groups have pushed back against this policy of exclusion recently with the
Freedom From Religion Foundation co-founder Annie Laurie Gaylor countering, “The Freedom
From Religion Foundation maintains instead that no one who discriminates against the
non-religious can grow to be the best kind of citizen.” Robyn E. Blumner president
for the Center of Inquiry noted, “By excluding boys from non-religious families, The Boy
Scouts of America is practicing the same kind of baseless prejudice it exhibited for so
long against gay scouts. There is no doubt that young man can be honorable, diligent,
wholesome, and represent the best that America has to offer while not subscribing to a religious
faith. For the association to suggest otherwise is to perpetuate ugly stereotypes and open
millions of boys up to exclusion and bullying.”
In opposition to the exclusionary policy the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and
Science, in collaboration with the Freedom From Religion Foundation, is releasing its
own version of a Merit Badge. Scouts who wish to earn the badge are asked to disprove the
Boy Scouts of America’s claim that non-believers cannot be good citizens. The requirements,
paralleling those of a typical merit badge, ask the scouts to learn about secularism and
the rich history of dissent from religion.
Because this unauthorized badge is intended to protest the Boy Scouts’ policy, it is
expected that the Scouts won’t be able to work with a typical merit badge councillor
to demonstrate the completion of requirements. Instead a parent, guardian, sibling over eighteen,
teacher, or other adult will be asked to attest that the scout has qualified. In addition,
the Scout will be required to send in a short essay addressing the Boy Scouts of America’s
claim that non-believers can’t be good citizens. The Scout will be charged no money for the
badge.
Gaylor said, “If any young person fulfills the requirements, we’d be delighted to reward
them with this badge. Many non-religious students who might otherwise wish to join the Boy Scouts
Association, knowing of its bigoted policy, don’t try. This is their chance to be rewarded
for critical thinking and earn a keepsake at the same time. We hope someday very soon
that Boy Scouts of America itself will change policy and adopt its own official merit badge
rewarding critical thinking.”
The Boy Scouts of America have not released a statement regarding the unofficial badge.
Ostentatious prayer is perfectly legal in public schools, as long as it involves only
students, with no support from the school itself. Such unlawful support would include
allowing one Robert Bruce, director of an evangelical youth ministry, to lead group
prayers at lunchtime in the school cafeteria.
In a video recorded by a student, this appears to be exactly what happened at Missouri's
Hollister Middle School one day in February. The Freedom From Religion Foundation has received
reports that adults had led lunchtime prayers several times in the preceding week, and Mr
Bruce has been allowed access to students in other nearby school districts. The FFRF
has appealed to district officials to discontinue this first amendment violation, referring
to it as "predatory behavior".
Brian Wilson, superintendent of one of the offending districts, advised the FFRF that
parents and other community leaders are allowed to have lunch with the children. Wanting to
straddle the constitutional fence, Wilson first defended Mr. Bruce, indicating that
the students had invited him to lead them in prayer, then added that Mr. Bruce has been
admonished "to adhere to all school policies and regulations". Wilson made no comment on
the reports of other adults leading prayers.
It's not irony, it's just a surprise. But what a surprise! Catholic Bishop Declan Lang,
overseer of the Clifton Diocese in Western England, has called on Christians to oppose
the persecution of atheists. In an article posted to the diocese's website, Lang shows
his understanding that persecution isn't about the "X" in "Xmas", but about imprisonment
and floggings from civil authorities, about beatings and horrific murders by mobs and
organized extremist groups.
Lang enumerates various murders of prominent atheists in Bangladesh – five of which occurred
during 2015 and were reported by The Infidel – whose names appeared on lists circulated
by those with the intent to kill. Many of the victims had received death threats, and
had even asked authorities for assistance, before they were murdered. While Lang's focus
is primarily on atheists, he also mentions the Yazidis in Northern Iraq, and Muslims
in Southeast Asia.
Says Lang, "Confronted with these injustices we must not stand by." The oppression of atheists
violates human rights and "represents a degradation of the fundamental principle" of religious
freedom. He encourages Christians to express "solidarity with those suffering the most
appalling persecution", to "promote freedom of religion or belief as a universal right".
So far, no death threats against the Bishop have been reported.